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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11For a low-end PC, start at 1920×1080 on Low, reduce shadows, volumetric effects, global lighting, reflections and post-processing, and use a frame cap you can hold consistently. For a PC around the recommended specification, begin at native 1440p on High (or Ultra if the release includes it), keep textures high, and move to 4K only after testing the largest battles. Ashes of the Singularity II is still unreleased as of October 17, 2026. Stardock currently lists November 10, 2026 as the release date, so these are practical starting profiles rather than final-build benchmarks. Re-check the Steam listing after launch because requirements and option names can change.
What is confirmed about Ashes of the Singularity II
Ashes of the Singularity II is a Windows PC real-time strategy game from Stardock and Oxide. The current Steam page lists DirectX 12, 50GB of storage and an SSD recommendation. It gives hardware requirements, not guaranteed frame rates: no authoritative final-build table maps every graphics option to average FPS or 1% lows.
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The release date currently announced by Stardock is November 10, 2026. The announcement appears on the Stardock forum, while the publisher’s game announcement is at Stardock.com. Treat any preset advice before release as a baseline to verify against the shipping build.
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| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2400G or Intel Core i5-8500 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i5-11600K |
| System memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Graphics card | AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB | AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT 8GB or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB |
| Graphics API | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | 50GB | 50GB |
These specifications come from the 2025 Steam listing and should not be read as an FPS promise. An older official system-specifications page may describe the original game rather than the sequel; use the current Steam page for Ashes II.
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What the requirement tiers mean
The minimum tier is a practical starting line, not a promise that every map or late-game army will feel smooth. A GTX 1660 with 6GB of VRAM and an RX 580 with 8GB represent different memory capacities, and both are paired with only 8GB of system RAM. The recommended tier doubles system memory to 16GB and moves to RTX 3070 or RX 6750 XT-class graphics, giving more room for higher resolution and effects. The listed Ryzen 5 5600X and Core i5-11600K also provide a stronger base for the simulation work that becomes important when many units are active.
DirectX 12 is required on both tiers, so a system limited to an older graphics API is not a supported configuration. The 50GB figure is the listed storage requirement, while the SSD recommendation matters for installation, loading and general streaming behavior. Leave additional free space for patches and the operating system rather than filling a drive to its limit.
Quick starting profiles
The table below turns the current requirements and the developer’s graphics guidance into two profiles. They are starting points for testing, not measured performance targets.
| Setting area | Low-end profile | High-end profile |
|---|---|---|
| Target hardware | GTX 1660 6GB, RX 580 8GB or similar; 8GB system RAM | RTX 3070 8GB, RX 6750 XT 8GB or faster; 16GB system RAM |
| Initial resolution | 1920×1080 | Native 2560×1440 |
| Preset | Low | High; Ultra if available and stable |
| Resolution scaling | Performance-oriented value; increase after frame time is stable | Native first; use scaling or upscaling only when needed |
| Textures | Highest level that fits VRAM; lower if stutter or out-of-memory symptoms appear | High while VRAM headroom remains |
| Shadows and lighting | Low | High initially; reduce before lowering textures when battles spike |
| Volumetrics, reflections and post-processing | Low | High initially; tune these before abandoning 1440p |
| Frame-rate strategy | Cap at a rate the PC can sustain | Use a cap for consistent frame time, especially in large engagements |
Best settings for a low-end PC
1. Begin at 1080p Low
Select 1920×1080 and the Low preset first. This gives a GTX 1660- or RX 580-class card a sensible image-quality baseline without immediately spending GPU time on effects that are easiest to trade away. Change one group of options at a time so you can tell which adjustment helped.
2. Lower resolution scaling before sacrificing every texture
If the game exposes resolution scaling or oversampling, choose a performance-oriented value and raise it only after frame time remains stable during a large battle. Scaling reduces the number of pixels the GPU renders, so it is usually a more direct performance lever than dropping texture detail. The visual cost is softness; check unit silhouettes, terrain edges and interface text after each change.
