Permafrost System Requirements: Steam PC Specs Checked

Permafrost publishes one set of official system requirements, and it is Windows only. The figures below are the publisher's own numbers from the Steam store page, quoted exactly as listed, split into the minimum build and the recommended build. There is no macOS or Linux row, because none is published.

Minimum versus recommended

These are quoted verbatim from the store listing. This site has not tested a single one of these configurations, so treat them as the publisher's floor and target rather than a measured benchmark.

What the specs imply

• 16 GB RAM in both tiers. There is no 8 GB option anywhere on the list. Memory is the one line that does not move between tiers, so check it first.
• GTX 1060 6GB or RX 590 8GB is the floor. Those are mainstream cards from several generations back, so a mid-range gaming PC from the last few years should be able to launch the game. The publisher lists them as alternatives, not a matched pair.
• The recommended tier jumps a long way. RTX 3070 Ti 8GB or RX 6750 XT 12GB is a serious step up from the minimum, and the two recommended cards differ again in video memory. If you are building toward the recommended row, match the card you can actually buy rather than assuming the cheaper one equals the other.
• DirectX 11 is the minimum, DirectX 12 is the recommendation. The game runs on DirectX 11, so an older card that only supports 11 is not disqualified. DirectX 12 is what the recommended row asks for, which usually means the higher settings and the heavier scenes are tuned for it.
• 30 GB of storage in both rows. Installation size does not change between tiers. Storage is not the variable that decides whether the game runs, so plan your drive around 30 GB plus save data and any updates.
• The CPU minimum is the older pair. Intel Core i5 8600K and AMD Ryzen 5 3500 are the developer's stated floor. Unconfirmed (verify in-game) how much a faster CPU changes frame rates.

Windows only, no macOS or Linux build

The store page lists Windows 10 (x64) and nothing else. No macOS requirements and no Linux requirements are published, and the listing gives no reason for the omission. Read that as the current platform scope of the release rather than as a build known to run on those systems.

Steam Deck compatibility is listed as Unknown. That is the storefront's own status field, not a verdict for or against. Until it changes, treat Deck play as untested and check the store page again before counting on it.

Installing before the offer ends

The introductory Steam offer is live at 20 percent off, $19.99 instead of $24.99, and it ends on October 23, 2026. If your machine clears the minimum row, the order below keeps you from buying a game your PC cannot finish installing.

1. Compare your own OS, CPU, RAM, GPU, DirectX version and free drive space against the minimum row in the table above.
2. Check the DirectX support of your graphics card: DirectX 11 or newer is required.
3. Free up 30 GB on the drive you plan to install to, plus working room for updates.
4. Buy Permafrost on Steam (app 2254990) before the offer closes on October 23, 2026.
5. Install and let the full download finish before your first session.

What to read next

• Getting Started for what to do once the install completes.
• Survival Basics for the stats and the cold the specs are built to render.
• Multiplayer and Co-op if you are sizing a machine for shared play.
• Permafrost vs The Long Dark if you are still choosing between the two.

Sources

• Permafrost on Steam for the official minimum and recommended requirements, the DirectX rows, the Steam Deck status and the current offer.
• Permafrost game page (Toplitz Productions) for the publisher's own description of the game.
• Permafrost on the Epic Games Store for the second storefront carrying the same release.
• Permafrost: Official Companion for the companion app referenced in the bundle pricing.