Gears of War: E-Day PC Requirements: Can Your PC Run It?

Updated: September 29, 2026
The Coalition has revealed the final PC system requirements for Gears of War: E-Day, and one detail stands out immediately: even the minimum specification requires a ray-tracing-capable GPU and an SSD.
The game launches on October 6, with Premium Edition Advance Access beginning October 1. PC players will need at least 12 GB of RAM, 115 GB of storage and DirectX 12 to run the game. Steam Store
Gears of War: E-Day PC requirements at a glance
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit 22H2 | Windows 11 64-bit 25H2 or newer |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 2600X / Intel i7-6850K / i5-10400 | Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel i5-11600K |
| RAM | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | RTX 5050 / RTX 2060 / RX 6600 / RX 9060 | RTX 5060 / RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT / RX 9060 XT |
| DirectX | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | 115 GB | 115 GB |
| Drive | SSD required | SSD required |
These are the final specifications currently listed by Steam and released by The Coalition. Steam Store
Minimum Gears of War: E-Day PC requirements
To meet the minimum specification, your PC needs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6850K or Intel Core i5-10400
RAM: 12 GB
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 5050, AMD Radeon RX 6600 or RX 9060
Storage: 115 GB
Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit 22H2
DirectX: Version 12
Storage type: SSD required. Steam Store
The unusual part is the GPU requirement. The official listing specifically states that a hardware ray-tracing-capable graphics card is required, meaning older GTX-class cards are not part of the stated minimum configuration. Steam Store
Recommended requirements
For the recommended configuration, The Coalition suggests:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel Core i5-11600K
RAM: 16 GB
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 5060, RTX 3060 Ti, AMD RX 6700 XT or RX 9060 XT
OS: Windows 11 64-bit 25H2 or newer
Storage: 115 GB on an SSD. Steam Store
The recommended specification is surprisingly accessible compared with some recent AAA PC releases, especially because an RTX 3060 Ti remains on the official recommended list.
Can an RTX 2060 run Gears of War: E-Day?
Yes, according to the official minimum requirements.
The RTX 2060 is explicitly listed as one of the supported minimum GPUs. Steam Store
However, meeting a minimum requirement does not guarantee maximum graphics settings, 4K resolution or consistently high frame rates.
Those settings will depend on resolution, graphics quality and technologies such as upscaling.
Can an RTX 3060 Ti run it?
Yes. The RTX 3060 Ti appears in the recommended specification, making it a much safer target for players who want performance above the minimum experience. Steam Store
Do you need an SSD?
Yes.
Unlike games where an SSD is merely recommended, the official specifications for Gears of War: E-Day state that an SSD is required for both minimum and recommended configurations. Steam Store
You also need at least 115 GB of free space.
Does Gears of War: E-Day support 4K and high frame rates?
The Steam page lists support for 4K, ultrawide displays, HDR, uncapped performance and 60 FPS, depending on compatible hardware. Steam Store
The PC version also advertises advanced graphics features including ray tracing. Some current Steam materials additionally reference technologies such as DLSS and AMD FSR on supported hardware. Steam Store
That does not mean every PC will reach those settings; performance depends heavily on GPU, CPU and resolution.
What if your PC only has 8 GB of RAM?
It falls below the official minimum requirement.
Gears of War: E-Day requires at least 12 GB of RAM, while 16 GB is recommended. Steam Store
For anyone building or upgrading a gaming PC in 2026, 16 GB therefore makes considerably more sense for this game.
Should you upgrade your PC for Gears of War: E-Day?
The two components worth checking first are your GPU and storage.
If your PC still uses a GTX graphics card without hardware ray tracing, it does not meet the published GPU requirement. Likewise, installing the game on a mechanical hard drive is outside the official specification because an SSD is mandatory.
Players already using something around an RTX 3060 Ti, RX 6700 XT or better, paired with 16 GB RAM and a modern six-core CPU, are much closer to the recommended configuration.
FAQ
How much RAM does Gears of War: E-Day need?
At least 12 GB, with 16 GB recommended. Steam Store
How much storage does it require?
The current official Steam listing shows 115 GB of available storage. Steam Store
Can I play Gears of War: E-Day without ray tracing?
The official minimum specification still requires a GPU with hardware ray-tracing capability, even if you do not intend to use maximum ray-tracing settings. Steam Store
Will Gears of War: E-Day run on Windows 10?
Yes. Windows 10 64-bit 22H2 is listed as the minimum operating system. Steam Store
Is an RTX 3060 enough?
An RTX 3060 Ti is listed in the recommended specification. The standard RTX 3060 is not specifically included in the published recommended list, so actual performance should be judged once independent benchmarks are available.