The First Descendant is arguably one of the biggest releases of 2024 as it goes live on multiple platforms including PC on the 2nd of July. This makes the Unreal Engine 5-based third-person shooter a title of particular interest for users in the backdrop of titles such as HellDivers 2 and the latest Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape.
It also comes with relatively high PC hardware recommendations when it comes to other Free To Play titles that often try to cater to the largest possible audience. This could prompt multiple users to upgrade allowing them to max out their co-op experience with friends from both a visuals and fluidity standpoint.
The First Descendant: PC Hardware Requirements Explained
The First Descendant comes with above-average hardware requirements for a free to play title, recommending a GPU with a minimum of 6GB of VRAM for higher quality presets and fast quad-core CPUs for optimal performance.
The First Descendant comes with plenty of Nvidia-based tech in tow, including its DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction, Reflex & Ray Tracing tech. This is in addition to support for AMD's FSR, Intel's XeSS and Unreal Engine 5's TSR upscaler, all of which help a title that can get demanding at higher graphics presets fairly easy to deliver acceptable perfromance on last-gen and current-gen GPUs.
The First Descendant's hardware requirements meander away from most of its ilk, and users with lower-end hardware might need an upgrade or a completely new PC to get the job done. The team at Game ZXC has stepped up to the challenge by offering 3 balanced builds that focus on value for money, performance, and budget.
The Ancestor's Value-Centric Mid-Range PC Build
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Intel Core i5 14600KF 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU
$293 $295 Save $2The Intel Core i5 14600KF 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU is a powerful mid-range CPU that replaces the last generation Intel Core i5 13600KF with higher clocks on both its performance and efficiency cores.
Like all its siblings, it does offer better performance out-of-the-box versus its predecessors but replaces them at the same price points they sold last year. Unlike the Intel Core i5 14600K, this model trades at a small discount thanks to it skipping out on integrated graphics. -
MSI MAG Coreliquid P240 AIO Liquid Cooler
$79 $100 Save $21The MSI MAG Coreliquid P240 is an affordable dual 120 mm fan AIO liquid cooling system that brings with it plenty of innovation. Compatible with the latest LGA 1700 socket, the Coreliquid P240 relies on an aluminum radiator with a split-flow water cooling system. The pump is placed directly on the radiator away from the central heat source, which also reduces noise levels to as low as 14.3 dBA.
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G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series
G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series is a budget-friendly DDR5 RAM kit clocked at 5600 MT/s and gets every job done with no issues.
The memory kit has low latency and CL28 timings that are tight for fast operation and is ideal for budget gaming builds. The RAM modules bring appealing white aluminum heat spreaders that stand out inside the rig. -
MSI PRO Z790-S WIFI
MSI PRO Z790-S WiFi is a wallet-friendly Z790 chipset board that provides sufficiently powerful VRM for mild to medium level of overclocking support and brings acceptable connectivity features. The board features DDR5 memory support, supports the latest Raptor Lake Refresh chips, and brings several PCI-E slots.
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Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AERO OC
The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AERO OC is a powerful GPU that builds on Gigabyte's well-executed AERO lineup's white-themed GPUs with better value for money than its predecessor.
It has a decent overclock indicated by its relatively higher boost clock rating, a dual BIOS offering, and a subtle RGB lighting effect. Gigabyte also includes an anti-sag bracket and a comprehensive 4-year warranty to make it an even more compelling purchase for gamers on the edge for an upgrade. -
XPG 1TB GAMMIX S70 Blade SSD
The XPG 1TB GAMMIX S70 Blade SSD is an excellent value-added SSD that offers some of the fastest possible speeds one can get on PCI-E 4.0 making it a great addition to both PCs and game consoles for those looking to spruce up their PS5's storage this summer. With a heat spreader that the company states works well for the PS5 console and a powerful controller able to handle the highest possible read/write speeds one could need as a consumer, the Gammix S70 Blade is a complete package with a price no one can argue with.
