Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is launching on PC soon, and Square Enix has revealed the official system requirements. One key aspect stands out: even high-end graphics cards with 8GB of VRAM might face challenges running the game smoothly. Let’s delve into the specifics.
PC requirements for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC Requirements (Image: Square Enix)
VRAM Requirements: A Closer Look
Square Enix’s recommendations highlight the importance of VRAM. For 1080p and 1440p resolutions on a 4K monitor, a GPU with at least 12GB of VRAM is recommended. For native 4K resolution, the requirement jumps to 16GB.
This is unusual, as running a game at a lower resolution, even on a high-resolution display, typically shouldn’t demand more VRAM. The listed requirements suggest otherwise. 8GB graphics cards, ranging from the Intel Arc A580 to the Nvidia RTX 2070, are only recommended for 1080p at Medium settings or lower.
Performance Predictions and Potential Bottlenecks
This points to potential performance issues, similar to those seen with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, where 8GB GPUs struggled even at 1080p with higher settings. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth might face similar limitations.
The 12GB VRAM recommendation for lower resolutions on 4K displays could be related to texture quality. It’s possible the game utilizes higher-resolution textures even when rendering at 1080p on a 4K screen.
This could lead to unusual performance scenarios. For example, the Nvidia RTX 3080, despite its 4K capabilities, might encounter issues at higher settings due to its 10GB VRAM limitation. Similar VRAM bottlenecks were observed in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, where cards like the Intel Arc A770 outperformed the RTX 3080 at the highest preset.
GPU and DirectX Requirements
Beyond VRAM, the system requirements specify AMD RX 6000 or Nvidia RTX 20-series GPUs as the minimum. RX 5000 and GTX cards are not supported. The requirement for DirectX 12 Ultimate suggests the game likely utilizes ray tracing.
PS5 Origins and PC Requirements
These requirements align with the game’s PlayStation 5 origins. The PS5 features 16GB of shared GDDR6 memory, with up to 12.5GB allocatable to the GPU. It also uses an RDNA 2-based GPU with dedicated ray tracing hardware.
Preparing for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on PC
A PC upgrade might be necessary for an optimal Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth experience. Consider these requirements before diving into the game on January 23. For a deeper look at the game itself, check out our full Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review.
