Subnautica: Below Zero PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum requirements list an Intel Core i3 4XXX series or AMD Ryzen 3 at 2.6GHz or better, an Intel HD 530 or better integrated GPU, 8GB of RAM and 15GB of storage. In today's terms, the minimum CPU roughly corresponds to an older entry-level part like the Core i3-3220, and the minimum graphics level is about the same as Intel UHD 630, an old, low-end integrated graphics chip. In practice, almost any recent PC can start the game, but the margin for detail and smoothness is small.
The official recommended specs call for an Intel Core i5 4XXX series or AMD Ryzen 5 at 3GHz or better, plus an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon 570 with 4GB of VRAM. That CPU roughly matches a Core i3-4130 tier, and the GPU is in the same old entry range as Intel UHD 770. The biggest jump between minimum and recommended is the graphics card: the recommended level needs a dedicated GPU rather than integrated graphics alone.
RAM and storage are the same at both levels, 8GB and 15GB. The publisher does not require an SSD (ssdRequired is set to no), although the recommended section notes that a faster drive helps with loading. No higher tier is listed in the data, so these are the full official requirements we can reference.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs a GTX 1650 or RTX 3050 6GB with a Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i3-10100F and 16GB of RAM. It suits players on a tight budget who want the game to run smoothly at ordinary resolutions. It comfortably exceeds the recommended tier, so you should not need to sacrifice much visual quality.
The mainstream build steps up to a GTX 1660 Super or RTX 3050 8GB, with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 and 16GB of RAM. This is the best value for most people, delivering stable play at medium to high settings with some headroom for updates and mods.
The high-end build uses a newer card such as an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT, a Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i5-12400, and 32GB of RAM. It is aimed at players who want maximum settings, or who record and stream while playing. For this game it is well beyond the official requirements, so the extra power goes toward higher resolutions and effects rather than simply making the game run.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In underwater adventure games like this one, the settings that usually cost the most are shadows, volumetric light and fog, reflections, and the density of creatures and particles. Light scattering through water and floating debris add real work for the GPU, so these are the first things to reduce if you want more smoothness. Texture quality is usually the opposite: it improves detail a lot while costing relatively little performance, so keep it higher if your VRAM allows.
View distance and scene detail are also worth adjusting. Lowering draw distance a bit often gives a clear gain, and in deep-water scenes where visibility is naturally limited, the difference is rarely noticed. For anti-aliasing, a medium setting is a sensible compromise on most cards.
If the game offers upscaling such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS, turning it on is usually the most effective trade. These techniques render at a lower internal resolution and scale the image up, typically giving a noticeable smoothness gain for a small loss in sharpness. NVIDIA cards can use DLSS, while AMD and Intel cards can use FSR or XeSS.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share names with desktop cards, such as an RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, but they generally run at lower power limits and have less cooling room, so they perform below the desktop version. When judging whether a laptop meets a given tier, check the model's power and cooling design rather than just the name. Also keep the laptop plugged in and set the power mode to performance, since battery operation usually caps the GPU and CPU.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally are low-power platforms that can generally run games of this kind, but at reduced resolutions and settings. Expect to lower graphics quality, use upscaling, or cap the frame rate to keep the device stable and the battery going. We have no verification data for handhelds, so the general advice is to start at low settings and adjust from there based on how the game actually runs on your device.
Storage and memory
The official minimum and recommended RAM are both 8GB. That can start the game, but it is tight if you also run a browser, chat app or streaming tool at the same time. We suggest 16GB, installed as a matched pair so it runs in dual-channel mode, which gives more memory bandwidth and helps both integrated and dedicated graphics setups.
The official storage requirement is 15GB, but leave extra room for updates and save files. An SSD is not required, yet it noticeably shortens loading and save times compared with a traditional hard drive. If your storage is tight, installing the game on an SSD will improve day-to-day play more than adding extra RAM beyond 16GB.