Key takeaways
- ARC Raiders CPU bottleneck shows up in busy fights, since the game simulates players, AI enemies, and the world at once.
- The official minimum is an i5-6600K or Ryzen 5 1600 with a GTX 1050 Ti and 12GB of RAM, for 1080p low at 60 fps.
- The official recommended tier is an i5-9600K or Ryzen 5 3600 with an RTX 2070 and 16GB of RAM, for 1440p high at 60 fps.
- 16GB of RAM is the realistic floor, since 12GB hitches late in sessions per player reports.
- The Frozen Trail update of 8 October 2026 added a snow map and a grappling hook.
ARC Raiders CPU bottleneck: the short answer
ARC Raiders is a third-person PvPvE extraction shooter from Embark Studios. It launched on 30 October 2025 for Windows PC on Steam and the Epic Games Store, plus PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5, and it mixes human players with AI enemies in one shared map. That mix is why the CPU matters so much. The processor tracks players, AI, physics, and the world state, while the GPU draws the scene. When many things happen at once, a weak CPU falls behind and the game stutters. The official specs are forgiving, yet they target low settings only. For smooth play at 1440p, you need a modern six-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a mid-range GPU. The Frozen Trail update of 8 October 2026 added a snow map and a grappling hook. It put the game back at number one on Steam in the week of 28 October to 4 November 2026.
ARC Raiders system requirements, the official tiers
Embark publishes three PC tiers, each with a performance target. The minimum and recommended rows come from the Steam listing, while the Epic row comes from Embark's own FAQ. All three need 64-bit Windows 10 or later, DirectX 12, and a broadband connection. The game takes around 33GB of storage. These are vendor targets, not guarantees for every PC, since drivers, cooling, and background apps can move results either way. Treat the minimum as the floor for the game to run, not as a smooth experience.
| Tier | CPU | GPU | RAM | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | i5-6600K / Ryzen 5 1600 | GTX 1050 Ti / RX 580 / Arc A380 | 12GB | 1080p low, 60 fps |
| Recommended | i5-9600K / Ryzen 5 3600 | RTX 2070 / RX 5700 XT / Arc B570 | 16GB | 1440p high, 60 fps |
| Epic | i7-9700K / Ryzen 7 3700X | RTX 4070 Ti / 5070 / RX 7900 XTX | 16GB | 1440p epic, 90 fps |
Why the CPU matters so much in ARC Raiders
Most shooters lean on the GPU, yet ARC Raiders leans on the CPU in busy moments. The game is an extraction shooter, so each raid drops you into a map with other players, AI raiders, and roaming machines. The CPU must track all of them, plus loot, physics, and sound. When a fight breaks out near an extraction point, the load spikes. A four-core chip from 2017 can run the game, yet it stutters exactly when you need smooth aim. A modern six-core chip handles the spike, since it has threads to spare. Cache helps too: chips with large L3 cache, like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, keep 1% lows smooth in busy scenes. RAM matters as well. The official minimum is 12GB, yet player reports say 12GB hitches late in long sessions. So treat 16GB as the realistic floor, not a luxury. For the CPU against GPU balance in other games, see this: CPU bottlenecks: esports vs AAA games.
Best CPU and GPU pairs for ARC Raiders
The pairs below match the official tiers to modern parts you can buy in 2026. A pair is balanced when the CPU and GPU finish each frame together, with neither one waiting long. The 1080p pairs suit high-refresh monitors, while the 1440p pairs suit high settings. All of them assume 16GB of dual-channel RAM and an SSD, since a hard drive or single-channel RAM can stutter the game on its own. Check your own pair before you buy with the free tool: PC bottleneck calculator.
| Target | CPU | GPU | RAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p low, 60 fps | Ryzen 5 5600 / i5-12400F | GTX 1660 / RX 6600 | 16GB |
| 1080p high, 144 Hz | Ryzen 5 7600 / i5-13400F | RTX 4060 / RX 7600 | 16GB |
| 1440p high, 60 fps | Ryzen 5 7600 / i5-13400F | RTX 5070 / RX 9070 | 16GB |
| 1440p high, 144 Hz | Ryzen 7 7800X3D | RTX 5070 Ti / RX 9070 XT | 32GB |
| 1440p epic, 90 fps | Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RTX 5070 Ti / RX 7900 XTX | 32GB |
Best settings for ARC Raiders
Start with the preset that matches your tier, then tune from there. Low preset at 1080p suits the minimum tier. High preset at 1440p suits the recommended tier. Epic preset at 1440p needs the Epic tier. Turn on DLSS or FSR on Quality mode, since upscaling lifts frame rates without a big visual cost. Set shadows and effects to low first when you need frames, since those two settings cost the most. Keep textures on medium with 12GB of RAM, and on high with 16GB. Turn frame generation off when your base frame rate is low, since it adds lag and cannot fix a CPU limit. Cap the frame rate near your monitor refresh rate, which stops the CPU from racing ahead. For the full fix guide, see this: how to fix a CPU bottleneck without buying a new CPU. For the stutter story in full, see this: stuttering and frame time: 1% lows explained.