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XPG Core Reactor 750W
The XPG Core Reactor 750W is an 80 Plus Gold rated ATX PSU that offers full modularity. It is an all-black PSU certified by Cybenetics for its efficiency and noise levels. It features a 120mm 2400 RPM fan with an FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) design. XPG, which is a gaming sub-brand of Adata, has tuned the fan to stay at 660 RPM up till 50% load. Connectivity options on the XPG Core Reactor 750W include 1 24-pin connection, 2 ATX 12V 4+4 pin connections, 6 PCIe connections, 12 SATA connections, and 4 Molex connections.
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LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 PC Case
The LANCOOL 216 is a mid-tower case with all-around mesh panels for optimal airflow. Thanks to its modular rear panel, it can be optimized for air or water cooling. It includes 2 x 160mm and 1 x 140mm pre-installed PWM fans and an innovative rear PCIe fan bracket to maximize airflow.
Target Preset: QHD/1440P (60 FPS), Ultra Quality + RT On (DLSS Quality)
Estimated Build Cost: ~$1750-1800
The Ancestor's Value-Centric Mid-Range PC Build picks a 14-core Intel Core i5 14600KF CPU for its overclocking headroom, strong single-core performance, and excellent price-to-performance ratio while pairing it with an entry-level Z790 motherboard from MSI. It is liquid-cooled by the mid-range MAG Coreliquid P240 cooler while using 32GB of fast, low-latency G.Skill Ripjaws memory that clocks in considerably cheaper than the competition.
The build splurges on the GPU end, opting for a white-themed Gigabyte AERO RTX 4070 Ti SUPER GPU that offers 16GB of VRAM, an increased CUDA core count versus its predecessor, and better overall performance in addition to excellent DLSS 3.5 gains. With fast PCI-E 4.0 SSD storage thanks to the XPG GAMMIX Blade's 1TB offering and a capable 750W Core reactor from the same, the entire build is housed in a Lian Li Lancool 216, which can also house a tri-slot AIO for more demanding cooling needs in the future.
The build offers excellent performance with twice the RAM and 2.5x the VRAM requirements and a fast hexacore P-Core CPU offering that makes it well-balanced and future-proof as a set of hardware goes, with it having no trouble whatsoever to easily play The First Descendant in all its glory at QHD and FHD resolutions with Ray Tracing turned on.
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The Protector Of Ingris's Performance-Seeking High-End PC Build
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AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
$340 $449 Save $109The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is AMD's latest and greatest CPU when it comes to gaming. With an excellent and highly efficient gaming performance that tops the charts currently, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is here to stay and has a crown to claim thanks to its 3D V-Cache-enabled prowess when it comes to gaming on a PC.
The octa-core CPU currently happens to be the fastest in the business for gaming even as it leads efficiency charts at the top, making it a very sought-after gaming upgrade. -
ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
The ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler is ASUS's latest premium tri-fan AIO that offers better cooling, an upgraded LCD, and a new Asetek 8th generation pump as some of its salient features. Thanks to a thicker radiator and a new cold plate, it can reduce temperatures drastically versus both its predecessor and its competition.
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G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO Series (AMD Expo) 64GB Kit CL30
The G. Skill Trident Z5 NEO sticks are a pair of 32GB RAM sticks that conform to AMD's more stringent EXPO memory requirements for overclocking. With tight timings and a CAS latency of just 30-40-40-96.
With a subtle RGB effect and a premium feel, the Trident Z Neo is one of the best premium RGB RAM sticks money can buy that is designed for AMD-based systems. -
ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero
$610 $650 Save $40ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero is an overkill board for any high-end Ryzen CPU and is best suited with flagship chips such as the Ryzen 7900X, 7950X, or the 3D variants. It boasts an incredibly powerful 18+2+2 power stage VRM, plenty of troubleshooting options, great connectivity, support for high-bandwidth components, and a mesmerizing RGB lighting zone on the I/O shroud.
