Destiny 2 is one of the most popular games this generation, with hundreds of thousands of active players each month and millions of gamers that follow the franchise and its lore. Its final DLC, known as the 'The Final Shape', is also expected to be a finale of sorts for the title as Bungie is expected to conclude or at least explore multiple storylines that have formed the backbone of the title in recent years.

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Destiny 2: The Final Shape Hardware Requirements Explained

Destiny 2 Specs

Bungie has kept minimum requirements for Destiny 2 relatively low apart from storage space where it is ballooning close to 155GB on PC with an existing install briefly requiring close to 300GB for users trying to preload. The title comes with a relatively low CPU, GPU, and VRAM requirement but requires Windows 10 64-bit or higher to play. This is not entirely surprising given that 2 of the platforms that Destiny 2 is published on (Steam and the Epic Game Store) only work with OS versions that meet or exceed said requirement.

The title also supports ultrawide resolutions including 21:9 and the ultra-ultra wide 32:9 monitor spec. Still, it does require slightly beefier hardware in most instances to keep up in terms of frame rates. Destiny 2 also supports Nvidia's Reflex Low Latency features as of 2020, which does allow players to get a more responsive experience on PC.

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Destiny 2: The Final Shape On Gaming Laptops

Bungie officially states that its hardware specifications do not translate to similar hardware requirements on gaming laptops, and it does not publish specifications for gaming laptops currently. This could be due to the fact that gaming laptops in the past have been both power-restricted and thermally limited, but a lot has changed since 2017, when Destiny 2 first released.

Modern gaming laptops are powerful machines that can game on par with most gaming desktops and are a far cry from their predecessors, often offering mid-range to high-end desktop-class CPU and GPU performance thanks to better cooling, power efficiency, and architectural advances made by Intel, AMD and Nvidia alike.

Gaming laptops that exceed Destiny 2's PC hardware requirements, as stated by Bungie, should be able to run the title with relative ease even if there is no official support from the developer given that most options are essentially desktop replacements for lack of a better description. The team at Game ZXC has made a tiered set of gaming laptop recommendations below for users interested in getting a gaming laptop for the first time, or an upgrade to play Destiny 2: The Final Shape in all its glory:

Handpicked: The Best Gaming Laptops For Destiny 2: The Final Shape

As some users have pointed out on various forums, Destiny 2 has been more CPU-bound than GPU-bound since its inception. It does, therefore make sense to spend most excesses on a better laptop CPU to bolster one's frame rate. Few laptops come close to the balance that the Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop represents, offering both a powerful CPU and a decent mid-range GPU even as it throws in an excellent 2K display that can push a 165Hz refresh rate.

Not only is the internal hardware strong enough to max out the display, but the Nitro offers twice the RAM recommended by Bungie and a large 1TB SSD to keep things going even for that upcoming update that can see the game take up potentially as much as 300GB in a go before pushing down towards a more acceptable 155GB storage offering.

The laptop offers powerful cooling, a larger screen than most of its peers, and a balanced configuration that makes it a favorite for gamers looking to run titles like Destiny 2 or those with beefier hardware requirements in 2024 with ease.

For users looking to max out their Destiny 2 experience, the Alienware m18 R2 comes packed with plenty of CPU power in the shape of a 14th-generation Intel Core i9 CPU backed by Nvidia's penultimate laptop GPU offering, the RTX 4080. It uses these to power a large 18-inch QHD display that can do up to 165Hz refresh rates while offering better audio and build quality than most of its peers.

However, much like most of Dell's Alienware lineup, the premium build quality and hardware come at a price tag that asks for a significant premium versus its competition, which can be found for a much lower ask. For the price it commands, however, the Alienware m18 R2 delivers the goods even as it easily maxes out one's experience as a guardian in 2024.

For users on a stricter budget looking for a new laptop upgrade or moving to a gaming laptop for the first time, the 15.6 inch ASUS TUF Gaming A15 comes well-equipped in terms of hardware for its price tag. It pairs a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU with a high TGP (140W) RTX 4050 that exceeds the requirements for Destiny 2 by a relatively large margin.

It also offers a dedicated MUX switch in addition to a large 1 TB SSD and durability that meets military standards even as it offers double the recommended RAM by Bungie. While it isn't the fastest laptop in its price range, it commands respectable performance scores to go with its FHD IPS display that can also do 144Hz for more fluid FPS gameplay that some raids might demand.

The Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop is Game ZXC's pick for the best entry-level gaming laptop. Given Bungie's relatively low requirements, the Nitro 5 still manages to deliver on all fronts as it hits the ground running thanks to both a respectable 12th generation Intel Core i5 CPU and an entry-level RTX 3050 GPU that should suffice for running the game at a 1080P resolution with ease.

While Acer's offering isn't the fastest gaming laptop one can get under $1000, it doesn't have to be given Destiny's modest hardware requirements, with many active players even jokingly referring to the game as "running smooth on a potato" to date. The 8GB of RAM that the Nitro 5 offers might not be a restricting factor for the title itself, but most other games might prompt users to get an upgrade to not adversely affect performance.

For users looking for a more portable option when it comes to gaming laptops, the 14-inch ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with some neat upgrades under the hood that make it considerably better than the competition. It offers an 8000 series AMD AI-enabled Ryzen 9 CPU, a mid-range Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and 16GB of fast DDR5 RAM in a package that can hold its own with larger similarly configured laptops with ease.

It's most important offering, however, is an excellent OLED display that offers a sub-3K resolution while also offering a 120 Hz refresh rate, allowing Destiny 2 to look much better on this laptop than any other on this list as it takes advantage of its superior color reproduction and low response time alike. While Destiny 2 is not expected to push the laptop's hardware significantly, other titles might and the lack of RAM upgrade options do seem detrimental for some, as does the fact that the G14's smaller chassis does tend to result in the laptop running hotter than most of its peers above.

For users wanting the very best in the business, the ASUS ROG Scar 17 X3D comes with the fastest laptop CPU for gaming as it leverages its 3D V-Cache lessons learned on desktops for a much better experience on its 2K 240Hz display. ASUS leaves no stone unturned either, pairing it off with an RTX 4090 from Nvidia, the fastest GPU money can buy currently, while adding 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a large 2TB SSD in tow.

The ASUS ROG Scar 17 X3D simply put, is so far beyond the line when it comes to overkill for Destiny 2, it is, in a way, somewhat amusing. But for users wanting to play the game on a larger display or higher resolution (perhaps an external monitor) or simply for future-proofing reasons, it is a cut above the competition and then some when it comes to gaming in general.

One thing is for certain when it comes to the Scar 17 X3D: no Guardian on this gaming laptop is going to be complaining about frame rate issues in the foreseeable future, even when paired with high-resolution ultra-ultra wide gaming monitors in 2024.

FAQ

Q: When Does Destiny 2: The Final Shape Release?

Destiny 2: The Final Shape releases on the 4th of June 2024 at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. Users can expect servers to undergo maintenance before they go live again to support the latest expansion.

Q: How Much Space Do I Need for Destiny 2: The Final Shape On PC?

Destiny 2: The Final Shape requires upwards of 150GB of install space on PC. An SSD is recommended, but not mandatory for users.