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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Yes. Nixxes’ PC requirements, updated March 12, 2026, explicitly allow Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to run from an HDD at the minimum tier. That tier targets Very Low settings at 1280 × 720 and an average of 30 FPS; it is a published target, not a guarantee for every PC or hard drive. Nixxes recommends an SSD with the recommended requirements or higher.
What the current PC requirements say
Nixxes’ system requirements page, updated March 12, 2026, lists these minimum specifications and storage guidance:
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- Operating system: Windows 10 64-bit, version 1909 or higher.
- Processor: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100.
- Memory: 8 GB RAM.
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon RX 470.
- Storage: 75 GB available HDD space; an SSD is recommended.
- Target: Very Low settings at 1280 × 720, averaging 30 FPS.
The same page’s recommended tier targets Medium settings at 1920 × 1080 and an average of 60 FPS, and recommends using an SSD with recommended hardware or higher. These are targets for the full system configuration, not performance promises based on storage alone.
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Steam’s system requirements listing shows 75 GB available space and labels an SSD “SSD Recommended” in the minimum requirements, then “SSD Required” in the recommended requirements. Nixxes’ newer support page explicitly identifies HDD space for minimum and says HDD play is possible at that tier, while marking an SSD recommended. The two pages use different wording; the cited pages do not explain the discrepancy. For current HDD eligibility, Nixxes’ dated support guidance is explicit.
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What DirectStorage means for HDD players
The PC version implements DirectStorage 1.2, including GPU decompression, according to PlayStation’s July 18, 2023 PC feature announcement. Nixxes says the game can load data through this technology regardless of the storage device. Its feature page explains that a fast NVMe SSD combined with GPU decompression supports responsive texture streaming at the highest settings. DirectStorage therefore does not make an SSD mandatory under the current minimum specification.
As Nixxes Senior Lead Programmer Richard van der Laan puts it, “To enable quick loading and instant transition between dimensions, the game needs to be able to load assets quickly.” That explains the recommendation for higher settings and hardware; it does not override the explicit HDD allowance at minimum.
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Should you install it on your HDD or upgrade?
Keep your HDD for the minimum tier
If your PC meets the other minimum requirements and has 75 GB available, Nixxes’ current guidance supports trying the game on an HDD without buying an SSD. Set expectations around the minimum tier’s Very Low, 720p, average 30 FPS target.
Choose an SSD if aiming for the recommended tier
If you are building toward the recommended requirements or want to follow Nixxes’ recommendation for the game’s dimension-hopping experience, install it on an SSD. The cited requirements do not specify an SSD interface, model, or minimum speed, so they do not establish that a particular drive type or purchase will achieve a specific result. A storage upgrade by itself also does not meet the recommended CPU, memory, or graphics requirements.
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What the published requirements do not quantify
The official pages cited here do not provide HDD-versus-SSD loading times, frame-rate differences, or stutter measurements. There is no supported numeric performance penalty to quote for choosing an HDD. The practical distinction established by Nixxes is eligibility and target tier: HDD is supported at minimum, while an SSD is recommended with recommended hardware or higher.
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