---
title: Minimum and recommended specs for the Vesper PS5 emulator
description: What your Windows PC needs for Vesper: 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, an x64 CPU with AVX2, 8 GB RAM minimum, and a Vulkan 1.3-capable GPU with current drivers.
canonical: https://ps5emulator.net/setup/minimum-recommended
updated: 2026-10-13
---

# Minimum and recommended

Two columns, honestly labelled. Treat them as starting points rather than guarantees.

## Facts (2026-10-13)

- **OS:** Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
- **CPU floor:** 4-core x64 with AVX2
- **GPU floor:** Vulkan 1.3-capable, current drivers
- **Not supported:** Windows on Arm, macOS, Linux

## Minimum and recommended for Vesper on Windows

| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OS | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit | Windows 11, 64-bit |
| Processor | 4-core x64 CPU with AVX2 | 8-core x64 CPU with AVX2 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Vulkan 1.3-capable GPU, current drivers | Discrete GPU, 8 GB VRAM, latest drivers |
| Storage | SSD with room for the app and your games | NVMe SSD with room to spare |
| Controller | Keyboard and mouse | DualSense over USB or Bluetooth |

## How to read these numbers

Emulation is demanding and Vesper is early software. These figures are starting points, not guarantees, and your result depends on the title, your hardware, and the build you installed.

We publish no resolution or frame-rate targets. Meeting the recommended column makes a good session likely, not certain.

## The two requirements that are absolute

AVX2 on the CPU and Vulkan 1.3 on the GPU are not negotiable. Everything else on this page is a matter of degree; those two are pass or fail.

AVX2 is an instruction set your processor either has or does not, and no setting adds it. Vulkan 1.3 arrives through your graphics driver, which means an old driver can fail the check on hardware that is otherwise perfectly capable. Update the driver before concluding your GPU is too old, and see [the Vulkan entry](/words/vulkan-1-3) for the background.

## Where the money is best spent

- RAM from 8 GB to 16 GB is the most noticeable single upgrade.

- An NVMe SSD matters for the large streaming open worlds.

- CPU cores help traversal more than they help combat.

- VRAM matters for the GPU-bound titles rather than across the board.

If your machine sits at the floor, start with a lighter title such as [Kena](/game/kena-ps5-emulator) before judging the emulator on something like Spider-Man 2.

## FAQ

### Does my CPU need AVX2?

Yes, and it is a hard requirement. Without AVX2 Vesper will not run, and no configuration changes that.

### What is Vulkan 1.3 and do I have it?

It is the graphics interface Vesper renders through, and support comes from your GPU driver. Install the current driver from your GPU maker and the check will usually pass.

### Is 8 GB of RAM really enough?

It is the minimum and it does work, but 16 GB is the figure we would actually recommend, especially for long titles.

### Can I run Vesper on macOS or Linux?

Not yet. Windows on Arm, macOS, and Linux are all unsupported today.

## Related

- [Setup](https://ps5emulator.net/setup)
- [Vulkan 1.3](https://ps5emulator.net/words/vulkan-1-3)
- [Fix low FPS](https://ps5emulator.net/howto/fix-low-fps)
- [The Windows installer](https://ps5emulator.net/setup/windows-installer)
- [PC vs console](https://ps5emulator.net/take/ps5-emulator-pc-vs-console)

## Download

Free Windows app: [Download Vesper](https://ps5emulator.net/download)

Markdown mirror: https://ps5emulator.net/setup/minimum-recommended.md