S.O.N.A.R. System Requirements: Min and Recommended

The short answer: S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Operators Not Actually Ready publishes two Windows tiers on its official Steam page, and both require a 64-bit operating system, DirectX 11 and 5 GB of free space. The step up from minimum to recommended is mostly CPU, RAM and GPU.

The listed specs

Both tiers are prefixed with the same line: a 64-bit processor and operating system are required. That is the one hard floor — a 32-bit Windows install does not satisfy either column.

How to read the two tiers

The minimum tier is a genuinely modest target: a decade-old quad-core desktop CPU, 8 GB of RAM and a GTX 1050-class card. The recommended tier jumps considerably on the graphics side, asking for an RTX 3060 8GB "or equivalent", alongside a faster CPU and double the memory.

Two details worth noticing:

• Storage does not change. The page lists 5 GB for both minimum and recommended, so the recommended tier is not asking for a bigger install — only a stronger machine to run it.
• DirectX does not change either. Version 11 appears in both columns, despite the newer Windows version in the recommended tier.

The "or equivalent" wording is the developer's own, and it is deliberately loose. It signals that the named cards are reference points rather than a strict whitelist, but it also means the page does not tell you how far below a GTX 1050 you can go before the game becomes unplayable.

Platform scope of these requirements

As of 2026-10-22, the official Steam page presents this requirements block in Windows terms only, and the page's platform listing shows Windows. The same page's Steam Deck compatibility field reads "Unknown" rather than a verified rating. If handheld or controller play is your reason for checking specs, that is a separate question from the numbers above — see the Steam Deck notes linked below.

The full game is scheduled to unlock on October 29, 2026, and a free demo has been available on Steam since September 30, 2026, including a run during Steam Next Fest (October 19–26, 2026). The Steam page does not publish a separate requirements block for the demo; the figures above are the only listed hardware guidance, so treat them as the working reference for the demo too, without assuming the demo build is heavier or lighter.

If you are close to the line

A few reasonable, general checks before you buy — these are ordinary PC troubleshooting habits, not features the game documents:

• Confirm you are on a 64-bit build of Windows 10 or 11; the 32-bit case fails on the first line of both tiers.
• Make sure your graphics driver is current and that your card supports DirectX 11, since that is the API level both tiers name.
• Free up the listed 5 GB before installing rather than during, and note that a demo install may sit alongside the full game.
• If performance feels poor on hardware at or below the minimum column, lowering resolution and graphical settings is the usual first move; the Steam page does not list in-game presets, so treat this as a general suggestion.

One thing the requirements do not address at all: the game is built around online co-op and PvP, and the page gives no connection-speed or network figures. Nothing in the listing lets you predict how it behaves on a weak link.

Next steps

• Controller support — the Steam page lists full controller support plus DualShock and DualSense entries, so if you plan to play with a pad rather than mouse and keyboard, read S.O.N.A.R. controller support alongside these specs.
• Steam Deck — the store page shows Steam Deck compatibility as "Unknown", which is neither a pass nor a fail; S.O.N.A.R. on Steam Deck covers what that status does and does not tell you.

FAQ

What are the S.O.N.A.R. system requirements?

Minimum is Windows 10 64-bit with an Intel i5-2300 or AMD FX-4300, 8 GB RAM, a GTX 1050 or equivalent and 5 GB of space. Recommended is Windows 11 64-bit with an i7-4770 or FX-8350, 16 GB RAM and an RTX 3060 8GB or equivalent. Both need DirectX 11.

Do I need 16 GB of RAM to play?

No — 16 GB sits in the recommended column. The minimum tier lists 8 GB, so 8 GB is the stated floor rather than a comfortable target.

Can a GTX 1050 laptop run it?

The page lists a GTX 1050 as the minimum graphics reference and adds "or equivalent", but it gives no laptop-specific figures. Whether a particular mobile GPU clears that bar is not something the listed specs answer.

Is there a Mac or Linux version of S.O.N.A.R.?

The Steam page's requirements block gives Windows operating systems only, and the platform listing on that page shows Windows. It does not supply macOS or Linux requirements, so there is no listed figure to check against.