Need for Speed™ Unbound PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is listed as Ryzen 5 2600 or Core i5-8600. These are older mainstream processors, roughly comparable today to a Ryzen 3 3100 in tier. They can run the game, but with limited headroom. The minimum GPU is RX 570 or GTX 1050 Ti, which sit in the older entry-level band. Expect to lower settings and resolution at this level. The minimum of 8 GB RAM is tight for modern games and can hold back performance.
The recommended tier raises the CPU to Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i7-8700, and the GPU to Radeon RX 5700 (8GB) or GeForce RTX 2070 (8GB). The RX 5700 falls into the 1080p mainstream class, and the RTX 2070 sits in a similar range. Recommended RAM is 16 GB. In short, the minimum lets the game launch and run with conservative settings, while the recommended tier gives you room to play at medium to high quality with more consistency.
Both tiers list 50 GB of storage. The publisher does not require an SSD at either level. The official listings do not include a higher tier, so for finer comparisons you should judge by the settings you actually run.
The requirements are a starting point, not a guarantee of any particular experience. Use them to decide whether your current hardware is in the right general band, then adjust settings to suit your own expectations.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who are aiming for 1080p with medium to low settings. A GTX 1650 Super-class GPU paired with a Ryzen 5 3500X works well here. Use 16 GB of RAM, since 8 GB will noticeably hold back the experience. This setup sits between the official minimum and recommended tiers and is a sensible way to get the game running smoothly.
The mainstream build is for players who want 1080p or 1440p with medium-high settings. An RTX 3060 8GB or RX 6600 paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 and 16 GB of RAM roughly reaches the official recommended tier with some margin. For most players, this is the best value.
The high-end build is for players who want higher resolutions and fuller visual effects. An RTX 4070 or RX 6800 XT-class GPU with a Ryzen 7 5700X3D or Ryzen 7 7700 gives plenty of headroom. Going to 32 GB of RAM helps if you run other applications or mods alongside the game. The goal at this level is consistent performance at higher resolutions rather than chasing a particular number.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a street racing title like this, shadows, volumetric lighting and fog, ray tracing, and the density of traffic and pedestrians tend to cost the most. Shadows and ray tracing are especially noticeable in night-time city scenes, so reducing them is often the most direct way to gain headroom. View distance and reflection quality also matter, though their visual cost is usually easier to live with.
Keep main texture detail, anti-aliasing and car model quality where you can, since these shape how sharp and polished the scene looks while you race. If your graphics card supports upscaling such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS, it can render at a lower internal resolution and let the algorithm reconstruct the final image, which trades some fidelity for extra performance. How well each mode works depends on your hardware and the mode you pick, so compare the image quality yourself before settling on one.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share names with desktop cards, such as an RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and a desktop RTX 3060, but they are not the same. Laptop versions run under power limits (TGP) and cooling constraints, so their real performance is usually lower. Check the TGP and the cooling design before you buy, and keep in mind that sustained gaming can cause thermal throttling that noticeably affects frame consistency.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally can generally be used to try the game, but we have no verified data for handhelds for this title, so we cannot give a definitive compatibility rating. If you play on a handheld, set resolution and quality to low, use the built-in scaling and frame-limiting options, and keep an eye on battery life and heat.
Storage and memory
Aim for 16 GB of RAM and make sure it runs in dual-channel mode, which gives better bandwidth and stability than a single stick. If you run other programs or stream while gaming, 32 GB gives you more breathing room. The game itself needs 50 GB of storage, but leave extra space for updates and temporary files as they accumulate.
The publisher does not require an SSD, but an SSD noticeably shortens loading times and reduces stutter during area transitions. If your budget allows, install the game on an SSD. A hard drive will still run the game, but loading and streaming large scene data will be slower.