It Takes Two PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum for It Takes Two lists an Intel Core i3-2100T or AMD FX 6100 processor, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD R7 260X graphics card, 8 GB of RAM and 50 GB of storage. The publisher does not require an SSD. In today's terms, the minimum CPU sits at the very old entry level, and the GPU is roughly on par with the weakest integrated graphics in current systems. That means the game should start on most modern PCs, but there is not much headroom.
The official recommended tier calls for an Intel Core i5 3570K or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 or AMD R9 290X, 16 GB of RAM and the same 50 GB of storage. Roughly, the recommended CPU lands in the very old to entry band, while the recommended GPU sits in the older entry-level range, comparable to a GeForce GTX 1060 3GB. The jump in graphics requirement and the doubling of RAM are the main differences between the two tiers.
These figures are the developer's stated minimum and recommended levels, not a promise of any particular frame rate or resolution. If your system is at or above the recommended tier, you should be comfortable at mainstream settings. If you are only at the minimum, expect to lower resolution and detail to keep things stable.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs an AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT, Intel Arc A380, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB or RTX 3050 6GB with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100F, plus at least 16 GB of RAM. This combination clears the official recommended tier by a comfortable margin and suits players on a tighter budget who mainly play at 1080p. You will not need top settings, but it gives far more room than the minimum.
The mainstream build is about value. Cards such as the GeForce GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 8GB, GTX 1660 Ti or Radeon RX 5600 XT, paired with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-10400 and 16 GB of RAM, sit well above the recommended tier. This is the safest choice for most players who want steady results at medium to high settings and enough capacity for other games.
The high-end build uses cards like the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Radeon RX 6700 XT, RTX 4060 or RX 7600, with a Ryzen 5 5600 or 5600X or Intel Core i5-12400, and 16 to 32 GB of RAM. It goes far beyond what this game asks for, so it makes sense if you want higher resolutions, higher refresh rates or you stream and record at the same time. If this is the only game you play, the extra power brings limited benefit.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a game of this kind, the settings that usually cost the most are shadows, volumetric lighting and fog, depth of field, reflections, and the density of objects and simulation in the scene. Shadows and volumetric effects tend to be the heaviest on the graphics card, so if you need to trim, start there. Keep texture quality where you can, since lowering textures hurts image quality a lot while helping performance only modestly.
Ray tracing is not listed in the official requirements. If the game offers it, leave it off on mid-range hardware to keep things stable. For anti-aliasing, a temporal option is usually the best balance between sharpness and cost.
Upscaling technologies such as Nvidia DLSS, AMD FSR and Intel XeSS work by rendering at a lower internal resolution and reconstructing the image at your target resolution. This takes load off the GPU without a large loss in visual quality. If your card supports one of them and the game offers it, the Quality or Balanced mode is usually worth using. Results vary by scene and setting, so compare for yourself.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share names with desktop cards, such as a GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU versus a desktop RTX 3060. The laptop version typically runs at a lower power limit and performs noticeably differently, so judge a laptop by its exact GPU and power configuration rather than the name alone. Cooling also matters: if the chassis overheats during long sessions, clocks can drop and the picture may become less stable.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally sit between entry laptops and mainstream desktops in performance. To get better battery life and temperatures, lower the resolution, disable some post-processing and use the built-in power and frame-limit controls. We do not have verification data for handhelds, so treat this as general guidance. Real results depend on the model and settings.
If you play for long stretches on battery or a weak charger, set the power mode to high performance and watch thermals, since power-saving modes can cut performance significantly.
Storage and memory
The official requirement lists 50 GB of storage, but it is wise to leave extra room for updates and temporary files. For memory, the official minimum is 8 GB and the recommended amount is 16 GB. If you keep a browser, chat apps or streaming tools open, 16 GB gives comfortable headroom. Dual-channel memory raises bandwidth, so use two matching modules in the correct slots.
The publisher does not require an SSD, but a solid-state drive noticeably shortens load times and reduces stutter when moving between areas. If your library sits on a traditional hard drive, install this game on an SSD at minimum for a smoother experience. Keep free space on the drive healthy, since a nearly full disk can slow down both the system and the game.
In short: plan for at least 16 GB of RAM, use an SSD where you can, and keep extra storage free beyond the listed 50 GB.