The Long Dark: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing The Long Dark on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? The Long Dark is a survival game that launched in 2017 with a stylised art style, and it is famously light on hardware — the official minimum asks for little more than integrated graphics. That means almost any desktop or laptop from the last decade can run it, so the real question is how much headroom you want for newer games. This guide breaks down the official PC requirements for The Long Dark, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations.

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How Demanding Is The Long Dark?

The Long Dark is very light on PC hardware, and its official specs confirm it. The game released in 2017, and the published requirements have barely changed since: a dual-core Intel i5 at 2 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, and Intel 4xxx-series integrated graphics with 512 MB of VRAM are enough to get it running. In practice that means it plays on almost anything — older laptops with integrated graphics, budget desktops and handhelds all cope. There is no large-scale simulation or multiplayer here, so the game is not CPU-heavy the way a strategy or simulation title would be, and a modest processor is fine. Pick a graphics card from the last several years and you are already well past what The Long Dark needs.

The Long Dark Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official The Long Dark Steam store listing (app 305620), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for The Long Dark by Resolution

1080p

1080p is easy for The Long Dark. The official minimum GPU is Intel 4xxx-series integrated graphics with 512 MB of VRAM, so a dedicated card such as a GTX 1050, GTX 1650 or RX 560 is already comfortably above the bar, and many modern integrated GPUs can manage it too. If you are building a new PC and want a card with headroom for newer games, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is far more than this game requires; a current-generation RTX 5060 or RX 9060 XT is the same kind of overkill, but it will serve you for years.

1440p

1440p is still comfortable. A GTX 1660 or RX 5600 XT-class card, or anything newer, handles The Long Dark at this resolution without trouble, and you are unlikely to need upscaling. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 mentioned above will do it with ease, as would an RTX 5060 or RX 9060 XT.

4K

4K is the only resolution that asks noticeably more, and even here The Long Dark stays light by modern standards. A GTX 1660 or RX 5600 XT-class card or better is a sensible starting point, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is more than enough to run it at 4K. An RTX 5070 or RX 9070 would be overkill for this game alone, but it leaves plenty of room for newer titles.

CPU, RAM and Storage for The Long Dark

Processor requirements are modest. The official recommended CPU is an Intel i7 at 2.6 GHz or higher, and the minimum is a dual-core i5 at 2 GHz, so almost any modern processor clears the bar — The Long Dark is not a CPU-heavy game. If you are buying new for gaming in general, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is excellent value, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is one of the fastest mainstream gaming CPUs; Intel buyers can consider the Intel Core i5-14600K. All three are far beyond what The Long Dark itself needs. For memory, the official recommendation is 8 GB of RAM (4 GB is the minimum), so 8 GB is genuinely enough for this game; 16 GB is a comfortable modern baseline if you play other titles, and a kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is more than you will ever use here. The game needs 7 GB of free space; it runs from a hard drive, but an SSD shortens load times, and an NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD is well beyond the requirement while remaining a good general-purpose pick.

Recommended PC Builds for The Long Dark

Because The Long Dark is so light, almost any modern budget PC will run it. The builds below comfortably clear the official recommended specs and leave headroom for newer games.

1080p budget build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — far more than The Long Dark needs at 1080p.

1440p sweet-spot build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — overkill for this game, but a strong all-round setup.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — more than enough for 4K in The Long Dark.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for The Long Dark?

For most people, no — if your PC meets the official minimum, you can already play The Long Dark. If you are upgrading anyway for newer games, be strategic about it. The graphics card delivers by far the biggest jump in gaming performance, so upgrade the GPU first. Because the game is so light on the processor, almost any CPU from the last several years will not hold you back. Moving the game to an SSD shortens load times, and more RAM helps if you multitask while you play. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build.

Can You Play The Long Dark on a Laptop or Handheld?

The Long Dark suits laptops and handhelds precisely because its requirements are so low. Almost any gaming laptop from the last several years can run it at 1080p with sensible settings, and many thin-and-light laptops with modern integrated graphics cope as well. On handhelds such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally it runs comfortably, making it a great portable pick. Expect shorter battery life and more heat under load on a laptop, and if portability matters, prioritise a device with a capable GPU and install the game on its internal SSD rather than a slow microSD card.

How to Boost FPS in The Long Dark

Because The Long Dark is light, most PCs will not need to compromise much. If you are running on older integrated graphics and want smoother performance, lower the resolution and reduce the more expensive effects such as shadows and post-processing before touching anything else. Upscaling (DLSS on NVIDIA, FSR on AMD, XeSS on Intel) can help on very old hardware, though a modern card will not need it here. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background apps, and install the game on an SSD to shorten load times. A stable, comfortable frame rate always feels better than pushing settings higher than your hardware can sustain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run The Long Dark?

Very likely. The official minimum is a dual-core Intel i5 at 2 GHz, 4 GB of RAM and Intel 4xxx-series integrated graphics with 512 MB of VRAM, so most PCs from the last decade can run it. For a more comfortable experience at higher resolutions, the official recommended specs — an Intel i7 at 2.6 GHz, 8 GB of RAM and a GTX 555-class card or better — are still modest by modern standards.

Is The Long Dark demanding on PC?

No. The Long Dark is very light, and its official requirements date back to its 2017 release. Almost any modern PC, including laptops with integrated graphics, can run it.

What GPU do I need for The Long Dark at 1440p 60fps?

Very little. The official recommended GPU is a GTX 555, so any dedicated card from the past several years — a GTX 1650 or RX 570, for example — will handle 1440p comfortably. A AMD Radeon RX 7600 is far more than The Long Dark needs, but it gives you headroom for newer games.

How much RAM does The Long Dark need?

8 GB is the officially recommended amount, and 4 GB is the minimum, so 8 GB is genuinely enough for The Long Dark. 16 GB is a comfortable baseline if you play more demanding modern games or multitask heavily, but it is not required here.

Do I need an SSD for The Long Dark?

Not strictly. The Long Dark needs 7 GB of free space and will run from a hard drive, though an SSD shortens load times. An NVMe drive such as the Samsung 990 Pro is more than this game needs but is a good general-purpose choice.