The Last of Us Part I: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

The Last of Us Part I is a demanding, VRAM-heavy PC port. You don’t need a top-end rig for 1080p 60 FPS anymore thanks to post-launch patches, but you do need a modern 6-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, a fast SSD, and crucially, a GPU with at least 8GB of VRAM for high settings. For smooth 1080p High, a mid-range GPU class like an RTX 3060 / RTX 4060 or RX 6600 XT / RX 7600 is the sweet spot in 2026. For 1440p High/Ultra aim for an RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT class card, and for 4K Ultra you will want an RTX 4080 / RX 7900 XT or better with upscaling enabled.

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Official PC System Requirements – Approximate

The table below is approximate, based on the publisher’s store page (Sony / Naughty Dog via Steam). The game lists several performance targets from 720p Low up to 4K Ultra. Here are the two most relevant tiers for most players:

Higher official presets exist for 1440p High (RX 6750 XT / RTX 2080 Ti with Ryzen 5 5600X / i7-9700) and 4K Ultra (RX 7900 XT / RTX 4080 with Ryzen 9 5900X / i5-12600K). All tiers list 16GB RAM as the baseline and an SSD as mandatory. In practice after the major patches, 32GB RAM is beneficial if you want to run Ultra textures.

How Demanding Is The Last of Us Part I in 2026?

At launch in March 2023 the port was notorious for shader compilation stutter, long initial loading, and VRAM management issues that caused poor performance even on high-end cards. After a long series of patches through 2023 and 2024, the game is in a much better state, but it remains one of the more demanding PlayStation-to-PC ports.

It is heavily dependent on VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth, uses CPU-intensive shader compilation on first boot, and streams detailed environments constantly. Unlike a competitive shooter, it favors visual fidelity over ultra-high frame rates. In testing by public outlets like Hardware Unboxed, Gamers Nexus and TechPowerUp, the game showed very large performance differences between 6GB and 8GB cards when using High or Ultra textures, with 8GB or more being the practical minimum for anything above Medium in 2026.

Best GPU by Resolution: What to Expect

All frame rate expectations below are approximate ranges based on public outlet testing with High to Ultra presets and without upscaling unless noted. Actual performance depends on your CPU, RAM, and driver version.

1080p (Full HD) – The Most Forgiving Target

For 1080p 60 FPS at High settings, the recommended class of GPU is the baseline. Options like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, RTX 4060, or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT / RX 7600 generally deliver approximately 60-90 FPS on High without upscaling, according to public benchmarks.

For 1080p Ultra with higher texture quality, you should aim for 8GB+ VRAM and a bit more headroom. An RTX 4060 Ti 8GB, RTX 4070, or RX 7600 XT / RX 7700 XT will keep you closer to 75-100+ FPS and handle Ultra textures without constant VRAM warnings. Cards with only 6GB can still run the game at 1080p Medium to High, but expect texture downgrades and occasional stutters.

1440p (QHD) – The Sweet Spot for This Remake

1440p is significantly more demanding due to the increased pixel count and higher texture detail. For 1440p 60 FPS at High, public testing suggests you need a GPU in the RTX 4070 / RTX 4070 Super / RX 7800 XT class, which typically lands in the 60-85 FPS range on High.

For 1440p Ultra, you will want an RTX 4070 Ti / RTX 4070 Ti Super, RX 7900 XT, or better. Even then, enabling DLSS, FSR 2 or Intel XeSS in Quality mode is highly recommended to keep frame rates consistently above 60 FPS and to smooth out traversal in larger, open areas like downtown Boston and Salt Lake City suburbs.

4K (UHD) – For High-End GPUs Only

Native 4K Ultra is extremely heavy. The publisher’s own 4K Ultra target is an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT, and that aligns with public testing. At native 4K Ultra, an RTX 4080 / RTX 4080 Super or RX 7900 XTX will generally produce approximately 50-70 FPS depending on the scene.

For a stable 60+ FPS at 4K, you should plan to use upscaling. With DLSS Quality or FSR 2 Quality enabled, those same high-end cards can push into the 70-100 FPS range on Ultra. For 4K High instead of Ultra, an RTX 4070 Ti Super or RX 7900 XT with upscaling is a more affordable way to stay above 60 FPS.

CPU, RAM and Storage Notes for This Game

CPU: Don’t Underestimate It

The Last of Us Part I is more CPU-sensitive than it looks. The initial shader building process on first launch can take 30-60 minutes on a 4-core CPU and will fully load even modern 6-core processors. After that, the game still benefits from strong single-thread performance and at least 6 cores / 12 threads.

The official minimum lists older 4-core CPUs like the i7-4770, but in 2026 you should treat a Ryzen 5 3600 / i5-10400 or newer as the practical floor. For high-refresh gameplay, a Ryzen 5 5600 / 7600 or Intel Core i5-12400 / i5-13400 or better will eliminate most CPU bottlenecks. Public outlet CPU testing showed noticeable stuttering and lower 1% lows on older quad-cores, even when paired with a good GPU.

RAM: 16GB Is Required, 32GB Is Recommended for Ultra

The game will run on 16GB, but it can use well over 12-14GB of system RAM plus heavy VRAM allocation when Ultra textures are enabled. If you have 16GB RAM and an 8GB GPU, expect occasional hitching when texture streaming is set to Ultra. Upgrading to 32GB (2x16GB DDR4 or DDR5) gives the game much more breathing room and is now the standard recommendation from hardware reviewers for this title if you want to max out textures.

