Farming Simulator 22 PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i5-3330 or AMD FX-8320 or better. That is roughly the level of an Intel Core i3-4130, which counts as very old, entry-level hardware today. The minimum GPU is a GeForce GTX 660 or Radeon R7 265 class card with at least 2GB of VRAM, roughly where a GeForce GTX 750 Ti sits.
The recommended level rises to an Intel Core i5-5675C or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or better, which is an older mainstream CPU tier. The recommended GPU is a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 570 class card with at least 6GB of VRAM, roughly comparable to a Radeon R9 390 or a newer entry card. For most players the gap between minimum and recommended shows up mainly in the processor. This game's load comes from large numbers of units and simulation work, so CPU differences affect smoothness on large late-game maps more than GPU differences do.
Both levels list 8GB of RAM and 35GB of storage, and neither requires an SSD. The publisher does not state an SSD requirement, but in practice an SSD noticeably shortens loading and save times.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs a GeForce GTX 1650 Super or GTX 1660 with a Ryzen 5 3500X or Core i5-10400F and 16GB of RAM. It suits players who want to clear the official recommended requirements on a modest budget. Keep graphics in the low-to-medium range and focus on keeping unit and simulation load stable.
The mainstream build uses a GeForce GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 8GB or Radeon RX 5600 XT with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 and 16GB of RAM. This is the best value for most players. It clears the recommended requirements comfortably and handles medium-to-high settings.
The high-end build uses an RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 4060 or Radeon RX 7600 with a Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 5700X or Core i5-13400F and 32GB of RAM. It suits players who want headroom on large maps with many units, and who want to enable more visual effects.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In simulation games like this one, the most demanding settings are usually CPU-related: unit view distance, physics simulation detail, and crowd or vehicle density. These control how many objects the processor has to calculate, so they are the first things to adjust if you want smoother play. Lowering resolution or texture quality will not help much if the processor is the bottleneck.
On the GPU side, shadows and volumetric effects tend to be the most expensive. Reducing shadow distance and detail costs little visual quality but cuts GPU load noticeably. Volumetrics and high-resolution effects are also worth lowering. Texture quality and anti-aliasing mostly use VRAM, so reduce them first if memory is tight.
If your card supports DLSS, FSR or XeSS, upscaling can help when the GPU is the limit. These techniques render at a lower internal resolution and reconstruct the image to your target resolution, usually with a small loss in quality. If the CPU is the real limit, upscaling helps little, and you should go back to the unit and simulation settings.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share a name with desktop parts but perform differently. Power limits (TGP) and cooling design vary a lot between models, so a laptop card with the same name may run well below its desktop counterpart. When buying a laptop, check the GPU's power setting and cooling rather than relying on the model name alone.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally are limited by power and thermal headroom. For these devices, lower the resolution and graphics preset and use a lower power profile. Because this game's load centres on the processor, the handheld's CPU will be the main constraint. FrameScope has no Steam Deck verification data for this title, so treat this as general guidance.
On any laptop or handheld, play plugged in where possible and keep vents clear, since sustained heat causes throttling.
Storage and memory
The official minimum and recommended levels both list 8GB of RAM, but we suggest 16GB for real play. As maps expand and unit counts grow, 16GB gives the game and the system more room. 32GB is worth considering if you run many mods or other software alongside. Make sure memory is installed in dual-channel configuration, which raises effective memory bandwidth.
The official storage figure is 35GB, but updates and mods take extra space. Keep at least 50GB free. An SSD is not required, but it significantly shortens loading and save times in this game, so installing on an SSD is strongly recommended. The game runs from an HDD too, just with longer loads.