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Thinking about playing ARK: Survival Evolved on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Released on August 27, 2017, ARK: Survival Evolved is a dinosaur survival game in which you wash up on the shores of a mysterious island, learn to survive, use your cunning to kill or tame the primeval creatures roaming the land, build up a base, and encounter other players to survive, dominate and escape. Because the game is now several years old, its official minimum requirements are modest — a 2 GB graphics card from 2012 and 8 GB of RAM. What makes it interesting is how far it scales: on high settings, on the game’s large maps, and on busy multiplayer servers packed with tamed dinosaurs and player structures, ARK can still work a mid-range PC hard. This guide covers the official PC system requirements, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations.
How Demanding Is ARK: Survival Evolved?
ARK: Survival Evolved is a large-scale open-world survival and multiplayer game, and how demanding it feels depends heavily on how you play it. The official minimum specification is genuinely low by today’s standards — an Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-8320, 8 GB of RAM, and a 2 GB card such as the NVIDIA GTX 670 or AMD Radeon HD 7870, running DirectX 10. Hardware in that class will still run the game at 1080p on low settings, which is impressive given the size of the world.
Where ARK gets heavy is above that floor. The maps are dense with foliage, water, weather effects and hundreds of creatures, and high-resolution textures eat through VRAM quickly — the official minimum asks for 2 GB, and 8 GB or more gives you much more freedom. The game is also CPU-heavy on populated multiplayer servers: large bases, dozens of tamed dinosaurs and many active players all have to be simulated, and that work lands on your processor rather than your graphics card. ARK is a big install as well, at 60 GB in the official requirements, and multiplayer needs a broadband internet connection.
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View on AmazonARK: Survival Evolved Official PC System Requirements
| Component | Minimum (official) | Recommended (official) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit versions) | Not published |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better | Not published |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | Not published |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 670 2GB/AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB or better | Not published |
| DirectX | Version 10 | Not published |
| Storage | 60 GB available space | Not published |
Source: the official ARK: Survival Evolved Steam store listing (app 346110), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.
The developer has not published an official “recommended” tier for ARK: Survival Evolved, so the targets suggested elsewhere in this guide are practical recommendations rather than official figures. Treat the minimum above as the bar for getting the game running, and the sections below as guidance for running it well.
Best GPU for ARK: Survival Evolved by Resolution
1080p
At 1080p the official minimum — a GTX 670 or Radeon HD 7870 with 2 GB of VRAM — is enough to get ARK running on low settings, and older cards such as the GTX 970, GTX 1060 6 GB or RX 580 will handle 1080p on a mix of medium settings. For high settings with headroom to spare, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is a sensible target, and current-generation cards such as the RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT sit in the same class. VRAM matters here because of ARK’s textures: 2 GB is the official floor, but 8 GB or more lets you raise texture quality without stutter.
1440p
1440p is where shading power and VRAM start to matter more, since ARK’s foliage, water and creature rendering fill the screen with detail. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is a strong fit for high-refresh 1440p on high settings, and current cards like the RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070 are the modern equivalents in that tier. This is the resolution most PC gamers target, and this class of card gives ARK plenty of room to breathe.
4K
At 4K, ARK: Survival Evolved becomes genuinely heavy. It is an older title, but it was never designed around 4K native rendering with high texture settings, and VRAM use climbs quickly. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a realistic entry point, while an RTX 5070 Ti or 5080-class card, or a Radeon RX 9070 XT, buys more headroom. If the version you play offers an in-game resolution scale or upscaling option, using it is the easiest way to keep 4K comfortable.
