How should you choose the settings for *Resident Evil 9: Requiem*? First, check the ray tracing requirements.

Whenever a new title pushes visual technology one step further, what players feel first is often not amazement, but a higher hardware threshold. Resident Evil 9: Requiem is a textbook example this time.

Based on the information currently provided in this system requirements guide, the game's biggest dividing line is not the traditional distinction between low and high graphics settings, but whether path tracing is turned on or off. The original text makes this point very directly: “The fact is that in this title, turning path tracing on or off is practically like playing two different games.” The wording may sound a bit strong, but in terms of hardware demands, it does hold true.

Objectively speaking, this means Resident Evil 9: Requiem is not simply a case of “the stronger the graphics card, the better.” It places more specific demands on the type of hardware itself. To experience path tracing smoothly, you first need an NVIDIA graphics card that supports the technology, and second, you need a fairly large amount of VRAM. The latter is actually even more important to pay attention to, because many players get stuck on GPU model choices within their budget while overlooking the decisive role VRAM now plays in new-generation ray-traced games.

From a design perspective, this feels a bit like an early test of a second-generation product. The technical presentation has clearly taken a step forward, but the cost is equally clear: if you want to fully benefit from the visual upgrade, your overall system build can no longer be just “barely enough.” Especially against the backdrop of rising storage prices, the article treats a “high-VRAM rig” as a necessary condition for newcomers to play smoothly. That judgment is grounded in reality and not exaggerated.

The practical value of this guide lies in the fact that it does not push every player toward the highest possible budget. Taking real-world needs and the current market into account, the author put together three configurations for 4K, 2K, and 1080P resolutions respectively. That approach makes sense, because in a game like Resident Evil 9: Requiem, resolution, ray tracing, and VRAM are tightly linked. For 4K users, the performance burden is more comprehensive; 2K is more of the mainstream sweet spot; and 1080P is better suited to players with limited budgets who still want to retain as much of the technical experience as possible.

If we are talking about buying advice, my view is very clear: when your budget is limited, prioritize GPU support for path tracing and VRAM capacity first, and only then consider your target resolution. If your total build budget is tight, blindly aiming for 4K is not cost-effective; 2K is often the more balanced choice in terms of value. As for the 1080P setup, it is more of a baseline option for controlling costs, suitable for users building a PC for the first time who do not want this game to scare them off right away.

In other words, Resident Evil 9: Requiem is sending a signal to the market: in the near future, path tracing may gradually shift from being an “optional feature” to becoming the ticket to a high-end experience. For players, this is not just a simple upgrade, but a shift in how they think about building a PC. Figure out first whether you are playing at 1080P, 2K, or 4K, and then decide which GPU to buy and how much VRAM to get—that matters more than looking at model numbers alone.