Is it worth buying Subnautica and play on minimum requirements?

emirkir · January 2018

Hello, I’ve been looking for to buy Subnautica for over a year now and finally I got a computer to play on. But, only on the minimum requirements. Is it worth buying Subnautica and not play on the recommended. The site ”CanIRunIt?” says my computer can run it on the minimum requirements. Will it lag the whole time or do I get an acceptable experience?

My computer specs:
LENOVO Ideapad 320-15IKBN (80XL00CYMX)
Processor: Intel Core i5 7th Gen @ 7200U / 2.5 GHz and 3.1 GHz turbo.
RAM: 6GB
Memory: 256GB SSD
1920x1080 Full HD @ 16:9
Intel HD Graphics 620
Dolby Digital Audio

Thankful for your opinions!

Racer1 · January 2018

The fact you have an SSD and an 2.5Ghz i5 helps considerably. I suggest you buy, and play the game for 30 minutes. If its too choppy, do a refund. Also, enable showing FPS (either via Steam overlay or typing "fps" in the console).

If it is choppy, or FPS is below 30, you may want to lower some Graphics Options, before you give up and refund:
Water quality -> Medium
Anti Aliasaing quality -> Low (or Off)

Please tell us your experience if you end up doing this. I lowered the settings with my laptop and have a very fun experience.

cdaragorn · January 2018

The only problem point I see is your graphics. It can probably play it still, though. Steam will allow you to refund the game within the first 2 hours at least, so I agree with @Racer1. Buy it and try playing it for a good 30 minutes or so. If it runs ok in the safe shallows you should be fine. That area actually has more detail and fish than almost anywhere else in the game.
They've also done a LOT in the last week leading up to release to improve performance. Playing the game now is a world better than it was during the entire early access. I can see the world detail stream in around me sometimes, but it never freezes up the way it used to anymore. I'd guess that you'll just see more LOD changes happening around you, but still be able to enjoy the game just fine.

0x6A7232 · January 2018

I think you'd make it, especially given you have an SSD. Do be sure that Subnautica is installed to the SSD, and not any other normal hard disk, if present. I played on an i5 6500 and Intel HD 620 for a while, and it does ok.

jb419 · January 2018

GeForce GT 1030
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700 CPU @ 3.60GHz
16 GB RAM
Windows 10 64bit
1.7 TB free

Ran fine for a week, now so laggy it's unplayable. 7 fps

emirkir · January 2018

Ok, so I buy it and then do a refund if the game lags much in the Safe Shallows. But what if it goes bad after a week like @jb419 ?
It may depend on what computer you have though?

I'll wait until more answers and I probably buy it within a week.

Thanks so far!

Wheeljack · January 2018

Stay away from building huge bases or multiple smaller bases and your FPS shouldn't tank that hard.

@jb914

What all have you done in game and have you tried a new game since your fps tanked? That's really stramge considering your rig shouldn't be having drastic problems.

Ralij · January 2018

You should be fine on the GPU side, your graphics card is better than mine (intel hd 5500) and I run it fine on minimum.

@jb914
Something else is going on there. Your specs blow mine out of the water and I'm not having issues. You didn't try to play after booting up by chance? Windows 10 has the annoying habit of using 100% of disk space for no apparent reason that slows everything to a crawl for a time. 0x will be better help in troubleshooting.

jb419 · January 2018

Thanks for the responses guys.

"Stay away from building huge bases or multiple smaller bases and your FPS shouldn't tank that hard."

Funny story: Got the game, look in a cargo box, it was empty, I thought cargo boxes were scenery and I didn't check another one for a week. A week without a seaglide. So no bases. Now, just figured it out...graphics problems.

"have you tried a new game since your fps tanked?"

It runs csgo at highest settings.

"rig shouldn't be having drastic problems. "

I bought it 10 days ago.

"Windows 10 has the annoying habit of using 100% of disk space for no apparent reason that slows everything to a crawl for a time."

I know the problem but it doesn't seem to happen on mine. And no, not right after booting.

0x6A7232 · January 2018

@jb419 Do you have an SSD?

jb419 · January 2018

0x6A7232 wrote: »

@jb419 Do you have an SSD?

No.

I've reset the tv to factory presets. Updated drivers. Cut down startup menu. When I turn down the graphics settings to low, it gets better: 20 fps. Still less than before on highest.

0x6A7232 · January 2018

Umm.... there's a post around here about enabling true fullscreen, that should help a lot, let me find it..

0x6A7232 · January 2018

@jb419 OK, be sure to shut of Anti-Aliasing (switch past low) and scroll down to view the full graphics options and shut off stuff like blur, DOF, etc etc, then load it up to see what the FPS is, then quit and also try this and see what you get:

ElKameleon wrote: »

add this to your steam launch parameters for the game: -window-mode exclusive

This will net you some extra frames by enabling "true" fullscreen support.

Which gives a framerate boost, I hear.

emirkir · January 2018

Ok. Hopefully I'll buy Subnautica today and check it out!

Thanks so far. I'm going to post what happens!

0x6A7232 · January 2018

Worst comes to worse, you'll have it for when you get a better PC, even if it's years later (it's not like a multiplayer game where it loses playability over time).

emirkir · January 2018

The game experience is ok. It's very very hard to catch Peepers and Boomerangs, but it isn't impossible. No lags, only low quality on texts etc because I play on a computer 1920x1080 and the game runs best in 1280x720. Every other setting is on low / medium. Will it work in the dephts?

I've played in 48 minutes.

VERY GOOD SOUND BTW, first encounter of a Stalker was scary in surround!

Do you guys that needs a refund? I must check FPS later...

THANKS SO FAR!

emirkir · January 2018

Hello again! The game is now played over two hours, and it's running smoothly. Thanks for your help!

Sincerely: A happy Subnautica player!

vpelletier · January 2018

emirkir wrote: »

It's very very hard to catch Peepers and Boomerangs

As intended, I believe. After a few hours you will be very good at it... Or will have laid your hands on food which cannot flee.

emirkir · January 2018

vpelletier wrote: »

emirkir wrote: »

It's very very hard to catch Peepers and Boomerangs

As intended, I believe. After a few hours you will be very good at it... Or will have laid your hands on food which cannot flee.

Yes, it may need some practicing!

Thanks again everybody!

Is it worth buying Subnautica and play on minimum requirements?

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