There is no single “free Steam co-op shooter” requirement. Your PC must meet each game’s own operating-system, processor, memory, graphics, API and storage requirements. Among the three commonly considered options, Apex Legends asks for a GTX 950-class minimum and GTX 970-class recommended GPU, Counter-Strike 2 requires four hardware CPU threads and a DirectX 11 graphics card, and Deep Rock Galactic is a 1–4-player co-op FPS with substantially smaller storage requirements. Meeting a minimum specification means the game may launch; it does not guarantee a particular frame rate or stable frame pacing.
Use the comparison below to check compatibility first, then tune resolution, shadows, effects, textures and synchronization in a controlled order. The published specifications and settings lists do not provide a cross-game FPS benchmark, so any performance result depends on your exact hardware, drivers, patch and chosen settings.
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Published requirements compared
The table uses the requirements listed by each game’s current store or support documentation. “Minimum” and “recommended” are the publisher’s tiers, not a promise of identical image quality or frame rate.
| Game | Operating system | CPU requirement | RAM | Graphics requirement | Graphics API | Storage | Multiplayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Legends | 64-bit Windows 10 | AMD FX 4350 or Intel Core i3-6300 equivalent minimum; Ryzen 5 equivalent recommended | 6 GB minimum; 8 GB recommended | Minimum: Radeon HD 7790 2 GB or GeForce GTX 950. Recommended: Radeon R9 290 or GeForce GTX 970 | DirectX 12 | 75 GB | Free-to-play hero shooter with squad play and online co-op |
| Counter-Strike 2 (Windows) | Windows 10 | Four hardware CPU threads, such as an Intel Core i5-750 or higher | 8 GB | At least a 1 GB DirectX 11-compatible GPU with Shader Model 5.0 | DirectX 11; Shader Model 5.0 | 85 GB | Free-to-play competitive shooter; free players receive all modes and matchmaking types except Premier Mode |
| Counter-Strike 2 (Linux) | Ubuntu 20.04 | Four hardware CPU threads | 8 GB | AMD GCN or newer, or NVIDIA Kepler or newer, with current Vulkan drivers | Vulkan | 85 GB | Same game and free-to-play model as the Windows edition, subject to platform support |
| Deep Rock Galactic | Minimum: 64-bit Windows 7. Recommended: 64-bit Windows 10 | Intel i5 third generation or equivalent minimum; Intel i5 seventh generation or equivalent recommended | 6 GB minimum; 8 GB recommended | Minimum: GTX 660 or Radeon HD 7870. Recommended: GTX 970 or Radeon 290 | DirectX 11 | 3 GB | Explicitly a 1–4-player co-op FPS with destructible environments and alien hordes |
Deep Rock Galactic’s store page still lists Windows 7 as its minimum, but Steam’s client has supported Windows 10 and later since January 1, 2024. In practice, a current Steam installation should use a supported Windows version even when an older game requirement mentions Windows 7.
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How to read the tiers before installing
Minimum is a launch threshold
A minimum line identifies a class of hardware and software on which the developer expects the game to run. It does not specify the resolution, quality preset, frame-time consistency or background workload used for that expectation. A machine that barely clears the minimum can still need reduced settings and resolution scaling, especially during busy scenes.
Recommended is not a universal FPS target
A recommended GPU or processor indicates a more comfortable target than the minimum, but it is not an official 60-FPS guarantee. Display refresh rate, resolution, thermal limits, driver versions, game patches and CPU load all change the result. Treat the recommended tier as a starting point for testing rather than a benchmark.
Check every category, not only the GPU
Compare your 64-bit operating system, processor model and hardware-thread count, installed RAM, graphics API support and free disk space. A graphics card can be fast enough while an unsupported operating system, insufficient CPU threads or a nearly full drive prevents installation or reliable play.
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EA’s PC settings documentation exposes unusually fine-grained controls, so you can target the part of the rendering pipeline that is limiting your system instead of dropping everything at once.