3. Reduce the expensive lighting and atmosphere options
Keep shadow quality, volumetric or atmospheric effects, global lighting, reflections and other post-processing on Low while establishing a stable baseline. Oxide’s graphics notes identify temporal anti-aliasing, glare, bloom, shadows and shading as options that can be reduced on slower systems; the notes are available on the official forum. If the sequel exposes equivalent controls, turn down the heaviest ones first rather than making every option Low by habit.
4. Treat anti-aliasing as a performance trade-off
Temporal anti-aliasing and similar temporal options can cost GPU time. If a crowded fight is still slow, disable an expensive anti-aliasing mode or select its lighter variant if the build provides one. Compare moving unit edges and distant structures, because a lower setting can introduce shimmer even when the frame rate improves.
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5. Protect VRAM for textures
Textures affect memory use more than most lighting controls. Keep them at the highest level that fits the card’s available VRAM, then lower them when you see hitching, texture pop-in or an out-of-video-memory warning. A GTX 1660 has 6GB, while the listed RX 580, RTX 3070 and RX 6750 XT examples have 8GB; those capacities explain why the same texture setting may behave differently across otherwise similar systems.
6. Cap frame rate for consistency
Do not tune around a short peak in an empty map. Set a frame cap that the PC can hold through ordinary camera movement and the largest engagement you can reproduce. A stable cap makes input and camera motion feel more predictable than an uncapped result that swings sharply between light and heavy scenes.
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7. Check whether the CPU, not the GPU, is limiting you
Large RTS battles can become simulation- or CPU-limited. If lowering resolution and GPU effects barely changes frame time, keep the image settings you prefer, test any lower simulation-heavy options the build exposes, and use a lower frame cap. Continuing to reduce resolution will not fix a processor-bound dip.
8. Remove avoidable background load
Close browser tabs, overlays and background recording tools before testing. Install the game on an SSD when possible, update the graphics driver, and reboot after a driver change. These are general stability steps, not Ashes II benchmark results, but they remove common sources of stutter that can be mistaken for a graphics-setting problem.
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Best settings for a high-end PC
Start at 1440p High
A system around the recommended RTX 3070 or RX 6750 XT with 16GB of RAM should begin at native 2560×1440 on High. If the final build offers Ultra, try it after confirming that High remains consistent in a large engagement. Native 1440p preserves fine unit and terrain detail without imposing the pixel load of 4K.
Keep texture and anisotropic detail high
Use high textures and anisotropic detail while the card has VRAM headroom. These settings preserve surface clarity at oblique camera angles and are usually a better use of memory than spending every available budget on shadows or volumetric effects. If the frame-time graph shows memory pressure or stutter, lower textures one step and test again.
Tune shadows, volumetrics, reflections and global illumination first
When a high-end system develops spikes in a dense fight, reduce shadow quality, volumetric effects, reflections or global illumination before dropping from 1440p. These options can create large GPU workloads, while their visual impact is often less important than keeping the strategic view responsive. Lower post-processing or anti-aliasing next if the build’s temporal effects are costly.
Move to 4K only after a sustained battle test
Try 3840×2160 after checking sustained performance at 1440p, not after a quick look at an empty map. In a Wccftech interview, the developer said that running at 4K with many graphics settings enabled will push almost any modern hardware. That statement describes workload intensity, not a guaranteed preset or frame rate; read the full interview at Wccftech.
Use scaling or upscaling only when the target rate requires it
If native 4K is inconsistent, reduce resolution scaling or enable an upscaling mode if the release includes one. Inspect thin unit outlines, text and strategic markers for clarity, and remember that reconstruction can change perceived sharpness and input latency. A clean 1440p image with stable frame time is preferable to a soft or uneven 4K presentation.
