Warhammer: Vermintide 2 PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD FX-4350. In our tier reference that puts it in the very old entry band, roughly comparable to an Intel Core i3-3220. The minimum GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5870, which are very old budget cards, in the same general band as integrated graphics such as Intel UHD Graphics 730. The minimum asks for 6GB of RAM and 60GB of storage, and the publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel Core i7-3770 or AMD FX-8350. That is roughly an Intel Core i7-4790 class processor in our reference, which is an older mainstream part. The recommended GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or 1060, or an ATI Radeon R9 series card. The GTX 970 sits at the older entry end of the range. Recommended RAM is 8GB, and storage stays at 60GB.
The gap between minimum and recommended is mostly a jump in GPU and CPU generation, plus a bump in RAM from 6GB to 8GB. A machine that only meets the minimum will usually start the game, but you will have little headroom for heavy scenes and will need low settings. Hardware that meets the recommended level gives you a much more comfortable margin for playing at 1080p with common settings. The publisher does not list an SSD requirement, but we still recommend one for reasons covered below.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who are happy with low to medium settings. A GTX 1650 Super or GTX 1660 class card paired with a six-core processor such as the Ryzen 5 3500X or Core i5-10400F, and 16GB of RAM, is comfortably above the official recommended level. That leaves room for lower settings without leaning on the minimum.
The mainstream build suits players who want better visuals at 1080p and do not want to upgrade often. Options include the GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 8GB or RX 5600 XT, paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 and 16GB of RAM. This clearly exceeds the official recommended level and works well for most everyday play.
The high build suits players who want higher settings or resolutions, or who stream and record while playing. Options include the RTX 3060 Ti, RX 6700 XT or RTX 4060, paired with a Ryzen 5 5600X, Core i5-12400 or Ryzen 7 8700G. We suggest at least 16GB of RAM, and 32GB if you run other programs alongside the game. This is well beyond the official recommended level and is a generous choice for this title.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a melee action game with lots of enemies and effects like this one, the settings that usually cost the most are shadow quality, volumetric lighting and fog, crowd and simulation density, and view distance. Shadows and volumetrics tend to be the most expensive, so they are the best place to start when you need more headroom, and they often cost more performance than they add to the picture. Texture quality mainly affects VRAM use. If your card has enough memory, keeping textures at medium or high is usually a cheap choice.
Anti-aliasing is worth a look too. Heavier post-process methods add GPU load, so on a lower-resolution display a lighter option may be the better trade. Ray tracing is not central to this game's design, so in general it is not worth giving up other settings for it.
Upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR and Intel XeSS render internally at a lower resolution and then scale the image up to your display. On supported hardware this is a practical way to gain headroom, with some small differences in fine detail. Compare the modes in-game on your own screen before deciding which one to use.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share names with desktop cards, such as an RTX 3060 laptop versus a desktop RTX 3060, but their power limits and cooling can differ a lot. When buying a laptop, check the card's rated power (TGP) rather than just the model name. Poor cooling or a power-saving mode can noticeably reduce performance, so use the manufacturer's high-performance mode and keep the laptop plugged in while gaming.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally use power-limited processors and integrated graphics. In general, a practical approach is to set the game to low or medium, then use upscaling or a frame rate cap where available. We have no Steam Deck verification data for this title, so we cannot give a compatibility rating for it. Treat the guidance here as a starting point and tune settings yourself.
If you plan to play away from a desk, keep an eye on battery life and heat. Sustained heavy load can make the device lower its clocks to manage temperature, which may make the picture feel less smooth than you expect.
Storage and memory
The official minimum RAM is 6GB and the recommended is 8GB. We suggest 16GB, to account for modern operating systems and background programs and to benefit from dual-channel memory. Make sure your RAM runs in dual-channel mode, for example two 8GB sticks rather than one 16GB stick, since this helps CPU and graphics workloads. With only 8GB, close unnecessary background programs and watch for signs of memory shortage.
The publisher lists 60GB of storage. When installing, leave more space than that, because updates and cache files take additional room. The publisher does not require an SSD, but an SSD noticeably shortens loading times, which matters in a game that loads levels frequently. If you currently use a hard drive, consider installing the game on an SSD. Even a standard SATA SSD is a noticeable improvement.