Subnautica 2 is finally in the final push to the Early Access launch. After a lot of struggles, including publisher Krafton and the issues with the delays due to the lawsuit, the title is finally ready for its final stretch, preparing to release on Steam and Xbox.
With just two weeks to go before the full release, we finally managed to learn about one of the most important questions in the PC sphere: what are the recommended specs? With the RAMaggedon caused by the AI bubble and the global economic crisis that continues to affect many countries, stronger and great PCs are far and few between, which causes issues with enjoying the latest experiences.
Subnautica 2 is a very pretty game, and that comes with its fair share of compromises when it comes to the development and how players can expect to run it on older PCs. However, Unknown Worlds Entertainment is looking to target a wide range of hardware, keeping the title accessible to anyone who wishes to check it out, regardless of their specs.
The official PC system requirements include four different tiers: Minimum, Recommended, Ultra, Ultra++. This is likely tied to the graphical settings and the overall fidelity that the game will be able to run, targeting a wide array of resolutions and FPS settings.
For the lowest, the minimum required specs are the following:
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 or AMD RX 5500XT
- CPU: Intel i5-8400 or AMD RYZEN 5 2600
- OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11
- Memory: 12 GB
- GPU Memory: 6 GB
- Resolution and Preset: 1080p with Low preset
- Frames: 30 FPS
The minimum specs tell us what we need to know to understand Steam Deck compatibility, though nothing is set in stone until players have been hands-on with the experience. As it stands, the specs tell us a story of struggle for Valve’s handheld machine, as players seeking a stable 30FPS with 1080p resolution may struggle to keep up with Subnautica 2‘s demand.
However, with a few compromises with lower resolutions — such as 16:9 720p or the Steam Deck’s native 800p — it may remain playable, depending on the overall optimisations done by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. This will all be up in the air until the title launches or the developer announces a Steam Deck compatibility rating.
Next up, we’re going to tackle the Recommended settings, as these will be where most players will want to be to remain a stable 60 FPS. This is where most machines should hopefully aim to be, if they’re expecting to run Subnautica 2 consistently and without hiccups.
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6700XT
- CPU: Intel i7-13700 or AMD RYZEN 7 7700X
- OS: Windows 11
- Memory: 16 GB
- GPU Memory: 8 GB
- Resolution and Preset: 1440p with Medium preset
- Frames: 60 FPS
This is where Subnautica 2 is aiming for, which is just shy of the most-popular card according to the Steam Hardware Survey of April 2026. While it’s a bit steep in contrast to what some players might be expecting, it still remains near the popular hardware items that many gamers should be donning, and it’s likely that the developer might seek to optimise this further as the Early Access runs its two-year course.
Let’s tackle what the developer called “Ultra” next, which offers higher graphical fidelity, though not the top-tier graphics.
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 or AMD RX 6900XT
- CPU: Intel i7-13700 or AMD RYZEN 7 7700x
- OS: Windows 11
- Memory: 32 GB
- GPU Memory: 12 GB
- Resolution and Preset: 1440p on High preset
- Frames: 60 FPS
This should cover one of the most famous resolutions for high-fidelity gameplay while offering the best graphical options. 1440p with High graphics should be more than enough for some of the quality seekers who don’t want to compromise on upgrading to the latest generation of graphic cards.
Finally, Ultra++ has much steeper requirements. Here’s what’ll be needed for top-of-the-line graphics in Subnautica 2:
- GPU: Nvidia RX 5070TI or AMD RX 7900XTX
- CPU: Intel i9-14900k or AMD RYZEN 9 7900X3D
- OS: Windows 11
- Memory: 32 GB
- GPU Memory: 16 GB
- Resolution and Preset: 4K on High preset
- Frames: 60 FPS
That’s all regarding the upcoming requirements! It’s worth noting — again — that many of these might be adjusted as Subnautica 2 launches to the public. Optimisations are likely to come, as the team might work on broadening the specs and inviting more hardware to join the running, especially when considering the Steam Deck’s slight underperformance.
For now, Subnautica 2 is set to release on Early Access on the 14th of May 2026 for PC and Xbox.
