Planet Zoo 2 is a demanding simulation. The official Steam listing publishes two spec rows, and both of them are unusually specific about graphics cards and storage. Both rows are quoted in full below, because this is the page people actually need before October 13.
The two official rows, quoted
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit | Windows 11 |
| CPU | Intel i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X |
| Memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | RTX 2060 6GB / RX 5600XT 6GB / Arc A750 8GB | RTX 3070 8GB / RX 6700XT 12GB / Arc A770 16GB |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 40 GB, SSD recommended | 40 GB, SSD required |
The minimum row carries an official footnote: Microsoft has ended Windows 10 support, so Frontier cannot guarantee ongoing compatibility on it. Read that as a soft warning, not a block.
Can it run on a GTX 1650?
This is the single most-searched performance question about the game, and the answer is arithmetic, not opinion. The official minimum GPUs are the RTX 2060 6GB, the RX 5600XT 6GB and the Arc A750 8GB. A GTX 1650 falls below all three in raster performance, and it also misses the 6GB VRAM mark that the minimum row states twice.
⚠️ Unverified. The game has not launched, so nobody, including us, has tested a GTX 1650 machine against it. What we can say is that the card does not meet the published minimum. If you play on one, expect to fall back to reduced settings, and wait for post-launch benchmarks before spending money.
What the 16 GB floor means
Both rows ask for 16 GB of RAM. Simulation games of this type load animal behaviour, path-finding and park economies into memory simultaneously, and Frontier has clearly decided 8 GB machines are out of scope. If your machine runs 8 GB, that is a hard spec miss before the GPU question even starts.
Console note
The spec sheet is PC-only by definition. Console players get fixed hardware: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no last-gen versions announced. See the platforms page.
If your machine is near the floor, the troubleshooting page walks the launch-day checks worth doing in advance, and the FAQ collects the short answers, including the release date context for when benchmarks can actually exist.
FAQ
Can Planet Zoo 2 run on 8 GB of RAM?
The official minimum is 16 GB on both rows. 8 GB does not meet the published spec.
Does Planet Zoo 2 require an SSD?
On the recommended spec, yes, the listing says SSD required. On the minimum spec it says SSD recommended. Installing on a mechanical drive is technically possible on the minimum row but goes against the listing's own advice.
Is Windows 10 supported?
The minimum row lists Windows 10 and 11, but with an official caveat that Windows 10 support from Microsoft has ended and ongoing compatibility cannot be guaranteed. The recommended row is Windows 11 only.