Horizon Forbidden West PC: Specs, Performance, Release

Guerrilla Games delivered one of the most technically ambitious open-world titles of the console generation with Horizon Forbidden West. The PC release of the Complete Edition gives players on Steam and the Epic Games Store a chance to experience that world with higher framerates, sharper textures, and a suite of graphics tweaks that simply aren’t possible on console. The big question is whether the port lives up to the promise—and the early verdict from both testers and players is largely positive.

Platforms: Steam, Epic Games Store · Minimum OS: Windows 10 64-bit (1909+) · Min CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X · Min RAM: 16 GB · Lowest Price: €26.98

Does Horizon Forbidden West run well on PC?

The PC port of Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition earned praise as one of the tightest console-to-PC transitions in recent memory. Benchmark testing from DSOGaming showed no stability issues across multiple hardware configurations, with the PlayStation shader optimization (PSO) pre-compilation system delivering consistent frame times. Players on Steam confirmed the experience lives up to early impressions, with one community member noting it ran nearly flawlessly compared to the troubled Horizon Zero Dawn launch.

Expert reviews

Back2Gaming tested the game on an Intel Core i9-14900K with 32GB DDR5-7600 and various GPUs, finding that DLSS, XeSS, and FSR upscaling all delivered meaningful performance gains. DLSS3 on compatible NVIDIA cards provided nearly 2x uplift in certain scenarios. At 1080p max settings, most tested GPUs from the RX580 through the RTX4090 exceeded 60fps, though 1440p pushed harder—the RTX3080 dipped to the mid-50s.

User feedback from Reddit

Steam community discussions reveal real-world performance data that aligns with benchmarks. A user running a Ryzen 5 5600 with an RX6600 8GB at 1080p medium/low settings reported 60-78fps average with no major stutters. However, some users noted that 8GB VRAM cards struggled with higher texture quality, and the game caches over 5GB of shaders to the main Windows drive regardless of install location.

Optimization guide insights

One critical finding from DSOGaming’s testing: the game requires 16 CPU threads for smooth performance. Quad-core processors with SMT enabled cause stutters, even on high-end hardware like the Ryzen 9 7950X3D if the system doesn’t provide full thread availability.

Horizon Forbidden West PC specs: Minimum and recommended

Sony published official system requirements for four performance tiers, ranging from 720p entry-level play up to 4K at 60fps. The requirements emphasize 16GB RAM across all tiers and demand an SSD for installation.

All tiers require a 150GB SSD and Windows 10 64-bit (version 1909 or higher). The PlayStation Blog published these specs on March 5, 2024, ahead of the March 21 release.

Minimum requirements

The minimum tier targets 720p at 30fps on Very Low settings, using a GTX 1650 4GB or AMD equivalent. This is notably higher than the original Horizon Zero Dawn minimum, reflecting the sequel’s increased visual fidelity.

Recommended requirements

For 1080p @ 60fps on Medium settings, the official recommendation calls for an RTX 3060 or RX 5700 paired with an Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600. This GPU tier should handle most modern games at these settings, making Horizon Forbidden West accessible to a broad PC gaming audience.

Graphics card needs

Back2Gaming testing confirmed that native 4K max settings only run smoothly on the RTX4090 or RX7900XTX. However, upscaling technologies make high-resolution play viable on more modest hardware. A YouTube comparison showed an RTX4050 laptop achieving near-60fps at optimized settings—superior to the PS4’s locked 30fps with dips.

Does Horizon Forbidden West require Windows 10 or 11?

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition requires Windows 10 64-bit version 1909 or higher. The official Steam store page lists this requirement definitively, and the requirement applies uniformly across all purchase platforms.

The table below summarizes the operating system requirements across both major storefronts.

Windows 11 is supported but not required—players running Windows 10 1909 or later have full compatibility.

OS details

The Windows 10 requirement is tied to DirectX 12 feature support and specific shader compilation technologies that Guerrilla Games implemented for the PC version.

Version specifics

Users running Windows 10 builds prior to version 1909 may encounter installation or performance issues. The game leverages shader pre-compilation techniques that work most reliably on supported Windows versions. DSOGaming’s benchmark testing used GeForce driver 551.86 and Radeon driver 24.3.1.

Upgrade advice

If you’re running an older Windows 10 build, upgrading to version 1909 or later is free through Windows Update. The process takes under an hour on most systems and ensures compatibility with all PC port features including FOV sliders, unbound framerate options, and full keyboard/mouse customization.

Is Forbidden West coming to PC?

Horizon Forbidden West is available on PC. The Complete Edition launched March 21, 2024, on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, giving players two major storefront options for purchase.

Current status

The Steam app page for Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition is live with full system requirements, user reviews, and download options. The Epic Games Store also offers the title with equivalent features.

Platforms

Players can purchase the Complete Edition on Steam or Epic Games Store. Both versions include the base game and the Burning Shores expansion. The Steam version currently carries a lower advertised price of €26.98, though pricing varies by region and promotional period.

Complete Edition details

The Complete Edition bundles all post-launch content, making it the definitive PC version. Both storefronts offer the same game files and features, with differences limited to platform-specific launchers and achievement tracking.

Horizon Forbidden West PC release date

The Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition PC release arrived on March 21, 2024. PlayStation Blog revealed the official PC specifications on March 5, 2024, building anticipation in the weeks leading up to launch.

Console vs PC timeline

The original console release came in February 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The PC version arrived over two years later as the Complete Edition, bundling all DLC and giving the development team additional time to optimize the port specifically for PC hardware.

Complete Edition launch

The Complete Edition designation signals that this is the most comprehensive version available on PC. Players receive the base game, the Burning Shores expansion, and all previously released patches and optimizations.

Post-launch updates

Since launch, community monitoring shows no major stability issues reported in benchmarks. Minor issues like clipping in combat encounters have been noted, and future updates are expected to address these cosmetic problems.

DSOGaming benchmark analysis

“All in all, Horizon: Forbidden West requires a top-of-the-line PC system for gaming at Max Settings. Thankfully, the game’s visuals justify its GPU requirements.”

Steam community member

“Performance is great. One of the best PC ports out there. Significantly better than Horizon Zero Dawn at launch.”

YouTube performance tester

“I was very surprised for how high FPS we can see! Steam Deck is the king of the handhelds because we can play Horizon Forbidden West on it.”

For players who missed Horizon Forbidden West on console, the PC version delivers the complete package with meaningful visual and performance advantages. The port quality from Nixxes Software puts this among the best console-to-PC transitions of recent years, and the upscaling technology stack ensures accessibility across a wide range of hardware configurations.

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The Complete Edition launched on Steam and Epic with requirements like Intel i3-8100 and 16GB RAM, as this PC release and performance guide benchmarks across various hardware.

Frequently asked questions