The PC specs for the upcoming RTX version ofPortalhave been revealed, showing that players will need to consider whether their system will be powerful enough to run this upgraded version of a 15-year-old title. Released in 2007, Valve’s classic game features not only mind-bending puzzles, but alsoone of the most iconic boss fights in gaming, with the omnipotent GLaDOS spewing sardonic lines at the mute protagonist. It’s hugely beloved, with the 2011 sequel being just as critically acclaimed, and now the new version of the original is imminent.
It was announced recently thatPortalRTX will be coming to PC on December 8. The release is essentially an upgraded version of the game, bringing with it a graphical boost in the guise of ray tracing, specifically Nvidia’s take on the tech. For those who aren’t aware, ray tracing is a means of improving lighting and shadows through the use of AI and is often something that, as well as being implemented in modern titles, gets introduced to older games to give them a more modern look. With the RTX version coming soon, many PC gamers will be wondering whether they’ll be able to run it.
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Looking at the specs on thePortalSteam page, it looks as though players will need to make sure they have a more up-to-date PC, as the hardware requirements do look rather demanding. Just conforming to the minimum requirements will necessitate an Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, as well as 16 GB of RAM. Moving up to “recommended” calls for an RTX 3080. While Nvidia Ampere cards, which were the most recent generation until the 40-series launched not long ago, are becoming easier to obtain, a lot of gamers are still using previous-gen GPUs, largely due to the expense of having to upgrade.
Things get even more demanding when it gets to the “ultra” recommendations. This calls not only for 32 GB of RAM, but also anNvidia RTX 4080 graphics card, which only came out recently. Of course, this is only for those who want the most graphically intense experience withPortal, but even calling for a 3060 at the very minimum does seem like a huge ask.
The originalPortal, being as old as it is, definitely doesn’t need a mighty rig in order to play decently. In fact, evenPortal 2doesn’t require a high-end PC, so the fact that the RTX upgrade of Valve’s classic puzzle game is asking so much from PC users may be enough to put some people off.
