Roberts Space Industries (RSI) currently publishes a minimum baseline for its games, including Squadron 42: Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11, a quad-core CPU with AVX, AVX2 and FMA3 support, a DirectX 11.1-capable graphics card with 4GB of graphics memory, at least 16GB of system RAM, and an SSD with 150GB or more. These are RSI’s current general minimums—not confirmed final, game-specific launch requirements. RSI says Squadron 42 is still in development and is not available to download.
RSI’s current published minimum requirements
The figures below come from RSI’s Game and Launcher Requirements article, updated December 17, 2025. RSI presents them as requirements for its games, including Squadron 42; it does not label them final game-specific launch specifications.
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| Component | RSI’s published minimum | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack) or Windows 11 | That Windows is 64-bit and is one of the listed versions |
| Processor | Quad-core CPU supporting AVX, AVX2 and FMA3; examples are Intel i7 Haswell or later, or AMD Excavator or later | Both the core count and support for all three instruction sets |
| Graphics card | DirectX 11.1-capable card with 4GB of graphics RAM | Graphics API capability and dedicated graphics memory |
| System memory | 16GB or more | Installed system RAM, not graphics memory |
| Storage | SSD with 150GB or more | That the drive is an SSD and has room for the installation |
RSI’s exact storage wording is “150+ GB SSD required.” The GPU requirement is for 4GB of graphics RAM; that is separate from the 16GB system-memory threshold. A PC can meet one of those memory figures and miss the other.
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How to check whether your PC meets the baseline
Check every row rather than relying on a single label such as “gaming PC.” A machine that meets the RAM and storage figures may still fall short on CPU instruction support, graphics capability or operating-system compatibility. If you are comparing computers before buying, look for the exact CPU and GPU model numbers in the listing and verify them individually; broad labels such as “Core i7,” “gaming graphics” or “16GB memory” do not answer every requirement.
1. Confirm Windows edition and system type
- Open Settings > System > About.
- Check the Windows edition and version. RSI lists Windows 10 64-bit with the latest Service Pack, or Windows 11.
- Under device specifications, find System type. Confirm it identifies a 64-bit operating system. If you use Linux or macOS, RSI says those operating systems are not currently supported.
Seeing “DirectX 12” or another DirectX version in Windows does not by itself prove that the graphics card meets the separate DirectX 11.1 capability requirement. The relevant question is what the GPU supports, not only which DirectX runtime Windows reports.
2. Check the CPU model, cores and instruction sets
- Open Settings > System > About and note the processor model. Task Manager’s Performance > CPU page also shows the processor name and logical-processor information.
- Look up the exact model in its manufacturer’s specifications to verify that it has at least four cores. Do not infer core count from the product family name alone.
- Verify AVX, AVX2 and FMA3 support for that specific CPU. RSI explicitly requires these instructions, so a quad-core processor without the listed support does not satisfy the published CPU minimum.
RSI’s examples—Intel i7 Haswell or later, and AMD Excavator or later—are useful generation clues, not substitutes for checking the exact processor. Older or unusual models should be checked individually. “i7” alone is not enough to establish that a processor meets the requirement. Core count and logical-processor count are also not interchangeable: compare the model’s actual core specification with the four-core threshold.
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- Open Device Manager > Display adapters or Task Manager > Performance > GPU to identify the installed graphics adapter.
- Check the GPU manufacturer’s specifications for DirectX 11.1 capability and 4GB of graphics memory.
- If the computer has both integrated and discrete graphics, identify which adapter is available to games and assess its specifications rather than assuming the more capable adapter is active.
RSI does not name a qualifying graphics-card model in the cited requirement, nor does it attach a resolution or frame-rate target to the 4GB figure. Matching the GPU line is therefore a minimum-spec check, not a prediction of how smoothly a particular PC will run the game. A card’s name or memory amount alone does not establish that it will deliver a particular quality setting or frame rate.
4. Check installed system RAM
In Settings > System > About, read the installed RAM figure; Task Manager’s Performance > Memory page provides another view. Compare it with the 16GB minimum. Do not add GPU memory to system RAM or treat virtual memory as a replacement for installed RAM. If a PC lists 16GB of system RAM and a graphics card with 4GB of VRAM, those are two separate figures that satisfy two different lines of the checklist.
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5. Check SSD type and available capacity
Open Task Manager > Performance and select each disk to see whether Windows identifies it as an SSD or HDD. In File Explorer, choose This PC to see the available space on each volume. A drive’s total capacity and its currently free space are different: the installation target must be an SSD, and the drive needs sufficient room for the game and any other installation files. If several drives are installed, check the volume you intend to use rather than assuming the PC’s fastest or largest drive is the installation target.
How to interpret RSI’s storage guidance
There are two separate storage statements in RSI’s requirements article. The Squadron 42-relevant general minimum is an SSD of 150GB or more. RSI also recommends an NTFS-formatted drive with at least 100GB of space for the RSI Launcher and Star Citizen installation, plus 10GB of additional SSD space for the pagefile. The latter figures describe the launcher and Star Citizen context in that article; they are not an alternate Squadron 42-only calculation.
