Ubisoft has unveiled the hardware specifications needed to run the upcoming Rainbow Six Siege X, marking a significant leap in system requirements as the tactical shooter enters its new era after a decade of service. The updated specs reflect substantial graphical improvements coming to the game, with surprisingly demanding requirements for players aiming to experience the title at its highest settings.
From Budget to Bleeding Edge: Tiered System Requirements
Rainbow Six Siege X offers multiple performance tiers to accommodate various hardware configurations. At the entry level, players can enjoy the game at 1080p/60fps with relatively modest hardware: an Intel Core i3 8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100 processor paired with an Nvidia GTX 1650, AMD RX 5500 XT, or Intel Arc A380 graphics card. The minimum specs also call for 8GB of RAM and 65GB of SSD storage, keeping the barrier to entry reasonable for budget gamers.
Rainbow Six Siege X System Requirements
Minimum (1080p, 60 fps)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3100, Intel i3 8100
- GPU: Nvidia GTX 1650 4GB, AMD RX 5500XT 4GB, Intel ARC A380 6GB
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 65 GB SSD
Recommended (1080p, 120 fps)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, Intel i5 10400
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 6GB, AMD RX 6600 8GB
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 65 GB SSD
High (1440p, 120 fps)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, Intel i5 10400
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 3070 8GB, AMD RX 6700 XT 8GB
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 65 GB SSD
High (4K, 120 fps)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, Intel i5 11600K
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 3080 10GB, AMD RX 6800 XT 16GB
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 65 GB SSD
Ultra (4K, 120 fps)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, Intel i5-11600K
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, AMD RX 7900 XT 20GB
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 110 GB SSD
Mid-Range Hardware for Competitive Play
The recommended specifications target 120fps gameplay at 1080p, essential for competitive players. This performance level requires an Intel Core i5 10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor alongside an Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD RX 6600 graphics card. RAM requirements double to 16GB at this tier, which could necessitate upgrades for some players. These specs should provide smooth performance for the core 5v5 Core Siege mode while maintaining 60fps in the new 6v6 Dual Front mode.
High-Resolution Gaming Demands Premium Hardware
For gamers wanting to push Rainbow Six Siege X to higher resolutions while maintaining competitive framerates, the requirements increase substantially. At 1440p/120fps, players will need an RTX 3070 or RX 6700 XT, while 4K/120fps gameplay demands an RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT. These specifications represent a significant jump from the original Rainbow Six Siege requirements released in 2015, which could run on hardware as modest as an Intel Core i3 560 or AMD Phenom II X4 945 with just 6GB of RAM.
Original Rainbow Six Siege Requirements (2015)
- CPU: Intel Core i3 560 @ 3.3 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 945 @ 3.0 GHz
- RAM: 6GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5870 (1GB VRAM)
- Storage: 30GB
- Additional: DVD-ROM Drive, DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Ultra Settings Push Hardware Boundaries
Perhaps most surprising is the Ultra specification tier, which targets 4K resolution at 120fps with all graphical settings maximized. This premium experience requires an Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super or AMD RX 7900 XT graphics card paired with an Intel Core i5 11600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor. Storage requirements also increase to 110GB for the Ultra preset, accommodating additional high-resolution textures that can be downloaded.
A New Chapter for Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege X represents what Ubisoft describes as an update to the existing game, to a new game rather than a full sequel. The update brings significant visual enhancements alongside gameplay changes and a shift toward a partially free-to-play model. Current Rainbow Six Siege owners can preview these changes through a test server that's running until June 9, with the full launch scheduled for June 10.
Hardware Evolution Reflects Gaming's Progress
The stark contrast between the original 2015 requirements—which even listed DVD-ROM drives as necessary components—and today's specifications highlights how PC gaming hardware expectations have evolved over the past decade. While the minimum requirements remain accessible, the high-end specifications demonstrate Ubisoft's commitment to leveraging modern hardware capabilities for enhanced visual fidelity in this competitive shooter's next chapter.