DayZ: PC requirements and the PC you need

About DayZ

DayZ is Bohemia Interactive's hardcore online survival game, set in a large post-apocalyptic land overrun by the infected. You start with almost nothing and must find food, water, weapons and medicine, while other players may help you or hunt you. Death means starting again, so every decision counts. It is rated PEGI 18. The map is big and detailed, so the makers recommend a GTX 1060 or RX 580 and 12 GB of memory.

What DayZ needs

In plain words: to play at all it needs basic graphics: built-in graphics on a modern processor, or an old entry-level card, and to play it well the makers suggest a mid-range graphics card from a few years ago, with 12GB of memory.

A low-spec PC or a high-spec PC?

The gap between the minimum and recommended spec is modest, so a mid-range gaming PC gives a good experience.

On a PC that only just meets the minimum, the game will start and play, but on low settings: simpler shadows and textures, shorter view distances and fewer frames each second, so fast moments can feel less smooth. A 1080p screen is the sensible match.

On a PC that meets or beats the recommended spec, you can turn the settings up: sharper textures, proper shadows and lighting, more detail in the distance, and a smoother picture. A stronger PC also lets you use a sharper 1440p or high-refresh screen.

Questions about DayZ on PC

How we match: we compare the graphics card and the memory in each PC with the makers' spec, because those decide most of how a game runs. For very new or demanding games, ask us and we will check the processor too. More help: graphics cards explained, how much RAM, which screen.