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Overview
RTS that scales with CPU on large unit counts. Use the resolution tabs below to see estimated hardware for a steady 60 FPS. This title does not support ray tracing — use the RT off tab for accurate recommendations. CPU and RAM matter more here than in most action titles, especially in large scenes.
Test preset
Ultra baseline — use Low–Ultra toggles below, unit density scales with CPU — lower in huge late-game battles if needed
Upscaling
DLSS, FSR 2
Hardware by target FPS
Pick a resolution, 60 or 120 FPS target, quality preset (Low–Ultra), upscaler (Native, DLSS, FSR, or XeSS), upscaling quality when applicable, and ray tracing — specs update to match. Minimum gets you close to your target; recommended holds it with headroom.
Ray tracing not supported
1080p · 60 FPS · High · Native · Ray tracing off
High preset, unit count friendly settings, ray tracing off, Native
CPU and GPU estimates for Age of Empires IV at 1080p, 60 FPS, ray tracing off. Based on moderate demand tier and typical strategy workloads — verify against your in-game settings. Hardware adjusted for high preset.
Graphics card
Minimum
GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB / RX 560 4 GB
Recommended
GTX 1650 Super 4 GB / RX 5500 XT 4 GB
Processor
Minimum
Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel Core i5-10400
Recommended
Ryzen 5 5600 / Intel Core i5-12400
Memory
Minimum
16 GB (dual-channel)
Recommended
16 GB (dual-channel)
16 GB prevents stutter when multitasking or using mods.
Storage
Minimum
50 GB SSD
Recommended
50 GB NVMe SSD
SSD recommended for faster load times.
Optimization tips
· Drop shadow quality or volumetric effects first if FPS dips below 60.
· At 1080p, lower post-processing before touching texture quality.
· Lower unit density or simulation rate if CPU usage stays at 100% in large scenes.
Performance notes
· This game does not support ray tracing — specs below reflect the RT off configuration.
· Late-game scenes with many units or vehicles stress CPU cores — a 6-core/12-thread CPU is a practical floor.
· RAM speed and capacity help more here than in pure GPU-bound shooters.
· 16 GB dual-channel RAM is recommended for all modern PC games; 8 GB is only viable on lighter titles.
· An SSD reduces load times; NVMe is helpful but not required for most single-player games.
What affects performance
GPU (primary)
Still important for high resolutions, but not always the first limit in huge CPU-heavy scenes.
VRAM
Higher resolutions and texture packs need 8 GB minimum, 10–12 GB for 1440p/4K Ultra. Ray tracing adds VRAM pressure.
CPU (secondary)
Large battles, traffic sims, and simulation ticks scale with CPU core count and single-thread speed.
