Beyond These Stars System Requirements for PC

If you're planning to build a civilization on the back of a giant space whale, the first thing to check is whether your PC can handle it. The Beyond These Stars system requirements are surprisingly modest for a 2026 city builder, but there are a few details worth knowing before you hit the download button. The game launched in full 1.0 on October 16, 2026, for Windows PC, so the specs below are final rather than placeholder numbers from an early build.

Beyond These Stars System Requirements at a Glance

For more, see beginner guide and comprehensive guide.

Balancing Monkey Games and publisher Hooded Horse kept the hardware bar low, which makes sense for a hex-based colony sim with a stylized 2D art style. The official Steam listing asks for 8 GB of RAM at minimum and 16 GB if you want headroom, with 7 GB of storage either way.

The headline takeaway: a mid-range gaming PC from the last several years should run this comfortably. You do not need a flagship GPU to watch Peeps haul potatoes across Kewa's back.

What the Minimum Specs Actually Mean in Practice

The minimum tier targets older quad-core CPUs and 4 GB graphics cards. That's roughly the hardware profile of a machine built around 2015–2017, which lines up with the GTX 960 and RX 570 listed.

A few practical notes based on the game's design:

• The map is large but bounded. You're building on a curved, hex-tiled surface on Kewa, and the camera can only pull back so far. That limits how much geometry the game renders at once compared to sprawling open-world city builders.
• Simulation load grows over time. Late-game colonies with long production chains, storage logistics, and pollution systems put more strain on the CPU than the GPU. If your processor is the weak link, expect slowdowns at higher game speeds rather than low frame rates.
• DirectX 11 is the floor. The recommended tier bumps to DirectX 12, so a modern GPU with DX12 support gives you the intended experience.

Recommended Specs: When You Should Upgrade

The recommended build calls for a hexa-core CPU (i5-9600 or Ryzen 5 2600X) and a GPU in the RTX 2070 / RX 6600 XT class. That's a meaningful jump over the minimum, and it's aimed at players who want smooth performance while running the simulation at faster speeds.

If you're unsure where your GPU sits, compare it against the two tiers above rather than guessing from the model number alone. Cards a generation or two newer than the recommended list will naturally perform better.

RAM, Storage, and the SSD Recommendation

Memory is the spec most players overlook. The jump from 8 GB to 16 GB isn't marketing padding — city builders with complex supply chains and dozens of active workers benefit from extra memory as your settlement grows.

Storage is refreshingly light at 7 GB, so you don't need to clear space for a 100 GB install. However, the store page explicitly recommends an SSD. Given that the game autosaves and streams terrain data as Kewa travels between systems, an SSD reduces stutter and shortens load times noticeably. A mechanical drive will work, but it's the one corner you shouldn't cut if you have the option.

Steam Deck and Platform Notes

Steam lists Beyond These Stars as Playable on Steam Deck, which is a useful data point if you're weighing a handheld playthrough. It's not a "Verified" badge, so expect minor compromises, but the game's mouse-and-keyboard-friendly design includes a mouse-only control option among its accessibility features.

On the platform side, the game is available on Windows PC through Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, and Xbox on PC. No PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or traditional Xbox console version has been announced. If you're on a Mac or Linux machine, the official requirements don't cover you — plan accordingly.

Tips to Get Smooth Performance on Modest Hardware

Community first looks and player reports suggest the biggest performance factor is colony size, not graphical settings. Here's how to keep things running well:

1. Slow the game speed when your colony grows. High simulation speeds multiply the CPU's workload. Dropping from speed three to speed one during busy construction phases keeps things responsive.
2. Keep pollution under control. Toxic tiles and heavy industry add simulation overhead. Building cleaners and spacing out polluting structures helps both your frame rate and Kewa's health.
3. Use storage sheds wisely. Each shed caps at 20 items across a maximum of 10 resource types. Efficient logistics means fewer stranded resources and less churn in the simulation.
4. Install on an SSD. This is the single easiest upgrade for load times and autosave hitches.
5. Close background apps if you're at 8 GB RAM. Browsers and launchers eat memory that the simulation wants.

If you're still deciding whether the game is for you, the official Steam page for Beyond These Stars includes a playable demo, which is the best way to benchmark your own machine before buying.

Sandbox Mode and Performance Freedom

One underrated detail: Sandbox Mode lets you customize difficulty and starting conditions, including toggles like unlocking all buildings and instant construction. Those options don't change the system requirements, but they do change how quickly your colony scales — and therefore how soon you'll notice performance dips.

Players who want to stress-test their hardware can deliberately create a dense, heavily industrialized settlement to see where their PC struggles. Those who just want a relaxed build can dial pollution rates down and keep colony size manageable.

Frequently Asked Questions