Avowed carries more than just the legacy of The Outer Worlds; it embodies a blend of technical prowess and artistic vision. While the previous title from Obsidian faced significant challenges, particularly with the Spacer’s Choice Edition, Avowed emerges with a more polished experience and captivating fantasy visuals that may entice players to enable ray tracing. However, the PC version still exhibits minor technical quirks that users should be aware of, although many can be adjusted with the right settings.
The recommended specifications for Avowed do not clarify the settings or monitor resolutions they are based on, leaving some players perplexed, particularly with the demand for an RTX 3080. Fortunately, the storage requirement of 75GB is relatively standard for a high-quality RPG, and there is no SSD requirement, which is a welcome relief for many gamers.
Avowed minimum PC specs
- OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel Core i5-8400
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 / Intel Arc A580
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 75GB available space
Avowed recommended PC specs
- OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel Core i7-10700K
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 75GB available space
The specifications appear to be realistic, neither inflating the hardware requirements nor misleading those with lower-end systems. In benchmark tests, the GTX 1070 managed to achieve 37fps at Low settings on native 1080p, and 50fps with Quality-level FSR 3, aligning with expectations for a minimum spec GPU. The recommended tier offers some flexibility, as the RTX 3070 performed admirably, reaching 48fps at 1080p with the Epic preset, and 67fps when DLSS was activated in Quality mode.
Performance-enhancing tools like DLSS, FSR, and Unreal Engine 5’s built-in TSR are not strictly necessary for Avowed but can significantly enhance gameplay. However, there are some peculiarities, such as the RTX 4060 re-enabling DLSS without user input, leading to some confusion during benchmarking. Once these settings were adjusted, the RTX 4060 averaged 39fps on Epic and 61fps on High at native 1080p—a respectable performance, although not stellar for this GPU.
For those utilizing lower-end systems, such as an MSI GF63 Thin laptop with 8GB of RAM and an RTX 4050, performance may struggle to exceed 30fps. The Steam Deck also requires significant compromises, barely maintaining playability with the Low preset and FSR on Performance mode. These configurations tend to experience the most stuttering, which can detract from the overall experience.
Interestingly, Avowed’s graphics settings do not always correlate with performance, as many individual settings have minimal impact. For players operating near minimum specs, starting with Low settings is advisable, while those with more capable systems can maintain most settings at Epic levels while still achieving improved performance by adjusting a few key options.
In my tests, reducing shadow quality and global illumination quality on an RTX 4060 yielded noticeable performance gains, while other settings had negligible effects. For optimal results, I recommend utilizing DLSS and TSR for upscaling, as FSR is a viable alternative for non-RTX cards but does not offer the same clarity. Here’s a suggested configuration:
- Motion blur: 0%
- Upscaling: Nvidia DLSS 3 on Quality / TSR on 67%
- Shadow quality: Medium
- Global illumination quality: Medium
- Everything else: Epic preset equivalent
These settings allowed my RTX 4060 to reach an impressive 82fps, significantly improving upon the native performance at Epic settings. Enabling ray tracing further enhanced the visual experience without drastically impacting frame rates, demonstrating that even older GPUs can handle these effects reasonably well.
Lastly, Avowed supports DLSS 3 frame generation on RTX 40 series GPUs, which can further smooth out visuals. In my tests, this feature increased average performance from 75fps to 111fps, with manageable input lag. However, there are minor issues with dialogue boxes flashing incorrectly during frame generation, indicating that further refinement is needed before fully endorsing this feature.
While Avowed may not be without its quirks, it stands as a testament to the evolving landscape of PC gaming, encouraging players to explore and fine-tune their settings for the best experience.
