Curiosity is a first-person exploration experience built around expansive surreal environments and high-fidelity visual effects. Below we lay out the precise hardware and software specifications you need for a playable experience, plus our recommended targets for smooth, visually rich gameplay.

Minimum (playable)

• CPU: Quad-core Intel or AMD, 2.5 GHz or faster (any modern quad-core from Intel Core i5 4xxx series / AMD FX or newer).
• CPU Speed: 2.5 GHz (4 logical cores minimum).
• RAM: 8 GB system memory.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or equivalent.
• Dedicated VRAM: 8 GB (8192 MB).
• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit).
• Shader Model / Feature Level: Shader Model 6.0 / DirectX 12 compatible GPU.
• Free Disk Space: 10 GB (HDD OK but slow load times).
• Notes: On minimum, expect medium visuals and variable framerates in dense scenes; SSDs and modern CPUs will noticeably improve load smoothing.

Recommended (smooth, high settings)

• CPU: 6-core or higher (e.g., Intel Core i5 10xxx series or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / newer).
• RAM: 16 GB or more.
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 / RTX 3060 class or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT / RX 6700 class or better (8+ GB VRAM).
• Storage: NVMe SSD (recommended) for fast streaming of assets.
• OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit, latest updates).
• Shader Model / Feature Level: Shader Model 6.0 (DirectX 12 runtime).
• Free Disk Space: 20+ GB recommended to allow for updates and temporary files.
• Expected Experience: Consistent 60+ FPS at 1080p on high settings; headroom for 1440p depending on GPU.

GPU Equivalents & Guidance

• NVIDIA GTX 1080 equivalents: AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, RX 5700 XT.
• If you have a lower-tier GPU (GTX 1060 / GTX 1650 / RX 580): You may run Curiosity at low/medium settings with reduced resolution and lowered postprocessing; enable dynamic resolution/scaling where available.
• Integrated GPUs: Most integrated GPUs (Intel UHD, older Vega iGPUs) will struggle with high scenes; low settings and 720p may be the only practical option.

Why Shader Model 6.0 / DirectX 12 Matters (Short)

Shader Model 6.0 indicates modern shader features and GPU instruction sets — required for advanced rendering techniques the game uses (compute shaders, HLSL features). Ensure GPU drivers and Windows updates support DirectX 12 runtime.

Storage & Load Performance

• HDD: Acceptable for minimum, but expect long load times and possible hitching during streaming.
• SATA SSD: Significant improvement in load times and texture streaming.
• NVMe SSD: Best experience — near-instant loads and smooth streaming of world assets.
• Recommendation: Install Curiosity on an SSD (preferably NVMe) and keep at least 5–10 GB free on the drive for temporary swap and shader caches.

Windows, Drivers & System Software

• Windows: Keep Windows 10/11 fully updated. Install optional graphics platform updates when available.
• GPU Drivers: Use the latest stable drivers from NVIDIA/AMD. Game-ready drivers can improve stability and performance.
• DirectX / Visual C++ Runtime: Ensure DirectX runtimes and Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables are installed/updated (many games require these runtime components).

In-Game Settings: Practical Presets & Where to Tweak

We recommend a prioritized order to tune settings for maximum visual quality vs performance:

1. Resolution: Largest impact on performance. Lower resolution or use dynamic resolution scaler to maintain framerate.
2. Shadow Quality: High cost — reduce first for big FPS gains.
3. Post-Processing (Motion Blur / Depth of Field): Toggle off or reduce for clarity and performance.
4. Texture Quality: Dependent on VRAM; keep at high only if GPU has ≥8 GB VRAM.
5. Ambient Occlusion / Screen Space Reflections: High visual impact, moderate to heavy cost — reduce for framerate improvements.
6. View Distance / Level of Detail: Drop only if CPU bottlenecked or to reduce streaming load.
7. Anti-Aliasing: Use temporal or DLSS/FSR options if supported — balance between clarity and performance.

