System requirements
The system requirements for working in GameDev are relatively high, and they depend on the engine being used and the type of game being developed. Since we work with Unreal Engine 5—a powerful and resource-intensive tool—the system requirements for it and other programs are quite significant. Let’s delve into this in more detail by listing the key programs, along with their minimum and recommended system requirements.
Throughout our time working in the team, we have had many different members with a variety of PC configurations—ranging from very powerful to quite weak. Based on personal experience, observations, and the issues we have encountered, we have developed our own system requirements based on approximately 50 different configurations.
Unreal Engine 5
To work with the Unreal Engine 5, a very powerful machine is required. The specified minimum PC specifications only allow you to launch the engine and handle extremely simple tasks. This configuration may suffice for a modeler who only needs to import a model into the engine, apply materials, adjust them, load LODs, set up lightmaps, and so forth, but it will not be adequate for comprehensive development work.
The recommended configurations will provide a more comfortable experience; however, if the levels you are working on are sufficiently large and the number of objects within them is considerable, performance will become less enjoyable, resulting in significant drops in FPS. Even the most advanced configurations may not guarantee optimal performance; it is advisable to utilize the most powerful graphics card on the market to achieve a notably better outcome.
It is essential to highlight that the FPS you see in the editor is not the same as the FPS that players will experience. You are working with an uncompiled project, which contains a vast amount of information in memory that players will not have. Therefore, after compilation, the FPS may increase by 10%, and in some cases, even double. This largely depends on the code and the settings of your level.
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-2500K |
| Memory (RAM) | 8GB (DDR3) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 |
| VRAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 25GB |
| SSD or HDD | HDD |
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB (DDR4) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
| VRAM | 6GB |
| Storage | 50GB |
| SSD or HDD | SSD |
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-11700KF |
| Memory (RAM) | 32GB (DDR4+) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060TI |
| VRAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 75GB |
| SSD or HDD | SSD |
Substance Painter
Substance Painter is a resource-intensive application, yet it can operate on relatively modest PC configurations. While the program is not overly demanding on the CPU, it has considerable requirements for the graphics card. If you are working with low-resolution models—1024 and occasionally 2048—then minimum system specifications may suffice. However, with such a configuration, you may experience certain inconveniences when handling 2K textures, and there is always the risk that the application may crash or become unresponsive.
It is advisable to utilize as much video memory as possible, especially when dealing with high resolutions and multiple UV maps simultaneously, loading several different models at once. Additionally, it is recommended to install this program on an SSD to enhance the performance of materials, masks, and other tools.
| OS | Windows 10+ |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-5560 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 |
| VRAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 6GB |
| SSD or HDD | HDD |
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060TI |
| VRAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 20GB |
| SSD or HDD | SSD |
Blender
When working with simple models and animations, the minimum system requirements may be sufficient; however, on such configurations, you may encounter performance limitations, particularly when utilizing complex textures and effects. The greater the amount of RAM and video memory, the easier it will be for you to work with multiple objects and textures simultaneously. Installing Blender on an SSD will also significantly speed up the loading of projects and assets, enhancing the overall development process.
| OS | Windows 8.1+ |
| CPU | Intel Core with 2 cores (2.0 GHz)+ |
| Memory (RAM) | 4GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce 400 |
| VRAM | 1GB |
| Storage | 2GB |
| SSD or HDD | HDD |
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
| VRAM | 6GB |
| Storage | 10GB |
| SSD or HDD | SSD |
Photoshop
At minimum settings, you will be able to perform basic operations, such as cropping and simple editing, but as the complexity of tasks increases, you will likely experience delays and crashes. It is advisable to have sufficient RAM and video memory to ensure smooth operation with filters, layers, and high resolutions. Installing Photoshop on an SSD will also markedly improve performance, especially when working with large files and projects.
| OS | Windows 10+ |
| CPU | Intel Core with x64 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 |
| VRAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 10GB |
| SSD or HDD | HDD |
| OS | Windows 10 + |
| CPU | Intel Core with x64 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16GB |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX GTX 1660 |
| VRAM | 4GB+ |
| Storage | 20GB |
| SSD or HDD | SSD |
