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To meet Valve’s published minimum for Half-Life: Alyx, a PC needs 64-bit Windows 10, an Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580 with 6 GB of VRAM. The game also requires a VR headset and uses SteamVR. Compare your PC and headset with these requirements before installing; meeting the minimum is not a guarantee of a particular frame rate or compatibility with every setup.
Half-Life: Alyx minimum PC requirements
These are the minimum specifications shown on Valve’s Steam listing. They are not a recommended specification or a promise of performance on every system.
| Component | Valve’s listed minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10; 64-bit operating system required |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 |
| System memory | 12 GB RAM |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580, with 6 GB VRAM |
| VR | SteamVR support; a VR headset is required |
The retrieved Steam listing does not provide a complete recommended PC configuration, so there is no official higher tier to compare with these minimums.
Check your PC against the requirements
- Check Windows, processor, and RAM. Open Windows Settings and look under System > About for your Windows edition and processor. You can also open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc and check the Performance tab for CPU and Memory details. Confirm Windows is 64-bit and that installed RAM is at least 12 GB.
- Identify the graphics card you will use for games. In Task Manager, open Performance and select the GPU entries to see the adapter names. If your PC has both integrated graphics and a discrete card, compare the discrete gaming GPU—not just the integrated adapter—with the listed GTX 1060 or RX 580.
- Check dedicated GPU memory. Steam Support explains how to add this value to Task Manager’s Details view: press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, choose Details, right-click a column heading, select Select Columns, then enable Dedicated GPU memory. Compare the result with the 6 GB VRAM minimum. See Steam’s Half-Life: Alyx performance tips for the instructions.
- Confirm your headset setup. The headset must work with your PC and SteamVR. Check the manufacturer’s connection requirements, then consult the SteamVR FAQ for setup and play-space guidance for specific headset configurations.
- Let the game select initial settings, then adjust if needed. Steam says that on first launch, or after hardware changes, the game benchmarks the CPU and GPU and checks available system memory to choose initial graphics settings. If you need to adjust render resolution, open SteamVR > Settings > Video > Render Resolution. Automatic settings selection does not guarantee a particular frame rate.
How to interpret the comparison
A component below Valve’s listed minimum means your PC does not match the published baseline for that component. A component that matches or exceeds it is a useful sign, but not an individualized compatibility test: results can still depend on the headset, resolution, drivers, and the rest of the system. The listed minimums alone do not establish performance for every configuration.
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When deciding whether a system is suitable or what to upgrade, check the CPU model, system RAM, graphics card model and dedicated VRAM, as well as headset compatibility, connections, and render resolution. A PC can have enough system RAM but fall short on GPU memory, or have a sufficiently capable graphics card but lack a compatible headset setup.
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DPVR E4 PC VR Headset, Virtual Reality Headset for PC, SteamVR, 120Hz
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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