Schedule I PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum for Schedule I is a 3GHz 4-core CPU or similar, a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or Radeon RX 580, 8GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. By today's standards the GTX 1060 6GB is an older entry-level graphics card, and the Radeon RX 580 belongs to the same generation. For the processor, the listing is fairly vague, and our data maps it to something like an Intel Core i3-4130, a very old entry-level chip, so the minimum CPU bar is low.
The official recommended spec is a 3.5GHz 6-core CPU or similar, a GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6700, 16GB of RAM, and 10GB of storage. In our tiering the RTX 3060 sits in the entry gaming band and the RX 6700 is close to the mainstream sweet spot, so the recommended GPU is noticeably more capable than the minimum, by more than one generation. The recommended CPU maps to an Intel Core i7-4790, an older mainstream chip, so the main step up is from four cores to six.
For a player, the gap between minimum and recommended mostly shows up in the graphics card and memory. Meeting the minimum means the game will start and run at lower settings. Meeting the recommended spec gives you room to use higher settings and keeps things steadier when the city is busy with crowds and simulation. The publisher does not require an SSD, so a hard drive is acceptable, though an SSD still helps in practice.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs a GTX 1660 Super or RTX 3050 class card with a Ryzen 5 4500 or Core i5-10400F class processor and 16GB of RAM. In our data these GPUs only meet the official minimum, so the game will run, but you will need to keep settings at low to medium for a smooth result, and you should accept that trade-off. The processor in this build meets the recommended level, so the CPU will not be the bottleneck. This setup suits players on a tight budget who play at 1080p and are happy to lower quality for stable performance.
The mainstream build pairs an RTX 3060 or RX 6600 class card with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 class processor and 16GB of RAM. These GPUs meet the official recommended spec, which gives you enough headroom to play at medium to high settings. The Ryzen 5 3600 and Core i5-10400 also meet the recommended level, so the pairing is balanced and the GPU is not left waiting on the CPU. Most players will find this the best value option.
The high-end build pairs an RX 6800 XT or RTX 3080 Ti class card with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Core Ultra 9 285K class processor and 32GB of RAM. In our data these GPUs sit well above the recommended spec, so you can play at high quality and enable the more demanding effects. The processor also meets the recommended level, but since this game's CPU demands are modest, the benefit of a chip this strong is mostly extra headroom and multitasking. This build suits anyone aiming for a higher resolution or wanting a machine that lasts.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a simulation-heavy open-city game with many NPCs, the settings that usually cost the most are shadow quality, volumetric lighting and fog, view distance, and the density of crowds and simulation. Shadows and view distance both add to the graphics card's rendering load, while volumetric effects put a heavy strain on per-pixel work. These are usually the most effective settings to lower, and changing them tends to make a bigger difference than adjusting texture quality.
Ray tracing is generally not essential in this kind of game. If your graphics card is not high-end, it is worth turning it off and saving the performance for shadows and view distance, which matter more for smoothness. Anti-aliasing comes down to personal preference: at higher resolutions a lower setting is often enough, while at lower resolutions a higher setting helps more.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR, or XeSS are a useful general tool. They render the scene at a lower internal resolution and scale it up to your display, which can significantly reduce the load on the graphics card. If your hardware supports one, enable it first and then adjust other settings as needed. Results depend on your hardware and the game version, so compare the image and smoothness yourself to find the right balance.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics cards often share names with desktop parts, such as an RTX 3060, but the laptop version usually runs with a lower power limit and has less cooling room, so real-world performance is often below the desktop equivalent. When buying a laptop, check the power limit (TGP) rather than just the model name. During long sessions, poor cooling can cause the GPU to throttle, which shows up as unstable frame pacing.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally generally sit somewhere between an entry laptop and a mainstream desktop. Their strength is portability, but you will need to lower resolution and graphics settings to keep the game running well. We have no verification data for this game on the Steam Deck, so we cannot give a specific compatibility verdict. As a general approach, lower the resolution, use an upscaling option if available, and keep graphics at low to medium.
Whether you use a laptop or a handheld, good ventilation and clearing the vents from time to time will help the device hold its performance. If you plan long sessions, running on mains power at the higher power setting can also help.
Storage and memory
For memory, the official minimum is 8GB and the recommended amount is 16GB. 16GB is the more comfortable choice today, letting the operating system, the game, and background programs run together without leaning heavily on virtual memory. If you only have 8GB, close unnecessary programs before playing. Dual-channel memory, such as two 8GB sticks in a matched pair, usually moves data between the CPU and GPU more smoothly and is generally worth prioritising over a single large stick.
For storage, the official minimum is 8GB and the recommended amount is 10GB. That figure covers the game itself, but you should leave extra room for saves, updates, and temporary files. Keeping several tens of gigabytes free on the drive helps prevent failed updates caused by running out of space.
The publisher does not require an SSD, so a traditional hard drive will work. An SSD does shorten loading and data-reading times noticeably, which matters in an open city that streams a lot of content, so if your budget allows, installing the game on an SSD is the more pleasant option.