Icarus: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing Icarus on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Icarus is a session-based survival game that arrived on Steam in December 2021, and its official requirements are modest by today’s standards: the published minimum is a GTX 1060 6GB, and the recommended GPU is an RTX 3060 Ti. The figure that stands out is memory — Icarus asks for 16 GB at minimum and 32 GB at recommended, a higher bar than most games of its era. This guide walks through the official PC requirements for Icarus, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations to match.

How Demanding Is Icarus?

Icarus is a moderate game to run rather than a punishing one. Its official minimum targets hardware from around 2017 — an Intel i5 8400, 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 6GB — so most gaming PCs built in the last several years will clear it without much trouble. The recommended spec (Intel i7-9700, 32 GB of RAM, RTX 3060 Ti) is what you want if you would rather not spend your time in the settings menu.

The workload comes mostly from the size of the game’s worlds: large maps, dense forest and terrain geometry, weather, and base building. That leans on the GPU and on system memory far more than on the CPU, so a modern six-core processor is plenty and the graphics card is the part that decides your resolution and settings. The 32 GB memory recommendation is unusually generous for a 2021 release and is the requirement players most often underestimate.

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Icarus Official PC System Requirements

These are the developer’s published figures for Icarus. Both tiers list Windows 10 64-bit, DirectX 11, a broadband internet connection and 70 GB of available storage.

Source: the official ICARUS Steam store listing (app 1149460), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for Icarus by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p the official minimum sets the floor: a GTX 1060 6GB or an RX 580-class card will run Icarus at reduced settings. For high settings with headroom to spare, a modern card such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 sits comfortably above that baseline, and current-generation options like the RTX 5060 or RX 9060 XT land in the same tier. Anything in this class handles 1080p without you having to think about it.

1440p

The official recommended GPU — an RTX 3060 Ti — is effectively the 1440p target, so that class of card is the sensible place to aim. Newer cards in the same bracket, such as the RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 or RX 9070, give you more headroom at high settings, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is a solid step above the recommended bar for high-refresh 1440p.

4K

4K is where Icarus asks the most of a graphics card, and it sits well beyond the recommended spec. A card in the RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT class is a realistic entry point, ideally with upscaling enabled; the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a sensible starting point for a 4K build, though you should expect to lean on upscaling rather than run everything at native resolution.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Icarus

Because the recommended processor is an Intel i7-9700, Icarus does not ask much of a modern CPU. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is already well beyond the recommended part and is excellent value for a gaming build; the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is more than this game needs but a strong all-round choice; Intel buyers can pair Icarus with an Intel Core i5-14600K and have plenty of headroom. There is no reason to buy a high-end chip specifically for this game.

Memory is the requirement to take seriously. Icarus lists 16 GB as the minimum and 32 GB as recommended, so a 32 GB kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is the right target rather than 16 GB — the large maps and persistent base building are easier on a machine with room to spare. Storage is straightforward: 70 GB of available space, ideally on an NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD, which keeps load times short when you drop into a new session.

Recommended PC Builds for Icarus

1080p build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 32 GB DDR5 — comfortably above the official minimum and a good match for high settings at 1080p.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — a step past the recommended spec, aimed at 1440p at high settings.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — for 4K with upscaling.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Icarus?

Icarus has been out since 2021 and its requirements have not moved, so if you already own a GTX 1060 6GB or better you meet the minimum and can play it today. That makes Icarus a weak reason to rebuild a whole system, but a reasonable one to target a specific weak link. The graphics card still delivers the biggest change in the settings and resolution you can run, so upgrade the GPU first if you have to choose. Memory is the other item worth checking: because 32 GB is the recommended figure, going from 16 GB to 32 GB is a genuinely useful upgrade for this game in particular. Moving the install to an SSD and keeping your drivers current are cheap wins on top of that.

Can You Play Icarus on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes, with caveats. A gaming laptop with an RTX 4060-class mobile GPU and 16 GB of RAM will run Icarus at 1080p at moderate settings, and 32 GB of system memory is worth configuring if you can, since that is the recommended figure. Expect more heat and shorter battery life than a desktop, and remember that the game lists a broadband connection under both requirement tiers.

Handhelds such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally can run Icarus, but it is a full 3D survival game with large maps rather than a light indie title, so plan on low settings and upscaling to keep it playable. The 70 GB install also means you will want fast microSD storage or, better, free internal SSD space.

How to Boost FPS in Icarus

If frame rates are lower than you would like, start with upscaling: where the game exposes DLSS, FSR or XeSS on your GPU, that is the single biggest gain available, and frame generation can help further on supported hardware. After that, drop the expensive settings first — shadows, volumetric effects and post-processing — before you consider lowering resolution. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background applications, and make sure Icarus is installed on an SSD rather than a hard drive. A stable, slightly lower settings profile always feels better than maxed-out visuals with stutter.

Graphics Settings That Matter Most in Icarus

If Icarus is not hitting your target, a handful of options give back more performance than the rest. Shadow quality and shadow resolution are usually among the heaviest, so dropping them a step is the first change to try. View or draw distance is the next big lever, particularly on the game’s large maps where distant terrain and foliage are expensive to render. Volumetric effects, ambient occlusion and screen-space reflections also cost a fair amount while adding little at a glance, so lowering them is an easy win.

Leave textures as high as your VRAM allows, since texture quality improves clarity with little frame-rate cost until you run out of video memory — worth watching on a 6 GB card. Enabling an upscaler on its Quality preset, where Icarus offers one for your hardware, is the most effective way to raise frame rates while keeping the image sharp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Icarus?

If your PC has at least an Intel i5 8400 (or equivalent), 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 6GB, it meets the official minimum and will run Icarus at 1080p with adjusted settings. For the recommended experience at higher settings, you want an Intel i7-9700-class CPU, 32 GB of RAM and an RTX 3060 Ti-class GPU.

Is Icarus demanding on PC?

Not especially. Icarus launched in 2021 and its published requirements are modest by current standards; a mid-range GPU from the last few years handles it well, and the main thing to watch is the 32 GB memory recommendation.

What GPU do I need for Icarus at 1440p?

An RTX 3060 Ti-class card is the recommended spec and the sensible 1440p target; a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER-class GPU gives you more headroom at high settings, especially with upscaling enabled.

How much RAM does Icarus need?

16 GB is the official minimum and 32 GB is recommended, which is a higher bar than most games of the same vintage. 16 GB will run the game, but 32 GB is the figure to aim for if you are building or upgrading.

Do I need an SSD for Icarus?

Icarus needs 70 GB of available space, and an SSD is strongly recommended to keep load times down. An NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a good fit.