Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is now out on multiple platforms and brings amazing visuals along with Ninja Theory’s penchant for a well-crafted story to boot as many PC gamers look to to play it over the weekend. It comes with an impressive amount of hardware support as a result, catering to PCs with entry-level internals to tricked-out gaming rigs alike, offering visual quality to match when it comes to beefy GPUs and CPUs alike.
Alienware m18 R2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 PC Hardware Requirements Explained
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’s publisher, Ninja Theory has offered insights about what makes for an excellent Hellblade 2 run at multiple hardware presets, taking a lot of guesswork for users out of the way ahead of launch.
The hardware recommendations as published by Ninja Theory on Steam before launch caters to 4 different hardware presets.
While the requirements remain relatively modest in general compared to other recent releases, the minimum VRAM requirement when it comes to the GPU for the title is 6GB which might limit certain PC and laptop configurations from handling it due to GPUs that come with 4GB of VRAM as a standard. Hellblade 2 requires 16GB of RAM on PC irrespective of the quality presets and scales its hardware requirements from entry-level CPUs and GPUs that are 3 generations old to what is essentially the bleeding edge of modern AMD RX 7000 series and Nvidia RTX 4000 series GPUs in 2024.
Users are advised to have Windows 10 or 11 in a 64-bit configuration (which should be default given the RAM requirement in play) and an SSD is mandatory with 70GB of free space. The title, as noted by the developer/publisher also supports a variety of AI sharpening solutions such as Nvidia’s DLSS 3, AMD’s FSR 3, and Intel’s lesser-known XESS 1.3 offering.
What Do These Hardware Requirements Mean For Users On Laptops?
While it is an open secret that despite gaming laptops having made many inroads over the last few years, they are still notably slower than their desktop alternatives. This is due to thermal and power restrictions in play across the board even as modern desktop CPUs and GPUs increase their power draw each generation.
This makes much of the jargon that backs gaming laptops and their internal specifications a somewhat confusing affair for gamers on the go with some of the highest-end gaming laptops often barely holding their own versus mid to high-end gaming PCs at times. This can pose a challenge for gamers looking to play titles like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 on the go. Rising to the challenge, the Game Rant team has compiled a list of some of the best gaming laptops users can opt for to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 at different prices and budgets.
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024)
A Well-Endowed Gaming PC
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 is a beast of a gaming laptop that has been updated with the latest Intel Core 14900HX processor and still carries the powerful RTX 40 series GPUs. This model comes with an RTX 4070 GPU with a maximum TDP of 140W. The 16-inch (2560x1600) display is capable of a 240Hz refresh rate and has a 3ms response time.
The 2024 model of the ASUS ROG Strix G16 comes well-endowed in both the CPU and GPU department, leveraging a 14th generation Core i9 in the former and a respectable Nvidia RTX 4070 in the latter. ASUS backs this up with a 2K 240Hz display with Dolby Vision support and 100% DCI-P3 compliance.
While it should be adequate to run Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 at the recommended settings shown above, it can leverage DLSS 3 to push a higher resolution and frame rate to maximize its 2K display and play at a higher refresh rate than the internal hardware would allow otherwise.
With 1TB of fast SSD storage on offer and to-spec RAM in play, the G16 can handle Hellblade at its most demanding in terms of storage and memory, even as its thermals allow users to power through the entire title in a few playthroughs without breaking a sweat. The G16 is, however, a premium gaming laptop and there are cheaper alternatives out there with similar hardware on offer. A large price cut on Amazon does address this complaint considerably for some users, allowing them to pick it up below $2000 easily at the time of writing.
Razer Blade 18 (2024)
An 18-Inch Powerhouse
The Razer Blade 18 2024 edition brings the latest flagship Core i9 mobile CPU to deliver unparalleled performance in CPU-intensive operations, while also maintaining its hold on gaming through the RTX 4090 GPU. From its configuration to its display, every feature ventures into overkill territory, making sure no stone is left unturned.
The newly released Razer Blade 18 comes with a host of upgrades that build around its 300Hz QHD MiniLED display to offer what is one of the best gaming platforms on the go. With a powerful 14th generation Core i9 CPU married to an RTX 4090 GPU along with plenty of RAM and SSD storage, the Blade 18 becomes one of the most premium gaming laptops that packs a punch that few of its peers can match in 2024.
The Blade 18 comes with excellent audio, a great display, and a premium finish as Razer markets it as the “Biggest, Baddest Blade”. It also comes with a host of new upgrades under the hood, throwing in Wi-Fi 7, support for Thunderbolt 5 for users planning to leverage an eGPU, and a large vapor chamber that keeps things humming.
While it is considerably overkill compared to its peers, the Blade 18 should be able to max out and/or match Ninja Theory’s “Very High” preset requirements with ease. - That is if you have $4500 to pay for what is arguably the most premium gaming laptop one can buy currently.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060)
Great Things Come In Small Packages
The 2024 model of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with an AI-infused 8-Core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU in addition to Nvidia’s mid-range RTX 4060 GPU. With 16GB of LPDDR5X memory on offer and a large 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD.It offers a high PPI 14-inch 3K OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a backlit chiclet keyboard while clocking in at just under 1.5 kg.
