How do you decide if a PC game’s system requirements are realistic or overhyped?

[killamch89]

We’ve all seen minimum specs that scare us off or recommended specs that read like a NASA setup. How do you judge if a game’s stated requirements are realistic or overhyped marketing? Do you rely on trustable benchmarking sites, beta tester feedback, or user-submitted performance logs? Have you been burned by a game that demanded more GPU VRAM than advertised? Conversely, any hidden optimizations where you ran it better than expected?

[Scorpion]

 To determine if a PC game’s system requirements are realistic, I compare them with my hardware specs and look for reviews or benchmarks. If the requirements match or are slightly above what I have, they’re likely realistic. Overhyped requirements often lead to poor performance or unnecessary upgrades.

[killamch89]

The biggest red flag for me is when minimum specs jump dramatically from a developer's previous title without major engine changes. Publishers often inflate requirements to avoid support tickets from users with older hardware.