The short answer. A GTX 1660 6GB, 16GB of RAM, and any Ryzen 5 3600-class CPU will run it at 1080p/30 with upscaling. An SSD is required at every setting, including minimum.
Minimum versus recommended
| Component | Minimum (1080p / 30) | Recommended (1440p / 60) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 / 11, 64-bit | Windows 10 / 11, 64-bit |
| CPU | Core i7-8700K / Ryzen 5 3600 | Core i5-10600K / Ryzen 5 5600X class |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 1660 6GB / RX 5500 XT 8GB | RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT class |
| DirectX | 12 | 12 |
| Storage | SSD required | SSD required |
| Upscaling | Assumed | Assumed |
Minimum tier is Confirmed from the Steam listing. The recommended tier is Preview: it is reported rather than published as a single official table, so treat the exact recommended CPU as approximate.
For the extra visual features, S-GAME lists an RTX 5060 as the entry point for ray tracing and an RTX 5080 for full path tracing. Those are not the same as the recommended tier - they sit above it.
What "SSD required" actually costs you
This is the line that turns a free upgrade into a purchase. If your machine is still on a hard drive, the game does not merely load slowly - an SSD is listed as a requirement at every setting, not a recommendation.
Practically, you need free space on an SSD, not just any drive:
- Budget roughly 135 GB of free space. That is the reported PS5 install size and the sensible planning number on PC, where no size has been published.
- A SATA SSD is enough. Nothing in the listing asks for NVMe, and DirectStorage is not listed as a requirement.
- If your boot drive is small, a second SSD is cheaper than rebuilding the machine. This is the one place where hardware advice is genuinely just capacity and interface - we have not tested specific drives.
Settings to touch first
These are ordered by cost-to-benefit for a UE5 game on mid-range hardware, and they are general engine behaviour rather than game-specific benchmarks.
- Upscaling first. The spec table assumes it. Set quality mode before you touch anything else, and only drop to balanced if you are still short.
- Ray tracing off unless you have the headroom. S-GAME itself said part of the delay went into making the game look right without ray tracing. That is a strong hint about where the visual budget went.
- Shadow and reflection quality before resolution. On UE5 titles these usually cost more frames per unit of visible difference than texture quality.
- Leave texture quality high if you have 8GB or more VRAM. Dropping it mostly buys load time, not frames.
Denuvo, briefly
The Steam build uses Denuvo. That matters for two reasons: it requires an online check at first launch, and it has historically been a source of performance complaints on some releases. No credible measurement of its cost in this game exists yet, because the game is not out. Anyone quoting a percentage right now is guessing.
If you are choosing between PC and PS5
| PS5 | PC | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance target | PS5 Pro Enhanced; sharper image and better RT on Pro | Depends entirely on your hardware |
| Controller features | DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers, 3D audio | Controller supported, not required |
| DRM | Platform standard | Denuvo on Steam |
| Install size | ~134.9 GB reported | Not published |
| Price (US) | $59.99 | $59.99 |
The honest summary: if your PC meets the recommended tier, there is no platform reason to prefer the console. If it only meets minimum, the PS5 version is the more predictable experience.
Questions people actually ask
Can I run Phantom Blade Zero on a GTX 1660?
Yes, at the minimum tier: 1080p, 30fps, with upscaling enabled. The 6GB card is the listed minimum GPU.
Is an SSD really required?
Yes. The Steam listing requires an SSD at every setting, including minimum. It is not a recommendation.
How much space do I need?
Plan for roughly 135 GB free on an SSD. That is the reported PS5 size; the PC install size has not been published.
Does Phantom Blade Zero use Denuvo?
The Steam version does. It requires an online check, and there is no reliable measurement yet of what it costs in performance.