This article is incomplete
Some sections are missing or need additional details. Help improve it by contributing.
The published PC requirements for Gears of War: E-Day carry two unusual entries. A hardware ray tracing capable GPU is required even at minimum specification, and a solid state drive is required rather than recommended. Both apply to the launch build. The final launch specifications were published on September 17, 2026, the day the game went gold, and they add an Ultra tier above the Minimum and Recommended figures.
Minimum and Recommended
Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit, build 22H 19045.7291 | Windows 11 64-bit, 25H2 or newer |
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel i7-6850K or Intel i5-10400 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel i5-11600K |
Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 6600 or AMD Radeon RX 9060. A hardware ray tracing capable GPU is required. | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT |
DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
Network | Broadband internet connection | Broadband internet connection |
Storage | 115 GB available space, SSD required | 115 GB available space, SSD required |
Sound card | Windows compatible audio device | Windows compatible audio device |
Architecture | 64-bit processor and operating system | 64-bit processor and operating system |
Launch Specification Tiers
The final launch sheet ties each tier to a graphics preset and a performance target, and adds video memory figures that the storefront listing does not carry. The Minimum and Recommended processors, graphics cards and memory match the table above.
Item | Minimum | Recommended | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
Graphics preset | Medium | High | Ultra |
Performance target | 1080p at 60 FPS | 1440p at 60+ FPS | 4K at 60+ FPS |
Upscaling | DLSS, FSR, TSR or XeSS | DLSS, FSR, TSR or XeSS | DLSS, FSR, TSR or XeSS |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 6600 or AMD Radeon RX 9060 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT |
Video memory | 6 GB | 8 GB | 12 GB |
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel i7-6850K or Intel i5-10400 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel i5-11600K | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D or Intel i7-14700K |
Memory | 12 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
Storage | 115 GB, SSD required | 115 GB, SSD required | 115 GB, SSD required |
The sheet states that graphics cards without dedicated hardware ray tracing support are not supported, and that actual performance varies with hardware, graphics settings, background tasks and the chosen upscaler. The upscaler versions and the other features it lists are on PC Features and Graphics Options.
The Ray Tracing Requirement
The minimum specification states plainly that a hardware ray tracing capable GPU is required. That is not a quality preset but an entry condition, and it follows from the rendering approach: the game ships with hardware ray-traced lighting, reflections and shadows rather than treating them as an optional layer. The upscalers and other rendering features are on PC Features and Graphics Options.
Storage
The install figure is 115 GB at every tier, and a solid state drive is required. The storefront listing gave 130 GB in every capture from August 19 to September 6, 2026; 115 GB is the figure on the final launch specifications published on September 17, 2026, and on the listing since. Mechanical hard drives are not supported, and using one was reported during the Open Beta to cause severe loading problems, missing assets, stuttering and crashes. Smaller download figures circulating from the beta period refer to the separate beta clients rather than to the game. No console download size had been published as of September 27, 2026.
Two launch details sit outside the tier table. Advanced Shader Delivery, which cuts shader compilation time, is supported on AMD hardware at launch, with NVIDIA support due later in October 2026. RTX Mega Geometry needs a GeForce RTX GPU with at least 12 GB of video memory, the same figure as the Ultra tier. Both are covered on PC Features and Graphics Options.
Handheld and Console
Platform | Target |
|---|---|
Xbox Series X|S | 4K resolution and up to 60 frames per second across campaign and multiplayer, with a compatible display |
Handhelds | Fully optimised for handheld play on Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally devices |
Battery-aware settings | Eco Mode reduces power draw and heat without affecting framerate, and an Idle Timeout reduces power use after a period without input. Both are on Settings and Controls |
Per-mode graphics modes exist as well, letting players choose framerate or quality separately for the campaign, Horde Siege and Versus. Full platform and subscription detail is on Release and Platforms.
Note on Beta Specifications
A separate set of recommended specifications was published for the beta with an explicit statement that they were not launch specifications. Only the launch figures are recorded on this page.
The same statement said that final specifications would be published ahead of the launch date, and they were, on September 17, 2026, in the announcement that the game had gone gold. The only change to the storefront figures was storage, which fell from 130 GB to 115 GB; processors, graphics cards and memory stayed the same, and the Ultra tier and video memory figures were new. The storefront listing was re-checked on October 2, 2026 and still matches the final sheet.