DREDGE PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD Phenom II X4 965. Both are roughly a decade-old quad-core class, which sits at the entry level of today's tiers. The older Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 falls in the same band. The minimum GPU is an Nvidia 8800 GT 512MB or a Radeon HD 6570 1GB, early dedicated cards whose level is about the same as an entry-level integrated graphics chip such as Intel HD Graphics 4000. The minimum asks for 4GB of RAM and 2GB of storage, and the publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel Core i5-2550K or AMD FX-8370, one step up from the minimum and roughly comparable to a Core i7-920. The recommended GPU is an Nvidia GTS 450 1GB or Radeon HD 5770 1GB, around the level of Intel HD Graphics 530. Recommended RAM rises to 6GB, storage stays at 2GB, and an SSD is again not required.
In practice, the gap between minimum and recommended shows up as scene complexity and how steady the frame pacing feels. Meeting the recommended level means your hardware is within the publisher's normal play range. Meeting only the minimum usually means you will need to lower graphics settings to play comfortably. The publisher did not list a higher tier, so we cannot judge performance above the recommended level from official data. Overall, the requirements are not demanding, and most recent mainstream systems clear the recommended threshold easily.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who mainly want the game to run smoothly. Pair an AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100F, and use 16GB of RAM. This sits well above the official recommended level and suits an exploration and fishing game that is not especially fast-paced.
The mainstream build is the balanced choice for most players. A GTX 1660 Super or RTX 3050 8GB paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-10400 gives you room to play at higher preset settings and leaves headroom for future updates. Again, 16GB of RAM is the sensible target.
For the high-end build, options include the RTX 4060, RX 7600, or Intel Arc B570, paired with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Core i9-14900K. For this game, the main benefit is margin and stability at higher resolutions and settings rather than the game itself being demanding. If you also play other large titles, this tier is more worthwhile. 16GB of RAM is still a good baseline, and 32GB makes sense if you multitask heavily.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In an exploration and fishing game with fairly open scenes, the settings that usually cost the most are shadows, volumetric lighting and effects, depth of field range, and the quality of water and reflections. Shadow resolution and draw distance are often the biggest cost, so adjust them first. Reflections and global illumination, where offered, are also worth lowering a little, since they weigh heavily in scenes near water.
Keep anti-aliasing and main texture detail where you can. They have a large effect on image clarity, while turning them down usually gains little performance. On weaker graphics cards, lowering the render resolution slightly and then adjusting shadows and effects is a sensible order of operations.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS render the image at a lower resolution and then reconstruct it to your target resolution, trading some fidelity for extra performance headroom. Whether they are available and worth enabling depends on your graphics card and the game's options. In general, a quality-focused upscaling mode keeps the image close to native, but judge the result on your own screen.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share names with desktop parts, for example an RTX 4060 laptop version differs from the desktop card in specification and performance. Laptop versions are limited by power caps and cooling space, so they usually run below the desktop card of the same name. When buying a laptop, check the card's power limit (TGP) and cooling design rather than just the model name.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally use integrated platforms and suit lower graphics presets and resolutions. Start with a low preset, and keep an eye on battery life and heat. We have no Steam Deck verification data for this game, so this is general guidance only and we cannot give a specific compatibility rating.
Storage and memory
The official minimum RAM is 4GB and the recommended is 6GB, but we suggest at least 16GB so you can keep a browser or chat app open alongside the game. Dual-channel memory improves data transfer for both integrated graphics and the processor, so install two sticks of matching capacity.
The official storage requirement is 2GB, but leave more room than that for updates and save data. An SSD is not mandatory, yet it noticeably shortens loading times, and the difference is easy to feel when moving between areas and saving. If your budget allows, install the game on an SSD.
A hard drive can run the game, just with slower loading. If your main drive is small, you can place the game on a second drive, but an SSD still gives a better experience.