God of War Ragnarök PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel i5-4670K or AMD Ryzen 3 1200. Both are early-generation chips, roughly comparable to today's entry-level quad-core processors. They are enough to launch and run the game, but there is little headroom in busy scenes. The minimum GPU is an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB, an AMD RX 5500 XT 8GB or an Intel Arc A750. In our tiering these sit in the mainstream, 1080p-class band, toward the older end. The minimum asks for 8 GB of RAM and 190 GB of storage, and the publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, a newer mainstream six-core class of chip. The recommended GPU is an NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super, an AMD RX 5700 or an Intel Arc A770. These are still mainstream 1080p-class parts, but clearly stronger than the minimum. Recommended RAM is 16 GB, and storage stays at 190 GB. For the player, the gap between minimum and recommended shows up mostly in the visual ceiling and how steady the game feels in heavy scenes. Hitting the recommended tier lets you run higher default presets with much more comfort.
The publisher does not list an SSD requirement. Still, loading times are noticeably shorter on an SSD, which is common knowledge for most PC games. If you want the experience the recommended tier describes, plan your build around the recommended specs.
Note: the official requirements do not list a separate tier for laptops or handheld PCs.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who mainly want 1080p. It pairs a GTX 1660 or RTX 3050 class GPU with a Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i3-10100F, and 16 GB of RAM. It sits just around the recommended tier, so plan on medium settings and accept a lower visual ceiling.
The mainstream build is the choice most players will make. An RX 5700, RTX 2060 12GB or RTX 3060 8GB paired with a six-core CPU such as a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400, plus 16 GB of RAM. It reaches the recommended tier with room to spare and lets you run above-default settings at 1080p. It is a strong value option.
The high build is for players who want a higher resolution or a higher visual ceiling. An RX 6800 XT, RTX 3080 10GB or RTX 4070, with a Ryzen 7 5700X or Core i5-14400, and 16 GB of RAM as a minimum. Consider 32 GB if you also run heavy software alongside the game. This tier has ample margin above the recommended level, suited to sustained high settings and higher resolutions.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In large action-adventure games like this one, the costliest settings are usually shadow quality, volumetric lighting and fog, ray tracing if offered, crowd and simulation density, and depth of field and view distance. Shadows and volumetric effects are expensive to compute, so lowering them usually gives the biggest performance gain for the least visible change. Ray tracing, if available, is also very demanding on the GPU, so turn it off or down unless your card has clear headroom.
Settings worth protecting include texture quality, material detail and anti-aliasing. They strongly affect image clarity while costing comparatively little. Be careful with the top texture setting on cards with limited VRAM, since it can cause textures to load incompletely.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS render at a lower internal resolution and then scale the image up with an algorithm, which generally buys a meaningful amount of performance. Quality or balanced modes usually look close to native, while performance modes show more softness. Pick the technology that matches your GPU brand, and adjust to your own tolerance for detail loss.
Laptops and handheld PCs
A laptop GPU carrying the same name as a desktop card usually performs differently, because power limits and cooling space are tighter. A laptop RTX card, for example, will generally trail its desktop namesake. When judging whether a laptop meets the recommended tier, check the actual laptop variant and its power envelope rather than assuming desktop numbers. If cooling is poor, sustained play can lead to throttling, so keep vents clear and use the performance power profile for steadier results.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally are mobile platforms with strict power and thermal limits. In general, they are best run at lower resolutions and lower presets, with upscaling and a frame cap helping to keep play steady. We have no verified handheld results for this game, so judge feasibility by comparing your specific device against the official requirements.
The publisher does not list laptop or handheld requirements, so these points are general guidance only.
Storage and memory
For memory, the official minimum is 8 GB and the recommended amount is 16 GB. 16 GB leaves comfortable room for the game and the system, and reduces stutter when background apps are running. If you stream, record or keep a browser full of tabs open, consider more. Install RAM in dual-channel configuration for better memory bandwidth.
The game needs 190 GB of storage. Leave extra space beyond that for updates and downloadable content, since the real footprint can change over time, and the official listing does not give finer detail. An SSD is not required, but it noticeably shortens load times and reduces waits when moving between areas, making it one of the most worthwhile upgrades. The game will run from a hard drive, but loading and area transitions will be clearly slower.