Optimization Checklist (Step-by-Step)

We provide a checklist to take your PC from average to optimized for Curiosity:

• Update Windows and GPU drivers to latest stable release.
• Install Curiosity on SSD (preferably NVMe).
• Set Windows Power Plan to High performance (or Balanced with custom settings).
• Close background applications (game launchers, streaming apps, web browsers).
• In GPU control panel: set preferred power mode to maximum performance for the game.
• Disable unnecessary overlays (Discord/Steam overlays can add overhead).
• Verify game files in launcher to ensure content installed correctly.
• If running low on RAM, close memory-heavy programs; consider using pagefile on fast SSD.
• Monitor temps; ensure CPU/GPU are not thermal throttling — clean dust and check fans.
• If GPU supports DLSS/FSR or similar upscalers, enable them for higher effective resolution with less GPU cost.

Recommended PC Builds (Budget → High-End) — We

These are balanced builds focused on delivering the Curiosity experience at different price points. Components listed are representative examples and interchangeable with current-generation equivalents.

Budget Build (Playable on Low/Medium)

• CPU: 4–6 core (modern quad or low-end hexa).
• RAM: 16 GB DDR4.
• GPU: Used GTX 1080 or GTX 1660 Super / AMD RX 580 (4–8 GB).
• Storage: 500 GB SATA SSD.
• Notes: Expect 30–60 FPS at 1080p with medium/low settings.

Mid-Range Build (Recommended)

• CPU: 6-8 core (Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5).
• RAM: 16 GB DDR4/DDR5.
• GPU: RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT (8 GB VRAM).
• Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD.
• Notes: Smooth 60 FPS at 1080p on high settings; good headroom for 1440p with tuning.

High-End Build (Best Visuals)

• CPU: 8+ cores (Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 or better).
• RAM: 32 GB.
• GPU: RTX 4070/4070 Ti / RX 7800 XT or better (12+ GB VRAM preferred).
• Storage: 2 TB NVMe SSD.
• Notes: 1440p or 4K potential with high settings and upscalers enabled.

Troubleshooting Common Problems & Fixes

• Game crashes on startup: Update GPU drivers; run game as administrator; verify files; install required runtimes.
• Low FPS / stuttering: Lower resolution/texture streaming; disable background apps; check thermal throttling; update drivers.
• Texture pop-in: Ensure game installed on SSD; increase texture streaming budget if available; close other memory consumers.
• Black/blank screen: Try windowed mode; update GPU driver; clear shader cache if game supports it.
• Controller problems: Update controller firmware and drivers; use Steam Input or in-game binding options.

Benchmarking & How We Test

When assessing whether your PC can run Curiosity, we recommend:

• Use an in-game benchmark (if available) or record framerates in a repeatable scene.
• Test at target resolution and settings (1080p/1440p/4K).
• Measure 1% lows and average FPS — the 1% lows often correspond to perceived stutter.
• Monitor temperatures and CPU/GPU utilization to identify bottlenecks.

Accessibility & Quality-of-Life Settings

Curiosity’s exploration focus benefits from:

• Field of View (FoV) slider for motion comfort.
• Motion blur and camera shake toggle — reduce for players prone to motion sickness.
• Subtitles and UI scaling for readability on large monitors or TVs.

Concise FAQ (Authoritative Answers)

Q: What is the minimum GPU for Curiosity? A: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or an 8GB-class equivalent (AMD RX 5700 XT / Vega 64). Q: How much RAM is needed? A: Minimum 8 GB; we recommend 16 GB for a stable, modern experience. Q: Is SSD required? A: Not strictly required, but SSD (preferably NVMe) is strongly recommended for faster loads and smoother streaming. Q: Do I need DirectX 12 / Shader Model 6.0? A: Yes — Curiosity expects a DirectX 12 capable GPU (Shader Model 6.0) for its modern shader features.

Closing — Quick Action Plan (We)

1. Verify your GPU model and VRAM. If it’s GTX 1080 class or higher with 8 GB VRAM → proceed to step 2.
2. Ensure Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and update GPU drivers.
3. Install on an SSD and confirm you have at least 8–16 GB RAM.
4. Use our in-game tuning order (resolution → shadows → post processing → textures) to reach your target framerate.

This guide equips you to determine exact compatibility, configure settings for smooth gameplay, and resolve common issues — all aimed at getting Curiosity running at your preferred visual fidelity.