How to diagnose drops during huge battles
Identify a GPU-bound dip
- Lower resolution scaling. If frame time improves substantially, the graphics processor is the immediate limit.
- Reduce shadows, volumetrics, reflections, global illumination and post-processing in that order, testing after each change.
- Keep textures high unless memory symptoms appear; texture reduction alone may not solve a shader or lighting load.
Identify a CPU- or simulation-bound dip
- Lowering resolution produces little or no improvement.
- The slowdown appears when many units, effects or calculations are active rather than when the camera looks at a complex surface.
- Use a lower frame cap and investigate any simulation, unit-count or effects-density controls supplied by the build. Visual quality changes cannot remove a processor limit.
Measure the same scenario
Use a repeatable save or battle situation, move the camera through the same area, and allow shader compilation or first-run setup to finish before judging a setting. Compare sustained frame time rather than one-second peaks. The official FAQ describes the series’ benchmark concept at ashesofthesingularity.com, but no final Ashes II per-setting FPS table is currently published.
Choosing settings by the part you own
If your hardware sits between the published tiers, use the component that is closest to its limit rather than choosing an entire preset blindly. A 6GB GTX 1660 with a faster-than-minimum processor can keep textures moderate or high while lowering lighting and scaling. Conversely, a stronger graphics card paired with an older processor may still slow down when armies collide; lowering resolution will not change that simulation workload.
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Systems with 8GB of RAM should close unnecessary applications before launching. The game lists 16GB as recommended, so a machine with that amount has more headroom for the operating system and background services while a battle is running. Neither memory tier guarantees a particular frame rate, but the difference helps explain why identical presets can behave differently on otherwise similar PCs.
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A practical tuning order
- Choose the native output resolution you can realistically sustain: 1080p for minimum-class hardware, 1440p for recommended-class hardware.
- Apply Low or High, then restart the test scenario so shader setup does not distort the comparison.
- Adjust resolution scaling first when the GPU is saturated.
- Lower shadows, volumetrics, reflections, global illumination and post-processing one group at a time.
- Change anti-aliasing or temporal effects if edge processing remains expensive.
- Lower textures only after checking VRAM usage and observing hitching or pop-in.
- Set a cap below the worst sustained frame rate, then verify camera movement and the largest fight feel consistent.
This order keeps the clearest image possible for the hardware. It also makes troubleshooting reversible: if a change does not improve frame time, restore it instead of stacking multiple compromises that are difficult to evaluate.
Can Ashes of the Singularity II run on Steam Deck?
The developer told Wccftech that the team intended to support hardware as low-end as the Steam Deck. That is an intended hardware range, not a confirmed frame rate, preset or battery-life result for the retail build. The Steam Deck is below the listed desktop minimum in some ways, so wait for launch testing and the final Steam compatibility information before treating it as a guaranteed experience.
If you test on a Deck after release, begin at 1280×800 with Low settings, use performance-oriented scaling, reduce shadows and volumetrics, and cap the frame rate for consistency. Those are cautious starting choices derived from the low-end profile; they are not measured Deck results. Re-check the Steam listing and the game’s launch notes for any official handheld guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes and fixes
Dropping resolution when the CPU is the bottleneck
If a resolution change has almost no effect, restore the clearer resolution and lower the frame cap or simulation-heavy controls instead. This preserves readability without spending time on a fix that cannot address the limit.
Lowering textures first
Textures primarily consume VRAM. Keep them high when memory is healthy and reduce them only for stutter, pop-in or out-of-memory symptoms. Shadows and volumetrics are usually the more direct first cuts for GPU load.
Judging performance from a quiet map
A clear map can hide the workload that matters in an RTS. Test camera movement and the largest battle you can recreate, then choose a cap that survives that scenario.
Assuming the minimum specification equals a target FPS
The GTX 1660/RX 580 and Ryzen 5 2400G/Core i5-8500 entries define the listed minimum hardware, not a guaranteed refresh rate. Driver versions, game patches, map size and battle scale all affect the result.
