SAND System Requirements: Minimum and Recommended

The official minimum is Windows 10 64-bit, an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 2000-series equivalent, 16GB RAM, GTX 1650/RX 570/Arc A380, DirectX 11, broadband and 11GB storage. Recommended hardware is Windows 11, 13th-gen i5 or Ryzen 5 7000-series, 32GB RAM and RTX 3080/RX 6800 XT, with the same DirectX, network and storage requirements.

This page was checked on July 15, 2026. SAND is in Early Access, so the current game UI and newer official patch notes take priority when behavior changes.

What the sources confirm

The answer above is deliberately limited to details supported by first-party store information, dated official announcements, official media, or an independent hands-on cross-check. It does not borrow claims from another fan guide, and it avoids turning a patch-specific observation into a permanent rule.

• Steam lists Windows support; macOS and Linux are not listed as supported.
• Update #3 added terrain-detail controls and performance improvements, so settings can evolve.
• Meeting the specification does not guarantee a particular frame rate because no official performance target accompanies it.

These points establish the part of the answer that can be stated confidently. They also show why the useful guide is a decision process rather than a list of unexplained numbers: a crew can repeat a good process after a balance update, while an old value may become actively misleading.

How to use this during a run

Use the answer as a short operating sequence. Complete one step, check the live interface, and only then move to the next step. If the game presents a different requirement, stop and follow the current prompt instead of forcing an older guide sequence.

1. Compare every component with the official minimum, not only the GPU.
2. Use the recommended tier when planning for additional performance headroom.
3. Update drivers and inspect the current terrain/detail settings.
4. Separate frame-rate problems from connection or server incidents.

The purpose of this order is to keep the result observable. When the run fails, the crew can identify whether the problem came from preparation, vehicle flow, route choice, combat pressure, server state, or extraction timing and change one thing for the next attempt.

What can change in Early Access

SAND launched in Early Access, and its official announcements already document changes to balance, servers, movement, Trampler interaction, anti-cheat work and interface behavior. Any page that hides this volatility creates false confidence.

• The store lists Windows support, not macOS or Linux support.
• No official frame-rate target accompanies the specification.
• Performance settings and optimization can change in updates.

Treat exact prices, availability, queue behavior, mode rules, item values, build validity and balance values as dated facts. This guide labels uncertain information instead of filling gaps with a guess. “To be confirmed” means an explicit current first-party statement was not found in the research pass.

Quick checklist

Use this compact list before committing valuable time or resources:

• Compare every component with the official minimum, not only the GPU.
• Use the recommended tier when planning for additional performance headroom.
• Update drivers and inspect the current terrain/detail settings.
• Separate frame-rate problems from connection or server incidents.

Afterward, record the one decision that caused the most friction. A small, evidence-based adjustment is more useful than replacing the whole plan with an untested layout, tier list or route.

Common questions

Is this an official SAND guide?

No. This is an independent fan guide. Official stores and dated developer announcements are the authority for release state, supported platforms, requirements, patches and service incidents.

What should I do if the game disagrees with this page?

Use the current game interface and the newest official patch note. Check the verification date above, then report the mismatch through the corrections page so the article can be reviewed against a reachable source.

Why are some exact values missing?

An exact value is included only when a reachable source supports it and the date matters. Omitting an unverified timer, reward, crew cap, recipe or balance number is safer than inventing certainty for a system that is still changing.

How this page was verified

The sources below were reachable during the research pass. First-party sources establish product facts; independent coverage is used only to cross-check the practical player experience. No redemption code, character name, reward value or platform feature is added without evidence.

Sources checked

• store.steampowered.com
• steamstore-a.akamaihd.net