Subnautica 2 – System Requirements and Best PC Settings

Subnautica 2 is a much bigger PC jump than the first installment, with official requirements covering everything from 1080p Low at 30 FPS to 4K High at 60 FPS. The minimum specs are still manageable for older gaming PCs, but higher presets ask for stronger GPUs, more RAM, and significantly more VRAM.

This guide breaks down the full Subnautica 2 system requirements as well as the best PC settings to use based on your hardware, resolution target, and performance goal.

1. Subnautica 2 PC Requirements

Subnautica 2 uses four PC tiers. Each tier pairs a hardware class with an expected resolution, graphics preset, and frame-rate goal.

1.1. Minimum Specification

These are for players who want to run Subnautica 2 at 1080p Low settings with a 30 FPS target. This is the lowest confirmed PC target for Early Access.

This tier is for older gaming PCs, but it still needs a proper dedicated GPU. If your GPU has less than 6 GB VRAM, it is below the listed minimum. Keep expectations low and avoid raising texture quality, resolution, or visual effects beyond the Low preset.

In that case, keep expectations low and avoid increasing texture quality, resolution, or visual effects beyond the Low preset.

1.2. Recommended Specification

These specifications are built for 1440p Medium settings at 60 FPS. This is the main balanced target for players who want smoother gameplay and better image quality without moving to High settings.

This balanced spec increases the resolution from 1080p to 1440p, raises the graphics preset from Low to Medium, and doubles the target frame rate from 30 FPS to 60 FPS. If your PC is below this GPU class, stay at 1080p instead of forcing 1440p.

1.3. Ultra Specification

The Ultra requirements target 1440p High settings at 60 FPS. This is the best level for players who want strong visual quality at 1440p without jumping to 4K.

The CPU target stays the same as the Recommended spec, but the GPU, RAM, and VRAM targets increase. This is the point where 8 GB graphics cards become less comfortable for High settings. For 1440p High, 12 GB should be treated as the safer target.

1.4. Ultra++ Specification

The Ultra++ requirements are for the highest PC target which is 4K High settings at 60 FPS. This is not the standard target for most players. It is the premium 4K setup.

Ultra++ raises the GPU spec to an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 7900 XTX. If your system does not match this tier, 1440p High is the better target than 4K High.

System Requirements

2. Subnautica 2 Storage Requirement

Subnautica 2 Early Access requires 50 GB of available storage on PC. Since this is an Early Access release, keeping extra free space available is still a good idea for updates.

If your drive is close to full, clear more than the exact 50 GB before installing. This helps avoid update issues later, especially if the game receives larger Early Access patches.

3. Best PC Settings by Hardware Tier

The best Subnautica 2 PC settings are based on the different tiers. Start with the resolution and preset closest to your hardware, then lower settings if you cannot hold the target FPS.

3.1. Best Settings for Minimum PCs

If your PC matches the Minimum spec, use 1080p Low and aim for 30 FPS. This is the recommended target for GTX 1660 and RX 5500 XT class hardware.

3.2. Best Settings for Recommended PCs

If your PC matches the Recommended spec, use 1440p Medium and target 60 FPS. This is the best balanced setup for players with an RTX 3070 or RX 6700 XT class GPU.

3.3. Best Settings for Ultra PCs

If your PC matches the Ultra spec, use 1440p High and target 60 FPS. This setup is for stronger 1440p PCs with more RAM and VRAM.

3.4. Best Settings for 4K PCs

If your PC matches the Ultra++ specification, use 4K High and target 60 FPS. This is the highest confirmed settings target for Subnautica 2.

Best Guides for Subnautica 2

Preload and Pre-purchase Guide – Steam, Xbox, Game Pass

Co-Op Guide: Multiplayer and Solo Play Explained

Release Time, Game Pass, Price, and Early Access Explained