For users wanting to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 at a respectable frame rate without having a desktop replacement-esque laptop to carry, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is an excellent amalgamation of current-generation hardware backed by an excellent 3K resolution OLED screen that offers a 120Hz refresh rate.
The G14 throws in a Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU that offers 8 cores and 16 threads to match its mid-range RTX 4060 laptop GPU as it conforms to what a mid-range gaming laptop should look like in 2024. It does, thanks to its newer laptop CPU, also offer AI acceleration and excellent power efficiency that lets it offer a potent configuration that is considerably more expensive than similar options but does leave users opting for a compact option suitably impressed.
The G14 does, however much like its predecessor thermally throttle when under load, and pushing presets on Hellblade, even with DLSS3 in play could result in users hitting that wall fairly easily, especially at the laptop’s native resolution. While some power users might not like the lack of RAM upgrade potential that the G14 offers, it does package plenty of performance in an acceptable 14-inch form factor that weighs just over 3lb.
Acer Nitro V 15' Gaming Laptop
A Price-Conscious Pick
The Acer Nitro V 15' Gaming Laptop is powered by a capable 13th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU with a budget-friendly RTX 4050 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.The result is a well-balanced machine on a budget for both gaming and work in 2024 even as it clocks well under $1000 unlike most of its peers.
For users needing a gaming laptop on a budget, the Acer Nitro V 15' Gaming Laptop delivers the goods, offering a mid-range 13th generation Intel Core i5 CPU paired to an RTX 4050 while costing under $800. The laptop can run Hellblade 2 at a reasonably high framerate and offers an FHD IPS display for this purpose for gamers looking to keep their spending in check.
With 512GB of SSD space, the Nitro V has plenty of space for the title but it does require a RAM upgrade to 16GB to be able to run the title as intended without suffering from a memory-related bottleneck to its potential performance. With 6GB of VRAM on the RTX 4050 meeting the requisite requirement, users can easily have a balanced performer for well under $900 even after accounting for an additional 8GB of DDR5 RAM for the Nitro.
MSI Katana 15 15.6" 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop
A Different Kind of Blade
The MSI Katana is an excellent budget-centric high-end gaming laptop that outperforms most of the high-end laptops in its price bracket while maintaining an efficient, value-for-money approach to offer the latest and greatest in PC hardware to its audience.
For users looking for a reasonably powerful gaming laptop that can hold its own in 2024 against the competition but are unwilling to spend the sub-$2000 that the G16 above commands, the MSI Katana 15 15.6" 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop is a solid alternative that brings high-end laptop specs to a mid-range price tag.
It marries the 13th generation Core i7 13620H CPU with a powerful RTX 4070 GPU to offer plenty of power under the hood. It pairs this with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, both of which are more than enough for the title in question. To do this, however, the Katana does cut some corners for its performance class. It compromises significantly on both battery life and goes with a display that is much more inferior than most of its dearer competitors that have higher resolutions and refresh rates in addition to better display tech in some cases.
The Katana 15 is a compromise, but one that is rewarding for users who want to have a powerful GPU at their disposal without overextending their budget significantly in 2024.
The Alienware Premium Play
Alienware’s m18 R2 is an enthusiast-grade, high-end gaming laptop boasting the latest flagship Intel Core i9 processor from the 14th gen and one of the fastest laptop GPUs in existence.The laptop uses a premium QHD+ display running at 165Hz that is very responsive and delivers vibrant colors via a wide color gamut. It has a high ask but one it justifies thanks to its uncompromising take on hardware.
The Alienware m18 R2 is Game Rant’s pick for a powerful high-end gaming laptop to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 with all of its bells and whistles in 2024. It houses a powerful Intel Core i9 CPU, a beefy RTX 4080 GPU, and 32GB of fast dual-channel DDR5 RAM to match its 1TB SSD storage on offer.
The M18 also offers plenty of M2 expansion slots for power users as well as an impressive 18-inch QHD+ screen that offers a 165Hz refresh rate that Hellblade 2 can make use of when DLSS3 is in play. The Alienware m18 R2 is not exactly a laptop in the true sense of the word much like most 18 incher desktop replacements masquerading as one: It is a powerhouse that can do a lot more than most of its peers even if it does sacrifice portability to a certain degree for better thermals.
With the help of DLSS3, it should max out Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 thanks to the RTX 4080 that powers it but does come at a cost that most users might not like paying especially since it trades at a premium versus other RTX 4080-based models.
FAQ
Q: How Much RAM Does Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Need On PC?
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 requires 16 GB of RAM for all 4 graphics presets on PC as published by the developer.
Q: How Much Space Do I Need For Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2?
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 requires up to 70GB of storage space on PC to play. An SSD as the install location is mandatory for optimal performance.
