Once Human is a free download, but it isn’t a light one. The processor and graphics requirements are friendly to older PCs; the storage and memory are where you need to plan ahead.
Minimum specs
Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-4460 or Snapdragon X processor, 8GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 550, DirectX 11, 100GB of storage and a broadband connection.
Recommended specs
Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i7-7700 or Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB, AMD Radeon RX 580 or Intel Arc A380, DirectX 12 and the same 100GB of storage. The Snapdragon entries are worth noting: Once Human officially lists support for Arm-based Windows laptops, which few games of this size do.
Plan around storage and memory
The 100GB requirement applies at every settings level, so budget the space before you start downloading. An SSD is strongly advisable for an open world that streams terrain and creatures as you travel — on a hard drive, expect longer loads and more pop-in. Memory is the other bottleneck: 8GB is enough to play, but 16GB makes busy areas and base building noticeably smoother.
Settings that matter most
Use DirectX 12 if your graphics card supports it, as the recommended spec does. When you need frames, lower shadows and volumetric effects first, and keep view distance reasonably high so you can spot threats and resources at range. In co-op and around large bases, a steady frame rate matters more than maximum detail.
Our take
If you’re upgrading for Once Human, spend on a fast SSD with plenty of free space and 16GB of RAM before a new graphics card — the GPU requirements are modest by today’s standards. Our Once Human beginner’s guide covers what to do once you’re in.