Do not combine those amounts into a supposed official total for Squadron 42. RSI does not say in the cited material that a 150GB SSD plus 100GB plus 10GB is the required capacity for this game, or that the 150GB threshold is a guaranteed estimate of its final installed size. For a purchase or upgrade, leave practical headroom rather than buying a drive that only barely matches a minimum capacity figure.
RSI specifies an SSD but does not require NVMe storage, a 1TB drive or a particular manufacturer. Those may be personal choices, but they should not be mistaken for official requirements. A larger SSD may be convenient if you also store other games or files on it, but RSI’s published minimum is not a direction to buy a specific size beyond 150GB or a particular SSD type such as NVMe.
What these minimums do—and do not—tell you
RSI’s figures are useful as a screening baseline: they let you identify whether a PC falls below one of the published thresholds. They are not a benchmark. RSI does not publish, alongside this baseline, a promised frame rate, resolution, graphics preset or performance result for a PC that meets it. Passing all five checks cannot establish that the final game will run at a particular quality level.
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There is also an important status limitation. RSI’s support article, Where can I download Squadron 42?, updated February 4, 2026, says the game remains in development and is not available for download. It says qualifying account holders will be able to download it after development, testing and release are complete. RSI’s Get Started: Checklist, updated April 16, 2026, also reflects that availability status. The cited materials do not establish final launch requirements specific to Squadron 42.
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So, if your PC meets RSI’s current general minimums, the accurate conclusion is that it meets the published baseline—not that it is guaranteed to run the released game well or at a known setting. If it misses a requirement, especially CPU instruction-set support, the current baseline does not establish that the machine will be compatible. The requirements may change before release, so the current list is a point-in-time guide rather than a permanent guarantee.
Should you upgrade now?
Because the game is not yet available to download and the cited requirements are not final game-specific launch specifications, an upgrade made solely in anticipation of Squadron 42 carries uncertainty. First establish exactly which component is short and whether the rest of the PC is suitable for your other needs. A single “gaming” label or a processor generation name does not replace checking the listed capabilities.
- Operating system: If the PC runs Linux or macOS, it falls outside RSI’s currently supported operating systems. RSI lists Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11.
- CPU: Verify AVX, AVX2 and FMA3 on the specific model as well as four or more cores. A CPU upgrade decision may involve the motherboard and memory too; the published minimum does not specify compatible replacement parts.
- GPU: Compare the exact card’s API capability and graphics-memory capacity with the requirement. RSI does not provide a model list or performance tier from which to infer a recommended upgrade.
- RAM: Compare installed system memory with 16GB; this check is independent of VRAM.
- SSD: Confirm the target drive is solid-state and has adequate free capacity. RSI does not require NVMe or prescribe a brand.
RSI’s listed baseline does not include component prices, a full PC build list or specific upgrade models. That means there is no official cost estimate to apply to a purchase. Before spending money, compare your exact PC against the requirements and consider whether a component would be useful for your other games or workloads as well. For a purchase decision, recheck RSI’s official requirements and status information close to the time you intend to buy. Both the development status and published requirements may change before release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Other RSI launcher notes are not extra hardware minimums
RSI’s same requirements article mentions Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.5.2, TCP ports 8000–8020 and UDP ports 64090–64110, and an NTFS drive recommendation in the launcher and Star Citizen context. These are software, network or setup notes, not additional CPU, GPU or RAM requirements for Squadron 42. They should not be folded into the hardware checklist as if they described components to buy. RSI lists them as launcher-related requirements or recommendations; they do not change the separate published hardware thresholds above.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can my PC run Squadron 42?
Compare it with RSI’s current general minimums for its games, including Squadron 42: Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11, a quad-core CPU with AVX, AVX2 and FMA3, a DirectX 11.1-capable GPU with 4GB of graphics RAM, at least 16GB of system RAM and an SSD of 150GB or more. Meeting that baseline does not guarantee a particular frame rate or confirm final launch compatibility; RSI says the game is still in development and unavailable to download.
Is 16GB of RAM enough for Squadron 42?
RSI’s published general minimum is 16GB or more of system RAM. It is separate from the graphics card’s 4GB graphics-memory requirement. RSI does not publish a higher recommended RAM figure or say what performance a PC with 16GB will achieve.
Do I need an NVMe or 1TB SSD?
No such requirement is listed by RSI. Its current published minimum says an SSD with 150GB or more. RSI does not mandate NVMe, 1TB or a particular brand. The separate 100GB launcher and Star Citizen space recommendation and 10GB pagefile recommendation should not be added to create an official Squadron 42 total.
Can I play on Linux or macOS?
RSI says Linux and macOS are not currently supported. Its listed operating systems are Windows 10 64-bit with the latest Service Pack or Windows 11.
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Are these the final PC requirements, and is Squadron 42 available to download?
No. RSI’s Game and Launcher Requirements article gives current general minimums for CIG games, including Squadron 42, not confirmed final game-specific launch requirements. RSI’s support article updated February 4, 2026 says Squadron 42 remains in development and is not available to download; qualifying account holders can download after development, testing and release are complete.
The Bottom Line
RSI’s current published baseline is Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11, a quad-core CPU with AVX, AVX2 and FMA3, a DirectX 11.1 GPU with 4GB graphics RAM, 16GB or more of system RAM, and a 150GB-or-larger SSD. Treat it as a general minimum, not a final specification or performance promise: RSI says Squadron 42 is still in development and unavailable to download.
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