Storage: An SSD Is Mandatory

Naughty Dog lists 100GB on an SSD as a requirement, and this should be taken literally. On an HDD the game suffers from extremely long load times, pop-in, and stutter during level streaming. Use an NVMe SSD if possible; even a SATA SSD is vastly better than an HDD. Also leave 20-30GB free beyond the 100GB install size for shader cache and patches.

Example PC Builds for 2026 (General Price Ranges)

Prices fluctuate, but these general ranges reflect typical new-part pricing in 2026 without citing specific retailers.

Build 1: 1080p High 60 FPS – Budget Focused

General range: Entry-level to lower mid-range budget. Ideal for 1080p High gaming.

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel Core i5-12400F
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 8GB or AMD RX 7600 8GB
• RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
• What to expect: Approximately 60-90 FPS at 1080p High, 50-70 FPS at 1440p Medium-High. Keep Textures on High, not Ultra, to stay within 8GB VRAM.

Build 2: 1440p High / 4K 60 FPS with Upscaling – Balanced High-End

General range: Mid-range to high-end budget. The recommended experience for this remake.

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600 / Ryzen 7 7700 or Intel Core i5-14400F / i5-14600K
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super / RTX 4070 Ti Super or AMD RX 7800 XT / RX 7900 XT
• RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 5600+
• Storage: 1-2TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
• What to expect: Approximately 70-100 FPS at 1440p High/Ultra with upscaling Quality, and 60+ FPS at 4K High with DLSS/FSR Quality. This build handles Ultra textures comfortably thanks to 12-16GB VRAM.

Laptop, Steam Deck and Handheld Suitability

On a gaming laptop, look for the same GPU tiers as above but expect 10-20% lower performance than the desktop equivalent due to power limits. A laptop with an RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (8GB) is good for 1080p High at 60 FPS, while an RTX 4070 Laptop GPU is much better suited for 1080p Ultra or 1440p. Make sure the laptop has 16GB RAM and is running the game from its internal NVMe SSD, and use DLSS/FSR to help with thermals and battery.

The Steam Deck and ROG Ally can run The Last of Us Part I, but it is not an ideal Deck experience. The game is officially rated as Playable/Unsupported depending on the storefront due to its high VRAM and CPU demands. On Steam Deck, public testers have reported approximately 30-40 FPS at 720p-800p Low to Medium with FSR 2 set to Performance or Balanced, with frequent dips in dense areas and heavy battery drain. The ROG Ally and other newer handhelds with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme fare slightly better but still require Low settings and FSR to stay near 40-45 FPS. If you play on a handheld, cap the frame rate to 30 FPS for more consistent pacing.

Settings That Give You the Most FPS Back

If you need more performance, these settings provide the biggest gains in this specific game and why:

• Enable DLSS / FSR 2 / XeSS: The single biggest FPS boost. Quality mode typically adds 30-45% more performance with minimal visual loss, which is essential for 1440p and 4K. FSR 2 is available to all GPUs.
• Texture Quality (VRAM-dependent): Dropping from Ultra to High can save 2-3GB of VRAM and prevents stuttering on 8GB cards. The visual difference at 1080p/1440p is small compared to the stability gained.
• Shadow Quality and Ambient Occlusion: Shadows are very expensive in Naughty Dog’s engine. Lowering Shadow Quality from Ultra to High or Medium and setting Ambient Occlusion to Medium can gain 8-15% FPS in indoor and forested scenes.
• Reflections Quality: High-quality reflections hit performance hard, especially in rainy and indoor areas. High instead of Ultra is a good balance.
• Level of Detail (LOD) Distance and Anisotropic Filtering: Reducing LOD distance slightly improves CPU load and streaming. Anisotropic Filtering 8x vs 16x is nearly indistinguishable in motion but saves a few percent.
• V-Sync and Frame Rate Cap: Use an in-game cap or driver-level cap to 60 FPS if your system fluctuates. This reduces stutter after shader compilation and keeps frame pacing smoother than uncapped V-Sync.

Tip: Let the initial shader compilation finish completely before judging performance. Skipping or interrupting it is the most common cause of severe stutter that players mistake for a weak GPU.

FAQ

Does The Last of Us Part I need 32GB RAM?

Not strictly, but it helps a lot for Ultra textures. The official requirement is 16GB, and that is fine for High textures at 1080p. For 1440p/4K Ultra or heavy multitasking, 32GB prevents hitching and is what most reviewers now recommend for this port.

Is 8GB VRAM enough?

Yes for High textures at 1080p and 1440p, but it is the practical minimum. Ultra textures can exceed 8GB at higher resolutions and cause stutter or texture pop-in. For Ultra at 1440p or any 4K, a 12GB or 16GB card is much more comfortable.

Can I run it on an HDD?

You should not. An SSD is listed as required and the game streams data constantly. On an HDD you will see very long loads and traversal stutter.

Should I use Vulkan or DirectX 12?

The PC version runs on DirectX 12. Keep drivers updated (NVIDIA Game Ready or AMD Adrenalin) as Naughty Dog and both GPU vendors have released several performance-focused driver updates since launch that measurably improved frame pacing in public re-tests.