Resolution, display and latency controls
- Display mode and resolution: begin at the native resolution your monitor can sustain, then test a lower resolution if the GPU remains the bottleneck.
- Adaptive-resolution FPS target: this can dynamically reduce internal resolution to pursue a target. It may improve consistency at the cost of image sharpness.
- V-Sync: test the available modes only after checking uncapped performance. Synchronization can reduce visible tearing but may add latency or alter frame pacing on some systems.
- Field of view: Apex exposes a range from 70 to 110. A wider view shows more of the scene and can increase rendering work; choose it for gameplay preference, then retest performance.
GPU-heavy quality settings
- Shadows: lower dynamic spot shadows, spot-shadow detail, and sun-shadow coverage or detail first when shadow rendering is expensive.
- Ambient occlusion, volumetric lighting and effects detail: these add depth, lighting and particles but are useful early reductions when frame time is unstable.
- Anti-aliasing: reduce or change it if jagged edges are acceptable in exchange for lower GPU load.
- Map/model detail, impact marks and ragdoll: lowering geometric detail and nonessential effects can help during combat without changing the whole preset.
Texture memory and streaming
Apex exposes a texture-streaming budget from none through 8 GB of VRAM. Set the budget to fit the graphics card’s actual available VRAM; allocating beyond that capacity can cause stutter or texture swapping rather than improving quality. Texture filtering can also be adjusted separately, allowing you to preserve some surface clarity while reducing heavier options.
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Counter-Strike 2: platform and access details
Windows hardware threads are explicit
The Windows support specification calls for four hardware CPU threads, 8 GB of RAM and a DirectX 11-compatible graphics card with Shader Model 5.0. “Four threads” is a CPU capability, not the same thing as a four-core model, so check your processor’s published hardware-thread count rather than relying on its marketing name.
Linux has a different graphics path
The Linux entry names Ubuntu 20.04, four hardware CPU threads, 8 GB of RAM and AMD GCN-or-newer or NVIDIA Kepler-or-newer graphics with current Vulkan drivers. Do not substitute the Windows DirectX requirement for the Linux Vulkan requirement; the driver stack and supported distribution are part of compatibility.
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Free modes versus Premier
Steam’s free-to-play FAQ says free players receive all game modes and matchmaking types except Premier Mode. Premier requires Prime Status. That restriction affects access to one competitive mode, not the ability to install or play the free game’s other listed modes.
Deep Rock Galactic: a smaller install with four-player co-op
The official store description identifies Deep Rock Galactic as a 1–4-player co-op FPS built around dwarven space miners, procedurally generated destructible environments and endless alien hordes. Its published minimum and recommended tiers distinguish older and newer Intel i5 generations, two GPU classes and two RAM levels, while the listed storage footprint is only a few gigabytes.
Why the co-op design affects testing
Procedural caves, destruction and large enemy waves can produce different CPU and GPU workloads from one mission to another. Test in a busy cave or swarm rather than judging performance from a quiet menu. A system that looks smooth while standing still may show frame-time spikes when geometry changes and many enemies appear.
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Windows-version qualification
The game page’s minimum entry names 64-bit Windows 7 and its recommended entry names 64-bit Windows 10. Because the Steam client itself supports Windows 10 and later from January 1, 2024, Windows 10 or a later supported release is the practical choice for a current installation.
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A repeatable setup sequence for any of the three games
- Record your hardware: note the exact CPU, hardware-thread count, installed RAM, GPU model and VRAM, operating-system edition, graphics API support and free storage.
- Compare against the game’s minimum row: if any required category is below minimum, fix that compatibility issue before tuning image quality. A setting change cannot add missing API support, RAM or CPU threads.
- Install current platform and graphics updates: use the operating system’s supported update path and the GPU vendor’s current driver appropriate to your card. Reboot after installation if the updater requests it.
- Select a low preset at a sustainable display resolution: use a repeatable gameplay location, not a menu, for each comparison.
- Lower expensive effects first: reduce shadows, ambient occlusion, volumetric lighting, effects, model or map detail, ragdoll and impact effects where the game exposes them.
