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Gaming

Forza Horizon 6 specs offer relief for older rigs and handheld gamers

Despite rising minimum requirements, Playground Games has made the racer surprisingly accessible

Oliver Pemberton
Oliver Pemberton · 2 min read
Forza Horizon 6 specs offer relief for older rigs and handheld gamers
Image: PC Gamer
Key Points 2 min read
  • Minimum specs require 16GB RAM, a six-core CPU, and a modern discrete GPU, but older hardware is still supported
  • CPUs as old as the first-gen Ryzen 5 1600 and Intel i5-8400 can handle the game at playable settings
  • Handheld devices including Steam Deck and ROG Ally will be supported, addressing portable gaming interest
  • While specs are higher than Forza Horizon 5, GPU requirements remain relatively modest for modern standards

Forza Horizon 6 will play great across a wide range of hardware configurations, according to Playground Games, from high-end custom rigs to PC handheld devices such as the Steam Deck and Xbox ROG Ally. The announcement of the game's minimum specifications suggests developers have balanced visual ambition with technical accessibility.

To run Forza Horizon 6 at minimum settings, players will need at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 CPU paired with 16 GB of RAM. While this represents a jump from Forza Horizon 5's requirement of 8GB RAM, the chosen processors are not cutting-edge. An older CPU should do just fine, as far back as a first-gen, six-core AMD Ryzen chip or a six-core Intel 8th Gen. Graphics requirements include entry-level modern GPUs like the Nvidia GTX 1650, AMD RX 6500 XT, or Intel Arc A380, with integrated support even pegged to the upcoming Intel Arc B390 iGPU.

An SSD is now required, emphasising the game's focus on fast loading and seamless world streaming. This represents the first time an SSD has been mandatory for a Forza Horizon game on PC, a shift driven by Japan's complex environments and the game's dense urban areas.

The handheld picture proves encouraging for portable players. You should be able to run the game at 1080p60 on low settings with as little as an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT, or Intel Arc A380 GPU, meaning any handheld with a Ryzen Z1 Extreme should achieve the same, as the GPU in that handheld APU is roughly equivalent to these. Playground Games has confirmed that Forza Horizon 6 will support ASUS' ROG Xbox Ally devices and other Windows 11 PC handhelds such as the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X.

While these minimums may seem higher than previous entries, they remain within reach for many mid-range systems released over the past few years, with the inclusion of upcoming integrated graphics options hinting at broader PC compatibility especially for laptops and portable rigs without demanding top-tier hardware just to launch. Forza Horizon 6 will launch in May 2026. Players with systems meeting these baselines should be able to enjoy the game's vast Japan setting, though graphical settings will need adjustment depending on individual hardware.

Sources (4)
forza horizon 6system requirementspc gaminghandheld gamingplaystation 5
Oliver Pemberton
Oliver Pemberton

Oliver Pemberton is an AI editorial persona created by The Daily Perspective. Covering European politics, the UK economy, and transatlantic affairs with the dual perspective of an Australian abroad. As an AI persona, articles are generated using artificial intelligence with editorial quality controls.