How to tell if your CPU is the problem in ARC Raiders
Open a hardware monitor and play for ten minutes, then look at the two use figures. If CPU use sits near 100% while GPU use stays under 80%, the processor is the limit. If GPU use sits near 100%, the card is the limit, and that is normal. Also watch the 1% lows, which are the slowest frames in each second. A CPU limit shows up as stutter in busy fights, even when the average frame rate looks fine. Check your RAM use too: when it passes 15GB, 16GB is full and the game pages to the SSD. Close Chrome and Discord before a raid when you run 12GB or 16GB. For the RAM picture, see this: how much RAM do you need for gaming in 2026. And for the VRAM side, see this: VRAM bottleneck: 8GB vs 12GB vs 16GB.
The Frozen Trail update and what it changed
The Frozen Trail update arrived on 8 October 2026, and it added a snow map with cold-weather gear and a grappling hook for faster movement. The update put ARC Raiders back at number one on Steam in the week of 28 October to 4 November 2026, a year after launch. A snow map costs the GPU more, since it draws wide open spaces and weather effects. The grappling hook costs the CPU more in busy moments, since fast movement loads new areas quicker. So the update raised the bar slightly for both parts. If you played smoothly before the update and stutter now, lower shadows and view distance first, since those two settings carry the new map's cost. The game also won Best Multiplayer at The Game Awards 2025, and it passed 4 million copies in its first two weeks. For large-match CPU load in another shooter, see this: Battlefield 6 CPU bottlenecks in 128-player matches.
The bottom line on the ARC Raiders CPU bottleneck
The ARC Raiders CPU bottleneck is real in busy fights, yet it is easy to fix. A modern six-core CPU, 16GB of dual-channel RAM, and the right settings keep the game smooth at 1080p and 1440p. Start from the official tiers, then buy the pair that matches your monitor. Check your pair on the CPU GPU bottleneck calculator before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run ARC Raiders on a GTX 1050 Ti?
Yes, the GTX 1050 Ti is the official minimum GPU, paired with an i5-6600K or Ryzen 5 1600 and 12GB of RAM. That tier targets 1080p on low settings at 60 fps. It will run the game, yet it will stutter in busy fights. For smooth play, use 16GB of RAM and a stronger card, since 12GB hitches late in sessions per player reports.
What frame rate should I expect from ARC Raiders on a mid-range PC?
At 1080p on Low settings with the minimum tier, expect 60 FPS. The recommended tier targets 60 FPS at 1440p High, and the Epic tier targets 90 FPS at 1440p Epic with upscaling. Your exact frame rate depends on your CPU and GPU pair, so check your pair before you buy.
Is ARC Raiders CPU heavy or GPU heavy?
It is both, at different moments. The GPU carries the load in quiet scenes and at high resolutions, while the CPU spikes in busy fights with many players and AI enemies. That is why a weak CPU stutters exactly when you need smooth aim. A modern six-core CPU and a mid-range GPU keep both sides balanced at 1080p and 1440p.
Can a Ryzen 5 5600 run ARC Raiders at 1440p?
Yes. A Ryzen 5 5600 is well above the recommended tier for ARC Raiders, so it runs the game at 1440p without holding the GPU back. Pair it with a mid-range card such as an RTX 4060 or better for High settings. The official recommended CPU is only a Ryzen 5 3600, so the 5600 has room to spare.
What are the best settings for ARC Raiders on a low-end PC?
Use the low preset at 1080p, with DLSS or FSR on Quality mode and frame generation off. Set shadows and effects to low, and textures to medium. Cap the frame rate near your monitor refresh rate. Close Chrome and Discord before a raid, since they eat RAM and CPU time. An SSD is a must, since a hard drive stutters when the game loads new areas.
Does the Frozen Trail update need a better PC?
It raises the bar slightly, since the snow map costs the GPU more and the grappling hook loads new areas faster. If you played smoothly before the update and stutter now, lower shadows and view distance first. A modern six-core CPU with 16GB of RAM still handles the update well at 1080p and 1440p.
How this guide was prepared
This guide uses Embark's official system requirement tiers from the Steam listing and Embark's FAQ. It also uses dated reporting on the launch and the Frozen Trail update. Targets are vendor targets, not guarantees.
Last updated: November 10, 2026