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The safest starting point is the configuration published on the Steam store page: use DirectX 11 at 1080p on Low if your PC is near the minimum specification, or DirectX 12 at 1080p on Medium-High if it is near the recommended specification. Steam lists a 60 FPS target for the DX11/Low profile and a 60–120 FPS target for the recommended profile. These are store-listed targets, not independently measured guarantees. DLSS and DLAA are listed only for DirectX 12 with a compatible RTX GPU, and the listing does not document the current graphics menu, the performance cost of individual options, or built-in accessibility controls.
Start with the published profiles, not a guessed preset
Backrooms: Impending Doom has two useful reference points in its Steam system-requirements listing. The minimum profile is associated with DirectX 11, 1080p, Low quality and a 60 FPS target. The recommended profile is associated with DirectX 12, 1080p, Medium-High quality and a 60–120 FPS target. Steam does not identify a benchmark method, test scene, driver version or frame-time standard for either target, so treat them as configuration guidance rather than a promise for your individual computer.
That distinction matters. A computer can match the listed processor and graphics card yet perform differently because of background software, thermal limits, laptop power modes, driver versions, memory configuration, resolution scaling or a scene that is more demanding than the store’s reference. Use the profiles to choose a sensible first launch, then measure your own frame rate and frame-time consistency before changing hardware.
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| Component | Steam minimum | Steam recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 or Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | Intel Core i5-12400F or AMD Ryzen 5 5600 |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or Radeon RX 580 | GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB or Radeon RX 6700 XT |
| Graphics API | DirectX 11 | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | 5 GB available space; an SSD is strongly recommended | |
These figures come from the Steam listing, whose page does not state a publication year for the requirements. They are not the results of a controlled benchmark. The storage requirement is 5 GB of available space, while the SSD recommendation concerns installation and loading behavior; the listing does not say that an SSD increases FPS.
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Choose DirectX 11 or DirectX 12
When DirectX 11 is the safer first choice
Start with DirectX 11 if your hardware is close to the minimum profile, if your graphics driver is older, or if DirectX 12 produces launch failures, corruption or unexplained instability. The published DX11 reference is 1080p on Low with a 60 FPS target. It is a baseline for compatibility, not proof that every minimum-specification system will hold 60 FPS in every area.
If the game offers separate launch entries, select the DirectX 11 entry from the launcher or Steam’s launch choice. If it offers an API selector inside the game, change that option before adjusting quality settings. The exact control name is not documented by the store page, so do not assume that every installation exposes the same menu.
When DirectX 12 is appropriate
Use DirectX 12 when your system resembles the recommended profile and you want to try the features that Steam ties to that API. The recommended reference is 1080p on Medium-High with a 60–120 FPS target. Steam does not establish that DX12 is faster on identical hardware, so select it for compatibility with the recommended profile or for DLSS/DLAA support rather than because a higher number is guaranteed.
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Set resolution and quality in a controlled order
The store targets are both based on 1080p. Keeping that resolution initially makes your result comparable with the published guidance. Do not raise resolution before you know whether your graphics card is already the bottleneck.
- Confirm the display mode. Choose the game’s 1920×1080 output if your monitor supports it, and use the display mode that behaves most reliably on your system. The listing does not specify whether exclusive fullscreen, borderless or windowed mode is preferable.
- Select the API. Choose DX11 for a minimum-class system or DX12 for a recommended-class system and DLSS/DLAA testing. Restart if the game requests it.
- Choose the matching quality tier. Begin at Low for minimum-class hardware and Medium-High for recommended-class hardware. The listing does not document individual sliders or what each preset changes.
- Reach a repeatable scene. Use the same room, corridor or save point after every change. Record average FPS if you have a counter, but also watch for uneven frame pacing, hitching and input delay.
- Change one control at a time. If a particular option is available, alter it alone, return to the same scene and compare. This prevents two changes from hiding each other’s effects.
