Hades PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum for Hades is a dual-core 2.4 GHz CPU, a GPU with at least 1GB of VRAM and DirectX 10 support, 4 GB of RAM and 15 GB of storage. The recommended level raises this to a dual-core 3.0 GHz or faster CPU, a GPU with 2GB of VRAM and DirectX 10 support, 8 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage. The publisher does not require an SSD at either level.
In our reference data, the minimum GPU maps to something like an Intel HD Graphics 4000, which is integrated graphics from a very old generation, and the minimum CPU maps to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+, also very old. The recommended GPU maps to an NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030, and the recommended CPU sits at the same very old tier. In practical terms, the bar is low: almost any modern entry-level graphics card and any recent quad-core or better processor will clear the recommended level comfortably.
The main practical difference between the two levels is RAM (4 GB versus 8 GB) and storage space. If you have only 4 GB of memory, upgrading to 8 GB or more is worth doing so the system does not run short when other programs are open. The publisher does not list any higher tier, so the build suggestions below are our own estimates based on current hardware, not official figures.
Recommended builds for three budgets
Entry: GPU options are AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT, Intel Arc A380, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB, GTX 1650 Super, GTX 1660 or RTX 3050 6GB. CPU options are Ryzen 3 3100, Core i3-10100F, Ryzen 3 3300X, Ryzen 5 4500, Ryzen 5 3500X or Core i5-10400F. Pair them with 16 GB of RAM. This suits players who want to run the game smoothly on a tight budget and is well above the official recommended level.
Mainstream: the GPU list is largely the same as entry, with the addition of GTX 1660 Super and RTX 3050 8GB. The CPU list adds Core i5-10400 and Ryzen 5 3600. Again, 16 GB of RAM is the target. This is the best value for most players, giving room for higher graphics settings and leaving headroom for other games.
High: GPU options include Intel Arc B570, Radeon RX 6650 XT, Arc A770 16GB, GeForce RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2080, RTX 4060, Radeon RX 7600 and RTX 2080 Super. CPU options include Core i5-12400, Core i9-10900K, Ryzen 5 8600G, Ryzen 5 5600, Core i7-11700K, Ryzen 5 5600X, Core i9-11900K and Ryzen 7 8700G. Again 16 GB of RAM is sufficient. This tier is far beyond the official recommendation and suits players who run several demanding games or play at high resolutions, though it is not necessary for this title alone.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
Hades is a 2D-art action roguelike, so its rendering load is light to begin with. In games of this kind, the settings that usually cost the most are shadow quality, volumetric lighting and fog, depth of field, reflections, and the number of effects and particles on screen at once. If your graphics card is close to the recommended level, lowering these first usually gives the clearest benefit.
Keep anti-aliasing and the main texture detail settings where you can. They tend to affect image clarity the most while costing relatively little. If the game offers dynamic resolution or a render-scale slider, these are useful tools for adjusting the balance.
Upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR and Intel XeSS render at a lower resolution and then reconstruct the image at the target resolution. When supported, they can add headroom without a large loss of sharpness. For a game with a light load like this one, you usually won't need them.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share a name with desktop parts, such as an RTX 4060 laptop version, but their power limits and cooling are usually lower, so real performance is noticeably below the desktop card. When shopping, look at the listed TGP or power figure rather than the model name alone. Poor cooling or running on battery can also reduce performance.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally are low-power platforms, and they should be able to handle this game's requirements. On these devices, start with the lower graphics presets and consider capping the frame rate to extend battery life. We have no verification data for the Steam Deck, so this is general guidance only and we give no rating for it.
Storage and memory
The official recommendation is 8 GB of RAM, but we suggest aiming for 16 GB. Running two memory sticks in dual-channel mode usually gives better overall performance, especially on integrated platforms, so make sure they sit in the correct slots when installing.
The official recommendation for storage is 20 GB. The game itself is small, but updates and save data need extra room, so keep at least 30 GB free. An SSD is not required and the game runs from a hard drive, but an SSD noticeably shortens load times and is worth the cost if your budget allows. Clearing out unneeded files also keeps updates running smoothly.