Leaving overlays and capture tools active
Disable overlays and background recording while troubleshooting. Re-enable them one at a time after the game is stable so you can identify whether a tool reintroduces hitching.
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What to re-check at launch
- Open the current Steam system-requirements section and confirm that the Windows, RAM, GPU, DirectX and storage entries have not changed.
- Record the actual graphics-option names and whether the release adds upscaling, frame generation, simulation controls or a built-in benchmark.
- Test Low at 1080p on minimum-class hardware and High at 1440p on recommended-class hardware using the same large-battle scenario.
- Set a sustained frame cap, then adjust one setting group at a time while watching frame time and VRAM use.
- Revisit the profile after major patches because performance and visual defaults can change.
The most defensible pre-release conclusion is simple: minimum-class PCs should prioritize 1080p, low-cost lighting and stable frame time, while recommended-class PCs should target 1440p High and reserve 4K for carefully tested systems. Exact FPS claims should wait for final-build measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Ashes of the Singularity II settings for a low-end PC?
Start at 1920×1080 on Low with performance-oriented resolution scaling. Keep shadows, volumetrics, global lighting, reflections and post-processing low. Preserve textures if VRAM remains healthy, cap the frame rate to a rate you can sustain, and test a large battle rather than an empty map.
Can a GTX 1660 or RX 580 run Ashes of the Singularity II?
Both cards are listed as minimum GPUs: GTX 1660 with 6GB and RX 580 with 8GB. That identifies supported entry-level hardware, not a guaranteed FPS target. Use 1080p Low, watch for VRAM-related stutter, and expect large battles to depend on the processor as well as the GPU.
What settings should I use on an RTX 3070 or RX 6750 XT?
Begin at native 2560×1440 on High with 16GB of system RAM. Keep textures and anisotropic detail high while memory is available. If dense engagements cause spikes, lower shadows, volumetrics, reflections or global illumination before abandoning 1440p.
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The developer has warned that 4K with many graphics settings enabled will push almost any modern hardware. Try 3840×2160 only after a sustained large-battle test at 1440p. Use scaling or upscaling if native 4K is uneven, and check text and unit outlines for clarity.
Why does lowering resolution barely improve my FPS?
That pattern usually indicates a CPU- or simulation-bound scene. Large armies can stress calculations independently of pixel count. Restore the clearer resolution, lower any simulation-heavy or effects-density controls the build provides, and use a frame cap that the processor can maintain.
Should I lower textures before shadows?
Usually no. Textures mainly consume VRAM, while shadows and volumetric effects are more direct GPU-load controls. Keep textures at the highest level that fits memory, then lower them if you see hitching, pop-in or an out-of-video-memory warning.
Does Ashes of the Singularity II support Steam Deck?
The developer said the team intended to support hardware as low-end as Steam Deck, but no final Deck frame-rate, preset or battery result is confirmed. After launch, begin with 1280×800, Low settings, performance-oriented scaling and a consistent frame cap, then verify official compatibility information.
Is an SSD required?
The Steam listing specifies 50GB of storage and recommends an SSD. An SSD is not presented as a separate minimum requirement, but installing there is the sensible choice for loading and general streaming behavior. Keep extra free space for patches and the operating system.
Where can I find official performance numbers?
The current listing provides hardware requirements rather than average-FPS or 1% low tables. Use a repeatable large-battle scenario, compare sustained frame time and monitor VRAM. Re-check the Steam page and launch notes after November 10, 2026 for final-build details.
The Bottom Line
Use 1080p Low on GTX 1660/RX 580-class PCs and 1440p High on RTX 3070/RX 6750 XT-class systems. Cut scaling, shadows, volumetrics, reflections and global lighting before sacrificing textures, watch for CPU-limited battles, and cap frame rate for consistency. Ashes of the Singularity II is scheduled for November 10, 2026; verify final requirements and performance after release.
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