- Match texture settings to VRAM: keep texture quality and any streaming budget within the card’s capacity. If textures look fine but hitching continues, lower streaming or texture allocation rather than raising it.
- Test adaptive resolution and V-Sync separately: enable one change, play the same scenario, and decide whether the trade-off in sharpness, latency or tearing is acceptable.
- Raise one option at a time: stop when frame pacing becomes unstable, then return the last changed setting to its previous value. This isolates the setting that matters instead of producing an unexplained mixture of changes.
Choosing what to lower when performance is poor
If the GPU is saturated
Reduce resolution or use adaptive resolution, then lower shadows, volumetric lighting, ambient occlusion and effects. These changes generally reduce the amount of work per frame more directly than disabling a minor cosmetic effect. Keep a consistent test scene so each adjustment can be compared fairly.
If VRAM is the problem
Lower texture quality and texture-streaming allocation first. Watch for hitching, delayed texture replacement or sudden drops when turning the camera. A lower texture setting that fits memory can feel smoother than a higher setting that repeatedly evicts assets.
If the CPU is the problem
Lower simulation-heavy or scene-complexity options where available, including model or map detail, ragdoll and impact effects. In a co-op mission, test during enemy waves or destruction rather than an empty corridor. Reducing resolution alone may not help a CPU-limited system.
If latency or tearing is the problem
Compare V-Sync modes and adaptive-resolution behavior with the same mouse or controller movement. Choose the combination that keeps frame pacing predictable without introducing an unacceptable delay. The settings documentation lists these controls but does not promise one best mode for every monitor or GPU.
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Storage, memory and upgrade decisions
Free space is more than the download size
Reserve at least the listed storage requirement before installation and leave additional room for updates, shader caches and the operating system. A drive that is technically large enough but nearly full can make patching and general system maintenance difficult.
When a memory upgrade is sensible
If your installed RAM only meets a game’s minimum, close browsers, launchers and recording tools before play and monitor for paging. Moving toward the game’s recommended memory tier gives the operating system more room for background tasks, but it still does not replace a required GPU or CPU capability.
When to replace the graphics card
Use the published GPU tiers as a compatibility map: Apex distinguishes a GTX 950-class minimum from a GTX 970-class recommendation, while Deep Rock Galactic names a GTX 660-class minimum and GTX 970-class recommendation. A replacement should be chosen by comparing modern performance, VRAM, power supply and API support against the games you actually play; the older model names alone are not a current benchmark.
Troubleshooting branches
The game will not launch
- Recheck the operating-system edition and 64-bit requirement.
- Confirm that the GPU supports the specified DirectX or Vulkan path and, for Counter-Strike 2 on Windows, Shader Model 5.0.
- Verify free storage and allow the platform to validate installed files.
- Update the graphics driver, then restart before testing again.
The game launches but stutters
- Lower texture-streaming allocation or texture quality to stay within VRAM.
- Reduce shadows, volumetric lighting and effects before lowering every setting.
- Close overlays, browsers and capture tools that compete for CPU, RAM or GPU resources.
- Repeat the same gameplay route and change one option at a time so you can identify the cause.
Frame rate is acceptable but controls feel delayed
- Test V-Sync modes independently and compare input response.
- Check whether adaptive resolution is causing frequent quality changes or uneven frame times.
- Use a stable cap or display mode only if testing shows more consistent pacing on your hardware.
What the published data can—and cannot—tell you
The cited requirement pages and Apex settings documentation establish compatibility targets and available controls. They do not publish a single cross-game benchmark table or guarantee a fixed FPS for a particular GPU. Results can change with patches, graphics drivers, operating-system updates, resolution, monitor settings and background applications. Treat every FPS reading from your own system as a measurement for that configuration, not as a universal promise for another PC.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFor a practical decision, first choose the game whose operating system, CPU threads, memory, GPU/API support and storage all clear the published minimum. Then start with low settings, match textures to VRAM, reduce heavy lighting and effects, and raise options one by one until frame pacing—not just an average counter—stops being acceptable.
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