- Keep a stable result. If an uncapped rate swings widely, a frame-rate limit at a value your system can sustain may feel smoother. The game listing does not document an in-game limiter, so use it only if the installed build provides one or your display software offers a reliable limit.
Because the current graphics menu is not described in the official listing, labels such as shadows, effects, foliage, field of view, motion blur or ambient occlusion should be treated as possibilities to verify in your build, not as guaranteed controls. Do not follow a preset guide that claims a specific option exists unless the current game documentation confirms it.
How to interpret the 60 FPS and 60–120 FPS targets
The DX11/Low “60 FPS target” and the recommended “60–120 FPS target” are the two performance statements Steam publishes. They do not say whether the value is an average, a minimum, a capped rate or a result from a particular test route. They also do not identify the CPU and GPU pairing used to create the target. Therefore, use them as goals for choosing a starting profile, not as a benchmark you can demand from every machine with the same component names.
Check more than a single instantaneous counter reading. A brief 120 FPS reading followed by repeated drops can feel worse than a consistent 60 FPS. Note the resolution, API, quality tier, driver state and whether other applications were running when you compare results. If your own test stays below the target, first confirm that the game is using the intended GPU, that the laptop is plugged in, and that temperatures or power limits are not forcing lower clocks.
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DLSS and DLAA: eligibility and sensible testing
Steam states that DLSS and DLAA require DirectX 12 and a compatible RTX GPU. That is the complete documented condition; the listing does not name the exact supported RTX generations, expose the in-game menu labels or quantify the image-quality and performance effect of either mode.
If your RTX system meets the condition
- Launch the DirectX 12 version.
- Look for the game’s own upscaling or anti-aliasing controls. If DLSS or DLAA is absent, do not assume the installation is broken; the current build may not expose the feature in its menu.
- Record your native 1080p result in a repeatable scene before enabling anything.
- Enable one mode, keep every other setting unchanged and repeat the same route.
- Compare readability, shimmering, ghosting and frame-time consistency as well as the FPS counter.
DLSS and DLAA are not interchangeable quality presets. The store page does not explain their exact implementations in this game, so avoid promising that either mode will improve performance or image quality on every RTX card. If the result looks worse or becomes unstable, revert to the previous setting.
Storage, installation and loading expectations
Reserve at least 5 GB of free space, as specified by Steam, and leave additional room for Windows, shader caches, saves and updates. Steam strongly recommends an SSD. That recommendation can reduce loading friction compared with a hard disk, but the listing does not claim an FPS increase, lower input latency or a guaranteed fix for in-game stutter.
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If loading is unusually slow, verify that the game is installed on the intended drive and that the drive is not nearly full. Moving the installation can change loading behavior, but it will not replace graphics or CPU tuning when the measured bottleneck is rendering or simulation.
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Accessibility: what is documented and what is not
The Steam listing does not enumerate accessibility features or current graphics controls. It therefore does not establish the presence of color-blind modes, field-of-view adjustment, motion-reduction options, subtitles, remappable controls, audio sliders, screen-reader support or a dedicated accessibility menu. Do not promise any of those features based on assumptions from another game.
Check the installed build without guessing
- Open the game’s Settings or Options screen from the title menu and pause menu.
- Read every tab, including Display, Graphics, Audio, Controls and any Accessibility tab.
- Write down the exact labels and whether each option can be changed during play.
- Test a change in a safe area, then return to the original value if it causes visual discomfort, delayed input or missing information.
If a control you need is not present, that absence is a build limitation rather than a setting you have overlooked. Check the developer’s current patch notes or support documentation for later additions, because the store listing can change and does not provide a complete accessibility changelog.
Use Windows-level accommodations when appropriate
Windows 10 and Windows 11 include system accessibility tools that can help even when a game has few internal options. In Windows Settings, the Accessibility section provides features such as text-size adjustments, contrast themes, color filters, Magnifier and Narrator; the exact labels can vary by Windows version. These tools affect the desktop or the rendered image globally and may not solve game-specific subtitle, camera or control problems. Enable one change at a time and check whether it interferes with readability or performance.