CPU, RAM and Storage for ARK: Survival Evolved
The official minimum CPU — an i5-2400 or FX-8320 — is a decade-old part, so almost any modern processor clears it comfortably. Because busy multiplayer servers are CPU-heavy, it is worth pairing your GPU with a capable chip: the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is excellent value for gaming, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the fastest mainstream gaming CPU if you play on crowded servers with big bases and want maximum frame rates. Intel fans can opt for the Intel Core i5-14600K. On memory, 8 GB is the official minimum but 16 GB is the practical target for modern play, and a 32 GB kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is a comfortable choice if you run large bases, heavy mods or a busy server. The official storage requirement is 60 GB, and installing ARK on a fast NVMe SSD like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD cuts load times and reduces texture streaming stutter.
Recommended PC Builds for ARK: Survival Evolved
1080p budget build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — far above the official minimum and great for high-settings 1080p.
1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — the setup most players should aim for.
4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — for 4K, ideally with an in-game resolution scale or upscaling option enabled.
Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for ARK: Survival Evolved?
Because the official minimum is so old, plenty of PCs already meet it — so the real question is what settings and resolution you want. If you are targeting high settings at 1080p or 1440p, the graphics card delivers by far the biggest jump, so upgrade the GPU first if you have to choose. The CPU matters more here than in many games, though: if you play on populated servers with large bases and many tamed creatures, a modern processor with strong single-core performance will smooth out the experience. Moving from 8 GB to 16 GB of RAM and installing the game on an SSD are inexpensive upgrades that noticeably reduce hitching and load times. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build for the best value.
Can You Play ARK: Survival Evolved on a Laptop or Handheld?
Gaming laptops with a modern mid-range mobile GPU can run ARK: Survival Evolved well at 1080p on reduced settings, though expect shorter battery life and more heat than a desktop. Older gaming laptops that roughly match the official minimum can still play the game at low settings and 1080p. On handhelds like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, expect to lower the resolution and quality settings, and to rely on an in-game resolution scale or upscaling option if one is available. Keep in mind that multiplayer requires a broadband connection, which matters if you play away from home. If portability is the priority, look for a device with a capable GPU and fast internal storage rather than a microSD card.
How to Boost FPS in ARK: Survival Evolved
If frame rates are low, the first thing to try is an in-game resolution scale or upscaling option if your version of the game offers one, since that usually delivers the single biggest performance gain. Otherwise, work down the graphics settings: shadows, view distance and effects such as foliage and water quality are the most expensive options in a game like this, so lower those before you drop the overall resolution. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background apps — especially on CPU-heavy multiplayer servers — and make sure the game is installed on an SSD. A stable, slightly lower setting almost always feels better than maxed-out visuals with stutter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my PC run ARK: Survival Evolved?
The official minimum is an Intel Core i5-2400 or AMD FX-8320, 8 GB of RAM, a 2 GB card such as the GTX 670 or Radeon HD 7870, 60 GB of storage and DirectX 10. If your PC meets that, it can run ARK: Survival Evolved at 1080p with low settings. For high settings at 1080p or 1440p, aim for a modern mid-range GPU and CPU as suggested above.
Is ARK: Survival Evolved demanding on PC?
It is an older game with a modest official minimum, so it is not demanding at low settings. It can be demanding at high settings and high resolutions, and on busy multiplayer servers with many tamed creatures and large bases, where the CPU carries a lot of the load.
What GPU do I need for ARK: Survival Evolved at 1440p?
A NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER-class graphics card is the sweet spot for high-settings 1440p in ARK: Survival Evolved, especially with an in-game resolution scale or upscaling option enabled. Current cards such as the RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070 sit in the same tier and give you comfortable headroom.
How much RAM does ARK: Survival Evolved need?
The official minimum is 8 GB, which is enough to run the game at low settings. For modern play, 16 GB is the practical target, and 32 GB is worth considering if you play on large multiplayer maps with big bases, many tamed dinosaurs or mods. Faster DDR5 memory also helps in CPU-limited scenes.
Do I need an SSD for ARK: Survival Evolved?
The official requirement is 60 GB of available space, and an SSD is strongly recommended for ARK: Survival Evolved to reduce load times and texture streaming stutter. An NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is ideal.
