MADiSON: PC Requirements & Best Hardware (2026)

Thinking about playing MADiSON on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? MADiSON is a first-person psychological horror game released in July 2022, and by modern standards it is a genuinely light title. Its official minimum is an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 paired with a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon R7 370, and only 6 GB of RAM — numbers that most gaming PCs built in the last several years already clear comfortably. The recommended tier is equally modest: an i5 or Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 or RX 480. This guide breaks down what those official figures mean in practice, the sensible GPU tier for each resolution, and which components are worth pairing with the game.

How Demanding Is MADiSON?

Not very. MADiSON is an indie horror game built around atmosphere, exploration and puzzle solving rather than sprawling open environments, heavy simulation or large multiplayer sessions, and its published requirements reflect that. The whole install is roughly 10 GB, the RAM ceiling is 8 GB on the recommended side, and the recommended graphics card is a GTX 1060 / RX 480 — a mid-range card from several generations ago. In practice that means almost any dedicated GPU released in the last decade can run MADiSON, and the recommended tier is comfortable at 1080p and 1440p. 4K is not a wall here either: MADiSON is not a demanding 4K title, so you do not need a flagship card to play it at that resolution, and a modern mid-range GPU has headroom to spare. The game is also light on the processor, with no simulation or large-scale multiplayer load to feed, so a modest modern quad-core is plenty and you should not expect mainstream CPUs to hold it back. The figures below are the developer’s own published specs; check the game’s store page for the current wording.

MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12G Ventus 2X OC Gaming Graphics Card - 12 GB GDDR6X (21Gbps / 192 Bits), PCIe 4.0-2 x TORX 4.0 Fans - HDMI 2.1a, DisplayPort 1.4a

Chosen because it specifies 12 GB GDDR6X (21Gbps / 192 Bits) and PCIe 4.0-2 x TORX 4.0 Fans.

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MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ventus 3X E1 12G OC Graphics Card (Ada Lovelace Architecture, Extreme Clock: 2520 MHz, Memory Speed: 20 Gbps, 12GB GDDR6, 192-bit, DP/HDMI)

Chosen because it specifies Extreme Clock: 2520 MHz and Memory Speed: 20 Gbps.

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msi Gaming RTX 5080 16G Ventus 3X OC Black Graphics Card (16GB GDDR7, 256-bit, Extreme Clock 2640 MHz, DisplayPort x 3 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b, NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture)

Chosen because it specifies 256-bit and Extreme Clock 2640 MHz.

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MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12G Gaming X Slim

Picked as a relevant option in this category.

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MADiSON Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official MADiSON Steam store listing (app 1670870), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for MADiSON by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p, the official recommended card — a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 480 — is already enough for MADiSON, so anything above that tier is headroom rather than a necessity. Older cards such as the GTX 1650 Super, GTX 1660 or RX 580 meet or exceed the recommended spec and will handle the game at this resolution. If you want a card that comfortably clears the requirement and also serves you well in heavier titles, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 sits well above the official spec, and current-generation options such as the GeForce RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT are far beyond anything MADiSON asks for at 1080p.

1440p

1440p is still very manageable for this game. Because the recommended spec tops out at a GTX 1060-class card, a card in that range or a step or two above it is a realistic 1440p choice, and mid-range cards from the last few generations have plenty of headroom left over. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is well beyond what MADiSON requires at 1440p — it makes sense if 1440p is your long-term target across a whole library of games, not because this particular title needs that much GPU. Newer equivalents such as the GeForce RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070 are in the same “more than enough” territory.

4K

For 4K, MADiSON is not the hardware wall that newer, heavier releases can be. A modern mid-range card is a sensible starting point, and options like the GeForce RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT give you enough headroom to raise settings, while a step-up card such as the RTX 5070 or RX 9070 adds more room to spare. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is comfortably beyond what the game needs at 4K — a reasonable pick if you also play much more demanding titles at that resolution. Whichever card you choose, dropping a few of the heaviest settings is usually enough to keep 4K smooth in this title.

CPU, RAM and Storage for MADiSON

The official CPU requirement is modest. The recommended spec asks for an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, and the minimum only calls for an i3 or Ryzen 3. MADiSON is not a CPU-heavy game — there is no large-scale simulation, strategy layer or big multiplayer lobby to feed — so there is no reason to spend heavily on a processor for this title. A modern six-core like the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is far above what the game needs and is a solid general-purpose gaming chip; the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Intel Core i5-14600K are further beyond the requirement again, and only worth it if you play more demanding games alongside MADiSON.