For audio, use your operating system’s volume, balance and mono-audio controls if stereo separation is difficult to follow. For visual sensitivity, reduce brightness, disable effects only when the game actually exposes a relevant control, and take regular breaks. These are practical accommodations, not evidence that the game itself includes a motion-reduction or color-blind mode.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
Low FPS at 1080p
- Confirm that the game is running on the dedicated GPU rather than an integrated adapter.
- Return to the profile that matches your hardware: DX11/Low for a minimum-class system or DX12/Medium-High for a recommended-class system.
- Check whether a background application, power-saving mode or thermal throttling is consuming CPU or GPU resources.
- Lower the available quality controls one at a time and repeat the same scene.
- Do not buy a new GPU solely because the store target is missed; first identify whether GPU utilization, CPU utilization or frame-time spikes are the limiting factor.
Stutter or hitching
- Repeat the route after the first launch, because initial loading behavior can differ from later runs.
- Close unnecessary overlays and background recording tools, then compare.
- Check free space and install location; an SSD is strongly recommended by Steam, but it is not documented as an FPS upgrade.
- Compare DX11 and DX12 separately. Keep the mode that is stable on your system rather than assuming DX12 must be faster.
Crashes or graphical corruption in DX12
- Update the graphics driver and reboot before retesting.
- Disable DLSS or DLAA and return to the last known stable quality setting.
- Try DX11. The store lists it as the minimum-profile API, so it is a reasonable compatibility fallback.
- If the failure persists, verify the installation through Steam and report the exact API, GPU, driver and error message to the developer.
Blur, shimmering or unreadable text
- Return to native 1080p and disable any upscaling mode that the game exposes.
- Compare DLSS, DLAA and the game’s other anti-aliasing choices one at a time if those controls exist.
- Check Windows display scaling and monitor sharpness only after confirming the game’s own resolution.
Should you upgrade your hardware?
The published requirements identify component classes, not a mandatory upgrade path. An RTX 3060 6 GB or Radeon RX 6700 XT appears in the recommended profile, but Steam provides no evidence that either purchase is necessary for your computer or that a new SSD will raise frame rate. Before spending money, capture your own bottleneck:
| Observed limitation | First action | What the listing supports |
|---|---|---|
| GPU usage is near full and FPS falls when quality rises | Stay at 1080p, use the lower available quality tier, and test DLSS only if you have DX12 plus a compatible RTX GPU. | DX11/Low and DX12/Medium-High are the published starting profiles. |
| CPU usage or frame-time spikes dominate | Close background work, check power and temperatures, and test a repeatable scene. | No CPU benchmark or per-setting impact is published. |
| Long loads but acceptable FPS | Ensure at least 5 GB is free and consider an SSD if you are on a hard disk. | Steam strongly recommends an SSD but does not claim higher FPS. |
| DX12-only crashes | Use DX11 while troubleshooting and verify drivers and files. | DX11 is the listed minimum API; DX12 is listed for the recommended profile. |
This approach keeps the decision tied to an observed problem instead of treating the recommended specification as a requirement to replace working hardware.
A repeatable final setup checklist
- Windows is 10 64-bit or 11, with current graphics drivers.
- The installation has at least 5 GB of available space, preferably on an SSD.
- 1080p is selected for the initial comparison.
- DX11 and Low are used as the minimum-class baseline.
- DX12 and Medium-High are used as the recommended-class baseline.
- DLSS or DLAA is tested only with DX12 and a compatible RTX GPU.
- Each change is tested in the same scene, with no assumption that a store target is a measured guarantee.
- Accessibility controls are verified in the installed build; undocumented features are not treated as available.
These steps give you a defensible starting configuration while respecting what the official listing does and does not establish. The best final settings are the ones that remain stable, readable and comfortable on your specific PC after this controlled comparison.
Quick Recap
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