For Windows gamers, the important change is not simply a higher hardware bar. The listing now explains what each configuration is supposed to deliver, making it more useful than a shopping list of processors and graphics cards.
The current PC requirements
Steam specifies the following minimum and recommended configurations. Both require a 64-bit processor and operating system.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel Core i5-12400 or AMD Ryzen 5 7600X |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB or Radeon RX 5700 8 GB | GeForce RTX 3080 10 GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 80 GB available; SSD required | 80 GB available; SSD required |
| Performance target | 1080p, 30 FPS, Low, Balanced upscaling | 1080p, 60 FPS, High, Quality upscaling |
These are the requirements currently displayed on the game’s Steam store page, including the performance presets and upscaling settings.
What changed—and what did not
EGW.News reports that the minimum Intel processor has moved from the Core i5-8600 to the i5-10400, while the Nvidia minimum replaces the previously listed GTX 1070 and RTX 2060 Super with the RTX 2070. The recommended processors change from the Core i7-9700K and Ryzen 5 5600X to the Core i5-12400 and Ryzen 5 7600X.
The update is not an across-the-board increase. Vi.ki’s dated comparison records the same minimum Ryzen 5 3600 and Radeon RX 5700, unchanged recommended GPU models, and the same 16 GB memory and 80 GB storage capacities. The newer listing adds an explicit SSD requirement and performance targets.
Takeaway: owners near the old minimum should reassess compatibility, but there is no basis for saying every previously suitable PC now needs an upgrade.
Read the upscaling fine print
VGTimes also reports the two performance targets with their respective Balanced and Quality upscaling modes. That qualification matters: the recommended specification is not a promise of native-resolution 1080p rendering, nor does it establish a 1440p performance target. Treating “RTX 3080 recommended” as shorthand for a particular resolution would miss half the specification.
The practical advice is to compare against the whole configuration, including the intended frame rate and settings—not just the graphics-card row.
Windows 10 users should not assume support
Windows 10 is absent from both current tiers. Steam provides no accompanying explanation or compatibility-test results, so that omission establishes the published support boundary, not proof that launching the game on Windows 10 is technically impossible.
For anyone planning an upgrade specifically for Lara’s next adventure, patience remains sensible. Published requirements are useful planning targets; they are not independent benchmarks. The updated list clarifies expectations, but it does not yet justify promises about frame-time consistency, higher resolutions, or performance below the stated minimum.