Dragon Age: The Veilguard PC system requirements ask for upscaling to hit 60 FPS
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the latest installment in the Dragon Age franchise. The previous game was Dragon Age: Inquisition, which was released in 2014, so fans have been waiting for the next title for years now.
However, when BioWare revealed the system requirements, we (among others) noticed a key detail in the small print: upscaling. It seems like it isn't well-optimized and requires powerful hardware to pick up the slack. That said, despite the demanding system requirements, you can play Dragon Age: The Veilguard on Steam Deck, so I guess it isn't all bad.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard PC system requirements
BioWare and EA revealed the system requirements for this game, which are in two parts. One covers the requirements if you're playing without Ray Tracing, and the other covers the hardware you'll need to run it with Ray Tracing on.
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Ray Tracing: Off
| Minimum | Recommended | Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average performance | 1080p / 30 FPS | 1440p / 30 FPS 1080p / 60 FPS | 2160p / 60 FPS |
| In-game graphic preset | Low | High | Ultra |
| OS | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 3 3300X | Intel Core i9-9900X or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| GPU | Nvidia GTX 970/1650 or AMD Radeon R9 290X | Nvidia RTX 2070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700XT | Nvidia RTX 4080 or AMD RX 7900XTX |
| VRAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 100GB, SSD preferred, HDD supported | 100 GB SSD required | 100 GB SSD required |
Ray Tracing: On
| RT Selective | RT on | RT on + RT Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average performance | 2160p / 30 FPS1440p / 60 FPS | 1440p / 30 FPS | 2160p / 30 FPS |
| In-game graphic preset | Ultra | Ultra | Ultra |
| OS | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 | Windows 10/11 64-bit wth DX12 |
| CPU | Intel Core i9-9900X or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i9-9900X or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 9 7950X |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| GPU | Nvidia RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800XT | Nvidia RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800XT | Nvidia RTX 4080 or AMD RX 7900XTX |
| VRAM | 10GB | 10GB | 10GB |
| Storage | 100 GB SSD required | 100 GB SSD required | 100 GB SSD required |
Performance estimates include upscaling
So, at first glance, these requirements might seem fine, but when you look at the average performance, it is a whole different story. Even without Ray Tracing turned on, you'll need an RTX 2070 to hit 60 FPS at 1080p, and the fine print says that “Average performance estimates include use of optional upscaling”.
What this means is that these results are after the use of upscaling. While they haven't specified which quality preset they used (Performance, Balanced, Quality, etc.), it could speak toward poor optimization because if you don't use upscaling, the actual figures will be lower.
For Ultra settings performance without Ray Tracing, you'll need the 12900K or the 7950X, which are high-end CPUs paired with the RTX 4080 or the best AMD has to offer, the RX 7900XTX. Even with this, you'll only get 60FPS, which is bolstered by upscaling technologies. Also, the recommended 1440p hardware is set to deliver only 30 FPS, while at Ultra, you get 60FPS, and 1440p is much less graphically intensive to process than 4K, even with an RTX 2070.
On the other hand, if you turn on Ray Tracing, the figures dip even lower, as with RT on + Ultra on, the FPS drops by 50%. With only RT on and 1440p resolution, you'll only get 30 FPS, even with an RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT powering your rig. We've reviewed the RTX 3080, and it is an excellent card for 4K, so 1440p shouldn't be an issue for it, and it can easily churn out more than 30 FPS with Ray Tracing on in other titles.
Our thoughts
AI upscaling and frame generation are great as they boost the gaming experience, but they shouldn't be heavily relied upon to make up for poor optimization. We think that games should be optimized to reach at least 60 FPS natively and then upscaled to higher resolution or boost the FPS with frame generation; they shouldn't need frame generation to reach 60 FPS in the first place.
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