// PC Performance Guide
Pragmata PC Settings
This page focuses on the most reliable launch-week PC advice: what the official requirements actually say, when to avoid plain Ray Tracing, when Path Tracing is realistic, and what to do if you are on Intel Arc or a more mid-range GPU.
Official Floor
GTX 1660 / RX 5500 XT
Steam lists these as the baseline class for 1080p on the Performance preset.
Recommended
RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600
Good starting point if you want a smoother first playthrough without chasing path tracing.
Most Important Choice
RT Off For Most PCs
Current testing is much more consistent on this than on any single “best preset.”
Launch Watchout
Intel Arc Driver
Arc users should not ignore the 32.0.101.8735 driver note.
// Quick Start
What To Do First
1. Start With Raster, Not RT
The safest first boot is simple: start with normal raster settings and only add heavier features later. Launch-week testing is much more confident about this than about any ultra-specific all-hardware preset.
2. Treat Path Tracing As Optional
Path Tracing can look excellent, but current evidence does not support treating it as the default “best” setting for most players. Think of it as an enthusiast mode, not the baseline experience.
// Official Requirements
What Steam Actually Lists
| Tier | CPU | GPU | Memory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Core i5-8500 / Ryzen 5 3500 | GTX 1660 6 GB / RX 5500 XT 8 GB | 16 GB RAM | Windows 11 64-bit, DX12, 40 GB, SSD recommended, Performance preset target. |
| Recommended | Core i7-8700 / Ryzen 5 5500 | RTX 2060 Super 8 GB / RX 6600 8 GB | 16 GB RAM | Better starting point for a cleaner 1080p to 1440p style experience. |
The important part is not just the GPU names. It is that the official floor already assumes Windows 11, 16 GB RAM, and an SSD-recommended setup. So if your PC is below that floor, fancy menu tweaks are unlikely to fully save the experience.
// Best Settings
Best Safe Settings By Hardware Tier
8 GB Mid-Range GPUs
Start closer to a Balanced or medium-quality target. Keep Ray Tracing Off, and lower the settings that testing keeps flagging as expensive: volumetric lighting, ambient occlusion, and shadow quality.
Stronger 16 GB-Class GPUs
A Quality-first raster setup is the safest sweet spot. You can keep a cleaner image without immediately paying the launch-week RT tax that current testing treats as questionable value.
High-End RTX Builds
If you specifically bought the game to chase its PC-only lighting showcase, this is where Path Tracing becomes realistic. Even then, current testing still expects you to lean on upscaling and frame generation.
// RT vs PT
Ray Tracing Or Path Tracing? The Practical Answer
Plain Ray Tracing Is Not The Easy Win
Current testing is surprisingly skeptical of the game's standard RT mode. The broad launch-week takeaway is not just “it is expensive,” but also “it may not always look worth the cost.” For most PCs, keeping normal RT off is still the safest advice.
Path Tracing Looks Better, But Costs Much More
Path tracing is where the prettier lighting argument becomes much stronger. The problem is that it is also far more demanding, to the point that smoother play generally depends on upscaling and frame generation.
Vendor Reality Matters
Launch-week testing currently describes this as a vendor-dependent PC game. Nvidia's official messaging pushes DLSS, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation heavily, while independent testing also notes that Intel XeSS is absent and Arc users may need to lean on FSR-style fallbacks instead.
// Upscaling & Drivers
What To Know About DLSS, FSR, And Arc
DLSS / FSR
The most stable conclusion is that DLSS and FSR are not optional side features if you want to experiment with heavier lighting. They are part of how the game is expected to scale on PC.
Intel Arc
Arc users should be cautious with launch-week assumptions. A specific crash while loading into the game menu was called out in Intel's 32.0.101.8735 driver notes, so that update is not just housekeeping.
// Related Guides
Continue With Related Pages
GPU Tier Guide
The fastest way to decide between 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB+ settings targets.
4K Settings
Best next read if you want a dedicated high-end guide for native 4K, upscaled 4K, RT, and PT choices.
RT vs PT
Best next read if you want the cleanest answer on raster, ray tracing, and path tracing trade-offs.
Intel Arc Fixes
Best next read if your issue is driver, ReBAR, or Arc-specific launch behavior.
Beginner's Guide
Best next read if your problem is not hardware, but early-game systems overload.
Weapons
Helpful once your FPS is stable and you want a stronger loadout baseline.
Builds
Good follow-up when performance is fine but your combat flow still feels rough.
Post-Game
Useful if you are tuning for Unknown Signal or a second run after credits.
// FAQ
PC Settings FAQ
Should I turn on Ray Tracing in Pragmata?
For most PCs, the safest launch-week recommendation is no. Current testing is much more confident in standard raster settings than in the game's plain RT mode, which can cost a lot without always looking clearly better.
Is Path Tracing the best way to play?
It can produce the richest image, but it is not the best default for most players. Current evidence treats it as an enthusiast option that usually depends on upscaling and frame generation for smooth results.
What should Intel Arc users do first?
Install Intel driver 32.0.101.8735 or newer first. Launch-week coverage and Intel's own release notes both call out a Pragmata menu-loading crash fix in that driver.
What matters more than copying one exact settings table?
The big trade-offs matter most: RT off or on, raster versus path tracing, whether your hardware tier should use Balanced or Quality style targets, and whether your driver situation is already clean.