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ASUS TUF GeForce RTX® 4090 OG OC Edition
The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OG OC Edition is one of the fastest RTX 4090 SKUs on the market, dwarfed only by its more enthusiast-grade RTX 4090 Strix OC alternative.
It borrows design features from the last generation RTX 3000 series TUF GPUs, making for a great contrast for users wanting a choice alternative from the more subtle design the current generation TUF GPU offers.
The TUF RTX 4090 OG OC is a mouthful, but so is its performance, which sees the factory overclocked GPU rubbing shoulders with some of the best SKUs in the market with relative ease in 2024. -
Teamgroup T-Force Z540 M2 PCI-E SSD 1TB
The Teamgroup T-Force Cardea Z540 SSD offers some of the fastest PCI-E Gen 5 SSD speeds money can buy in 2024 while throwing in a thin, patented graphene-based heatsink to keep things low-profile by design.
It offers a whopping 11,700 MB/s sequential read and 9,500 MB/s sequential write speeds with decent random read/write speeds in tow,
With a 3,000,000-hour MBTF and 700 TBW rating along with a comprehensive 5-year warranty in tow, the Teamgroup T-Force Cardea Z540 SSD delivers on its promise as a premium PCI-E 5.0 SSD in 2024. -
ASUS ROG Thor 1000W Platinum II
$308 $360 Save $52The ROG Thor 1000W Platinum II PSU is one of the quietest and most efficient PSUs available in the market. It comes in a sleek package that houses arguably one of the best-looking PSUs in the market currently, somewhat compensating for its relatively high asking price. The PSU also features a mirrored side panel that houses an OLED display.
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ASUS ROG Hyperion GR701
$462 $500 Save $38The Hyperion GR701 is an overkill full-tower with incredible features that is rare to find but are super handy. The case has tool-free access to the interior and supports large-sized GPUs and AIO coolers. Its built-in fan hub, RGB controller, and multiple I/O ports on the front make it stand out.
Target Preset: UHD/4K (60 FPS), Ultra Quality + RT On (DLSS Quality)
Estimated Build Cost: ~$4,100-4200
The High-End Protector Of Ingris build focuses on performance components leaving no stone unturned, within reason, to pick the best components possible for the task. As a result, the fastest CPU for gaming, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D makes an appearance in addition to an ASUS TUF RTX 4090 OC variant with its 24GB of VRAM and unmatched GPU performance to keep things humming along even at the highest quality presets at 4K.
The build also uses an ASUS X670E Crosshair Hero motherboard, 64GB of fast, low latency DDR5 RAM, and the powerful (but considerably overkill) ASUS ROG Ryujinn 360 AIO to keep the 7800X3D cool. The build uses one of the fastest PCI-E 5.0 SSDs available to use AMD's PCI-E 5.0 capabilities as well as two of the best-looking ASUS components in the business, the ROG Thor 1000W PSU and the ASUS ROG Hyperion GR701 full-tower case. The former makes for a great aesthetic and reliable, efficient power, while the latter allows for plenty of expansion down the line in style.
The build above should easily be able to max out The First Descendant with relative ease even at a 4K resolution with quality cranked up to the maximum with UE5's own Ray Tracing engine offerings in tow. It does, however, spend a considerable amount on its aesthetics, which could be dialed down considerably to get a lower final price tag but getting a cheaper cooler, PSU, and case.
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The First Descendant's Budget-Friendly Entry-Level PC Build
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AMD Ryzen 5 7600
$194 $230 Save $36The Ryzen 5 7600 is the entry-level, yet very capable, gaming CPU from AMD that features 6 cores, 12 threads, and 32MB of L3 cache. It has a base clock speed of 3.8GHz and a boost clock speed of 5.1GHz. The Ryzen 5 7600 is an unlocked processor with a default TDP of 65W. It also has integrated RDNA 2 graphics and is the cheapest offering in the lineup with an iGPU.
