Starry Studio and NetEase’s long-awaited mass-multiplayer survival shooter Once Human is out now, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest PC game releases of the summer. As one of its “Meta-Humans,” you can explore its post-apocalyptic take on Earth, fight back against the corrupting power of an alien lifeform called Stardust that’s transformed its inhabitants into Lovecraftian monstrosities, gather and craft resources, build bases, and both team up with and compete against groups of other players.
Interested in playing Once Human, but aren’t sure if your PC is up to snuff? Fear not, for you can use this handy guide to get a complete overview of its minimum system requirements and recommended specs. You’ll find all of that information below, along with some tips on how you can check what hardware you have and make upgrades if any are necessary.
Once Human PC specs: System requirements
Here are all the official system requirements and recommended specifications for Once Human, taken directly from the game’s Steam page as well as its official release FAQ:
Once Human minimum system requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit Operating System
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4460
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti 4GB / AMD Redeon RX 550 / AMD Radeon R9 270
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 55 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD is highly recommended
Once Human recommended specs
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit Operating System
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Redeon RX 580 2304SP / Intel ARC A380
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 55 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD is highly recommended
Once Human specs for 60 FPS
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit Operating System
- Processor: Intel Core i5-12400F
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 / AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 55 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD is highly recommended
Is Once Human on Mac?
No, Once Human isn’t available on Mac, so you can’t play it on devices like an iMac or a MacBook. Currently, it’s exclusively available on Windows PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and NetEase’s game platform Loading Bay.
Can my PC run Once Human?
While Once Human’s minimum and recommended specs are very attainable — graphics cards and processors from 7-10 years ago meet its minimum system requirements — the hardware needed to enjoy a framerate of 60 at 1080p is a step up to something far more modern. As a result, you may struggle to hit that performance target if you’re not using a mid-range gaming PC that was put together in the last few years. You may also have a hard time getting to 60 FPS with higher resolutions without a more high-end rig.
With that said, you should at least have a solid experience with the game as long as you’ve got 16GB of RAM, a GPU equivalent to an NVIDIA GTX 1060 (with 6GB of VRAM), and a CPU that’s on par with the Intel Core i7-7700 processor. You’ll also definitely want an SSD for faster loading times, as Once Human is an open world game with massive outdoor spaces. Oh, and while its file size isn’t terribly large at 55GB, check out our guides on the best ways to free up hard drive space on Windows 10 and Windows 11 as well as the best SSDs if you need to make or get room for it.
If you’re not sure whether your PC meets Once Human’s requirements or not, don’t worry: there’s a quick and easy way to check. Here’s what to do:
- Click the Windows button on the taskbar.
- Type dxdiag in the taskbar.
- Click dxdiag to see your PC’s specifications.
- Select the System tab for your component details relating to memory, processors, and Windows version.
- Click on Display tab for GPU details.
Can my Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or other gaming handheld play Once Human?
Ever since the Steam Deck launched in 2022, it and other gaming handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go have become popular devices for enjoying PC games away from traditional desktop setups. Unsurprisingly, then, many users of these handhelds are wondering if they can use them to play Once Human.
Unfortunately, developer Starry Studio says that right now, the game is not compatible with Steam Deck (or controllers) “due to ongoing technical adjustments.” Once Human may be solid with the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, though, as these are more powerful than the Steam Deck and natively run Windows instead of the Steam Deck’s SteamOS Linux distro.
One nice thing about Once Human is that since it’s a free-to-play game, you can try it out on one of these devices without spending any money on it. Therefore, I encourage you to do so if you’re looking to play the survival game on your handheld.
How to upgrade my computer’s GPU to play Once Human
If your PC doesn’t have a strong enough graphics card to run Once Human at the performance level you want to play it at, you’ll need to upgrade your GPU. That’s a bit of a finnicky process, but if you need help, we’ve got a guide on how to install a new graphics card in your PC that goes over what to do in detail. You’ll need to actually buy a GPU before you can do that, of course; we have a list of the best graphics cards you can browse if you’re not sure what to get.
You also have the option of picking up one of the best pre-built gaming PCs or best gaming laptops, which saves you the hassle of upgrading a system or putting one together yourself (or paying someone else to do it). Both types of systems are highly configurable with a huge range of different options, allowing you to order something perfect for Once Human and all of the other best PC games you want to enjoy.
Fight the Stardust and build a better world
Whether you’re rocking a DIY gaming PC, a pre-built system, or a quality gaming laptop, you should have a good time in Once Human as long as your machine meets the game’s recommended specifications. The requirements for a 60 FPS experience at 1080p are a bit high, but even so, you probably already meet them if you’ve got a system built in the last four years.
Just remember to leave a considerable amount of extra space on your hard drive; after all, Once Human is a live service game, and that means big patches that add content and rebalance parts of its sandbox are sure to come. The game’s file size may increase a bit as a result, so having some headroom is always a good idea.
Once Human is here, and the multiplayer open world survival shooter might just end up being one of 2024’s biggest and brightest PC games. Notably, it’s completely free to play, so you can check it out without spending a penny.
