The Last of Us™ Part I PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum lists an AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or Intel Core i7-4770K for the processor. By today's standards that is an old entry-level chip, roughly in the Ryzen 5 1400 tier. It can run the game, but with little headroom. For the graphics card, the minimum accepts an AMD Radeon RX 470 (4 GB), RX 6500 XT (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) or GTX 1050 Ti (4 GB), which sit in the older entry-level band. The minimum asks for 16 GB of RAM, 100 GB of storage and an SSD.
The recommended tier lists an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or Intel Core i7-8700, which is roughly modern mainstream, close to the Ryzen 5 3500X tier. The graphics recommendation is an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8 GB), RX 6600 XT (8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER (8 GB) or RTX 3060 (8 GB), which is a 1080p mainstream class. RAM and storage requirements match the minimum, and an SSD is again required.
The gap between the two tiers is mostly the graphics card and processor. The minimum suits players who are fine running the game with reduced quality. The recommended tier gives you room for higher textures and detail at mainstream resolutions. Video memory matters a lot here: a 4 GB card limits texture quality, while 8 GB lets you raise textures more comfortably. The publisher does not list requirements for higher resolutions beyond these tiers.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who are happy to play at lower settings. Pair an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super or GTX 1660 with an AMD Ryzen 5 3500X and 16 GB of RAM. This lands near the recommended tier, but video memory is on the low side, so keep texture settings conservative.
The mainstream build is the best value for most people. An NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 8GB or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or 3600X and 16 GB of RAM clears the recommended tier clearly. It is a comfortable choice for high-quality textures and detail at 1080p, with some room to upgrade later.
The high-end build suits players who want higher resolutions, more detail, or who stream and record while playing. Consider an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D, and move to 32 GB of RAM so the system stays smooth with several background apps open. The publisher does not list requirements for very high resolutions, so this is an estimate based on general hardware tiers.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a detailed, dense action-adventure like this, the settings that usually cost the most are texture quality, shadows, volumetric effects and ray tracing. Texture quality depends mainly on video memory. If your card has 4 GB, lower textures first to avoid constant swapping of assets. Shadows and volumetrics are heavy on graphics compute, and dropping them to medium often gives a good balance of look and performance.
If your card supports ray tracing, treat it as one of the last options to enable, since the cost is usually high and the visual gain varies by scene. Crowd and simulation density and view distance can be tuned to taste. These tend to affect distant objects and fine detail rather than the main image.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS generally let the game render at a lower internal resolution and then output a near-native picture, which reduces the load on the graphics card. Image quality depends on the mode you choose and your display resolution, so compare modes yourself before settling on one.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share a name with desktop cards, such as an RTX 3060, but they usually perform lower. Laptops have tighter power limits (TGP) and less cooling space, so the same name typically sits in a lower tier. Check the actual power configuration and the cooling design of the specific model rather than relying on the name. For long sessions, keep the vents clear and use a performance mode.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally can run the game, but they generally need more conservative settings and a lower resolution than a desktop. Use the built-in power and frame-rate limits to keep play stable. The publisher does not list handheld-specific requirements, so this is general guidance. Internal storage varies a lot between handhelds, so choose a fast SSD and leave yourself enough free space.
Storage and memory
The official requirement is 16 GB of RAM, which is the current baseline. Use a dual-channel configuration (two sticks installed as a matched pair) to improve memory bandwidth, which helps the CPU and overall performance. If your budget allows, 32 GB gives more breathing room when the game and background programs run together, and it is the suggested option for the high-end build.
The game needs 100 GB of storage, and an SSD is required. An SSD noticeably shortens loading and scene transition times and reduces stuttering from late asset loading. An HDD does not meet the official requirement and is not recommended for this game. Games also grow with updates, so leave extra space to avoid running out during patches.