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G.Skill Flare X5 Series (AMD Expo) 6000MHz 32GB (CL36)
The G.Skill Flare X5 Series RAM kits are DDR5 RAMs that operate at an overclocked 6000MHz sweet spot for AMD AM5 processors with a lower latency EXPO profile available to allow users to overclock their memory with a push of a button while costing significantly lower than the competition.
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GIGABYTE B650 AORUS Elite AX
The Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX is a high-end motherboard featuring the B650 chipset that allows it to command a much lower price point, closer to AMD's more budget-oriented motherboard lineups. It is a capable entry that also offers a PCI-E Gen 5 M2 slot that should allow access to faster PCI-E 5.0 storage down the line.
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XFX Speedster QICK 319 Radeon RX 7700 XT Black Edition
The XFX Speedster QICK 319 Radeon RX 7700 XT Black Edition is the perfect mid-range card that features 12 GB of VRAM, boost clock speed of up to 2544 MHz, and support for the latest AMD technologies like Radeon Anti-Lag, FreeSync Technology, FidelityFX Super Resolution, and more. There are three fans to keep the GPU cool even under heavy load.
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Kingston NV2 500G M.2 2280 NVMe Internal SSD
The Kingston NV2 500G SSD uses Gen 4x4 NVMe PCIe technology. This drive delivers read speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 2,800 MB/s. It's designed for systems requiring fast performance, in both laptop and desktop builds. It is suitable for most applications thanks to the compact, single-sided M.2 2280 design. And the low power requirements mean that it produces minimal heat.
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Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 600W
Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 600W is a highly affordable GPU with excellent power efficiency. Its 600W capacity is sufficient for most budget or even mid-range builds and this PSU makes sure users get all the needed cables for their components. The GX2 comes with a 5-year warranty and various protection features to keep the components safe.
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ANTEC AX61
ANTEC AX61 is a gorgeous mid-tower that is priced much lower than cases with similar functionality. It features a spacious interior that is clearly visible through the tempered glass panel and has 4x 120mm RGB fans pre-installed. The front panel is fully meshed and results in a balanced airflow inside the case for better heat dissipation.
Target Preset: FHD/1080P (60 FPS), High/Ultra Quality (DLSS Quality)
Estimated Build Cost: ~$1000-1050
The First Descendant's Budget-Friendly Entry-Level PC Build offers steady performance, plenty of upgrade potential, and excellent value for money as it aims to spend its sub-$1000 budget to the best of the user's ability to get value, stability, and future-proofing in one go. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 under the hood is a hexacore Zen 4-based CPU that performs well in gaming while deploying its own stock air cooler to allow users to save versus an aftermarket solution that most other unlocked CPUs recommend.
On the RAM end, 32GB of G.Skill Flare RAMs offer low latencies, high clocks, and AMD EXPO profiles built-in, making for a budget-friendly design that gets the job done. It also leverages a value-centric XFX RX7700XT that offers 12GB of VRAM and entry-level PCI-E 4.0 storage in the form of a Kingston NV2 SSD that offers 500GB of space.
The build does not make compromises on the PSU and the motherboard, with the former being an excellent high-tier option and the latter being a well-designed and popular AM5 option for gamers, power users, and system builders alike. All of this is housed in an Antec AX61 case that offers plenty of airflow and preinstalled fans while clocking in below $100 with ease.
This build exceeds the recommended spec for The First Descendant considerably and allows for upgrades down the line while aiming to cap performance at a sub-$1000 price range, making for an excellent option for gamers on a budget looking to play the title well at FHD or QHD resolutions.
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FAQ
Q: How Much SSD Space Do I Need To Play The First Descendant?
The First Descendant recommends having at least 50GB of free SSD space to play the title at launch.
Q: When Is The First Descendant Launching On PC?
The First Descendant is launching on a plethora of platforms, including Steam on PC on the 2nd of July 2024.