Memory is equally undemanding. The official recommended figure is 8 GB, with 6 GB as the minimum, so MADiSON itself will not come close to using 16 GB, let alone a kit like the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB. That said, 16 GB is a sensible baseline for a modern gaming PC and 32 GB is a comfortable long-term choice — just do not buy extra memory expecting a performance jump in this particular game. Storage is the other light spot: the official requirement is only 10 GB of available space, with no SSD demanded by the spec. An SSD still helps load times and general responsiveness, but a large, fast drive is not something MADiSON itself justifies. A drive like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD makes more sense as a general-purpose game library upgrade than as a requirement for this game.

Recommended PC Builds for MADiSON

1080p budget build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — well above the official recommended spec, so it will run MADiSON at 1080p with settings to spare. You could go a tier lower and still be fine.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — far more than MADiSON needs at 1440p, but a strong foundation for heavier games.

4K build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — more than enough for MADiSON at 4K, and comfortably above the official recommended specification.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for MADiSON?

Probably not for MADiSON alone. With a minimum of a GTX 950 / R7 370, an i3 or Ryzen 3 and 6 GB of RAM, almost any PC that can play modern games at all will run this one, and the 10 GB install keeps storage pressure low too. If your current hardware falls below that minimum — integrated graphics, or a card from before the GTX 950 era — then a modest, inexpensive upgrade is all that is required; there is no reason to aim high for this title. The graphics card still delivers the biggest jump in general gaming performance, so if you are upgrading anyway, put the budget there. A mainstream CPU from the last few years will not hold back a modern GPU in MADiSON, so you can usually keep the processor you have. Extra RAM and an SSD are worthwhile as general quality-of-life upgrades for your whole library rather than as fixes for this game. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build for the best value.

Can You Play MADiSON on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes, and easily. Because the recommended spec is only a GTX 1060-class GPU, an i5 or Ryzen 5 and 8 GB of RAM, most gaming laptops from the last several years will run MADiSON without difficulty, and even a modest laptop GPU is likely to be enough. Expect shorter battery life and more fan noise than a desktop, as always. On handhelds, this is close to ideal territory: the Steam Deck and ROG Ally comfortably exceed the official recommended specification, and the roughly 10 GB install fits easily on internal storage or a microSD card. If portability matters, prioritise a device with a dedicated GPU and enough storage for your library rather than chasing the highest specification.

How to Boost FPS in MADiSON

If frame rates are lower than you would like, start by lowering the most expensive graphics settings — shadows, ambient occlusion and any volumetric or post-processing effects the game exposes — before dropping overall resolution. If the game’s options include an upscaling option, enabling it is usually the single biggest performance gain available. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background applications, and make sure the game is installed on an SSD if you have one, which helps loading and streaming. On a laptop, check that you are running on the dedicated GPU and that the power profile is set for performance rather than battery saving. A stable frame rate with a few settings turned down almost always feels better than pushing the visuals higher and dealing with stutter.

Graphics Settings That Matter Most in MADiSON

If MADiSON is not running as smoothly as you want, shadow quality, ambient occlusion, volumetric effects and post-processing are usually the heaviest settings to lower first for the biggest gain. Because the game is not demanding to begin with, a small amount of adjustment is normally all that is needed.

Keep textures as high as your graphics memory allows, since texture quality rarely costs much performance unless you exceed available VRAM. If the game offers an upscaling option, try it on a quality-oriented setting first and step it down only if you still need more performance. Resolution is the other big lever: dropping from 4K to 1440p, or 1440p to 1080p, will do more than almost any individual setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run MADiSON?

The official minimum is an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3, 6 GB of RAM, a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon R7 370, DirectX 10 and 10 GB of storage. If your PC meets or beats that, it can run MADiSON. For the recommended experience, aim for an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, 8 GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 480.

Is MADiSON demanding on PC?

No. MADiSON is a light title by modern standards. Its recommended graphics card is a GTX 1060 / RX 480-class GPU, the recommended RAM figure is 8 GB and the install is only around 10 GB, so mid-range and even older hardware handles it well.

What GPU do I need for MADiSON at 1440p 60fps?

A card at or above the official recommended tier — a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 480, or anything newer — is enough for 1440p in MADiSON. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is far beyond what this game requires at 1440p, so it makes sense mainly if you want that level of headroom for more demanding titles as well.

How much RAM does MADiSON need?

The official recommended figure is 8 GB, with 6 GB listed as the minimum. 16 GB is a comfortable general baseline for a modern gaming PC and gives you room for other games and background applications, but MADiSON itself will not use anywhere near that much.

Do I need an SSD for MADiSON?

Not according to the official spec, which asks only for 10 GB of available space. An SSD will still cut load times and improve general responsiveness, and a fast NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a good long-term choice for a game library, but it is a convenience for this game rather than a requirement.