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Overview
Starsand Island runs on PC (Steam) and Xbox in Early Access as of February 2026, with PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 planned for the full release. The game requires a 64-bit Windows operating system and a broadband internet connection. It supports both AMD FSR 3 and NVIDIA DLSS upscaling, which helps lower-end hardware maintain playable frame rates.
Minimum requirements
Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) |
Processor | Intel Core i3-2120 or equivalent |
Memory | 8 GB RAM |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or equivalent (2 GB VRAM) |
DirectX | Version 11 |
Storage | 20 GB available space |
Network | Broadband Internet connection |
Recommended requirements
Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
OS | Windows 10/11 (64-bit) |
Processor | Intel Core i7-8700K or equivalent |
Memory | 16 GB RAM |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or equivalent (6 GB VRAM) |
DirectX | Version 11 |
Storage | 20 GB available space |
Network | Broadband Internet connection |
Supported languages
Full interface, audio, and subtitles: English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Traditional Chinese.
Platform features
Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Steam Achievements | 75 total |
Steam Cloud saves | supported |
Family Sharing | supported |
Upscaling | AMD FSR 3 and NVIDIA DLSS |
Performance optimization
Starsand Island is well-optimized for mid-range hardware, but certain areas (especially the Moonlit Forest) can cause frame rate drops due to dense lighting and foliage. Here are the settings that matter most:
Recommended graphics settings
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Window Mode | Fullscreen (reduces input lag) |
Resolution Scale | 90% (85% on older GPUs). Significant FPS boost with minimal visual loss. |
Upscaling | DLSS Quality (NVIDIA) or FSR Sharp (AMD). Restores clarity lost from resolution scaling. |
Global Illumination | Medium or Low. This is the single biggest FPS impact setting. |
Shadow Quality | Medium. High shadow quality costs a lot of GPU time for minimal visual improvement. |
Motion Blur | OFF. Fixes blurry movement and is a personal preference for most players. |
Crowd Density | Medium. Prevents stuttering in Starsand Town when many NPCs are active. |
Post Processing | Medium. Sharpens UI text readability. |
View Distance | Medium. Set to High only if your CPU has headroom; this setting is CPU-bound. |
Known performance issues
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Moonlit Forest FPS drops | lower Global Illumination first, then Object Detail to Medium. |
Screen tearing | enable V-Sync through your GPU driver control panel rather than the in-game option for lower input lag. |
Vehicle stutter | mounting skateboards and scooters can cause hitches. Lower Texture Quality by one level and restart the game. |
Texture pop-in and invisible obstacles | caused by HDD installations. Install the game on an SSD (NVMe preferred) for proper asset streaming. |
Shader compilation stutter | first-time visits to new biomes take 2 to 3 minutes to stabilize as shaders compile. This is normal and improves on subsequent visits. |
21 | 9 ultrawide menu clipping: known bug with ultrawide monitors. No workaround documented yet. |
CPU vs. GPU bottleneck
If your GPU usage stays below 80% but FPS still drops, you are CPU-bound. Lower Crowd Density and View Distance rather than graphics quality settings like Shadows or Textures.
Steam Deck
Starsand Island is playable on Steam Deck. For a stable 45 FPS target:
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Set refresh rate to 45 Hz and FPS limit to 45 (these must match). | -- |
Upscaling | FSR with Resolution Modifier at 80 to 85%. |
Global Illumination | Low. |
Crowd Density | Medium. |
Shadows | Low. |
TDP limit | 11W for roughly 3.5 hours of battery life. |
Alternatively, use the in-game Medium preset with FSR 3 in Quality mode and cap at 40 FPS for a simpler setup.
Windows 11 tip
Right-click the game executable, go to Properties, then Compatibility, and check "Disable fullscreen optimizations." This reduces micro-stuttering on Windows 11 systems.
Related articles
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Controls and keybindings | keyboard, controller, and remapping options |
Getting started | first-day guide and early priorities |
Development history | platform roadmap and update timeline |