Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The publisher lists a minimum of an Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-6350 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB or AMD Radeon HD 7750 1GB graphics card, 6GB of RAM, and 30GB of storage. By today's standards these parts are very old entry-level or integrated-graphics class hardware. The game can run on them mainly because its own requirements are modest.
The recommended tier is an Intel Core i5-3470 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon R9 380 4GB graphics card, 8GB of RAM, and 30GB of storage. The processors correspond roughly to the older Core i5-2500K class, and the graphics cards sit near the entry level of the GTX 1050 Ti. The gap between minimum and recommended is mostly about the graphics card and memory. The 1GB of video memory in the minimum tier will feel tight at higher detail settings, while the 4GB in the recommended tier leaves room for better textures and resolutions.
The publisher does not list an SSD as required, so a traditional hard drive can run the game. That is good news if you are on a budget, although load times will still be noticeably longer, as covered below.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players with a tight budget who are happy to play at low to medium settings. It pairs an AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 and 16GB of RAM. The RX 6500 XT only meets the official recommended requirement, so it can run at that level, but you will need to lower settings in heavier scenes. The Ryzen 3 3100 is well above the recommended processor. The 16GB of RAM gives the system and background programs plenty of headroom beyond the recommended 8GB.
The mainstream build is the best value for most players. It keeps the RX 6500 XT or a similar card, swaps in an AMD Ryzen 5 4500 processor, and keeps 16GB of RAM. The key point is that the processor has room to spare, which keeps the load steadier during battles and when moving between city areas. The graphics card only meets the recommended level, so medium settings are still the sensible starting point.
The high build suits players who want to play at higher resolutions and detail levels. It uses an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and 32GB of RAM. Both the RTX 4060 and the Ryzen 5 5600 are well above the official recommended requirements, leaving room for higher settings. It also suits players who want to stream or run other programs at the same time.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a game of this genre, the settings that usually cost the most are shadow quality, volumetric lighting and fog, crowd and object density, and view distance. Shadows and volumetrics are easy bottlenecks in battle and city scenes, so start by dropping those two to medium. View distance and object density add load in distant areas and across the city. Adjust them moderately rather than maxing them out.
Ray tracing is usually the most expensive option. If your graphics card is an entry or mid-range model, turn ray tracing off and spend the budget on textures and resolution instead. Texture quality mainly depends on video memory. As long as your card has enough, you can keep it high, and it makes a clear difference to image sharpness.
If your graphics card supports upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS, they can render at a lower internal resolution and scale the image up to your display. Quality or balanced modes usually cost little visible detail while reducing the load considerably. Whether to use them and which mode to pick is best decided by testing what looks right on your own hardware.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share a name with desktop cards but perform noticeably worse. Laptops have lower power limits and limited cooling space, so the same model can run at reduced clocks. Before buying, check the rated power (TGP) and the cooling design, and remember that many laptops drop performance on battery power, so keep the charger plugged in while playing.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally generally run at lower power and suit smaller screens at low to medium settings. How they perform depends on the settings you choose and the cooling conditions. We have no verification data for these devices, so we cannot give a specific rating. As a general approach, lower the resolution and detail to low or medium, enable a suitable upscaling option, and keep the device well ventilated.
Storage and memory
The publisher lists 8GB of RAM as recommended, but once the system and background programs are counted, 16GB is more comfortable in practice. Dual-channel configuration matters too. Installing two sticks in the matching slots usually gives better bandwidth than a single stick, which helps both the processor and integrated graphics.
The publisher lists 30GB of storage. To leave room for later updates and save files, keeping at least 40GB free is the safer choice. An SSD is not required, so a hard drive will work. An SSD noticeably shortens load times and scene transitions, and you feel the difference when moving between city areas and battles. If your budget allows, installing the game on an SSD is one of the cheapest ways to improve the experience.