Frostpunk 2 is the highly-anticipated sequel to the titular game which offered a mix of survival and city-building to gamers as it continues to build on the narrative of the latter, pushing 30 years forward.
It offers more depth than its predecessor, adding factions, new resources, and new decisions to be made as politics becomes a centerpiece of all decisions in the title. It also brings within much better visuals with an upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 that allows users access to much more detail than similar titles.
Frostpunk 2
Frostpunk 2 Hardware Requirements Revisited
Frostpunk 2’s hardware requirements as published on the Epic Game Store Storefront
Frostpunk 2 comes with relatively most hardware requirements at both the minimum and recommended hardware requirement tiers, being able to run on as little as 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 CPU with a minimum clock speed of 2.5 GHz.
It also requires a minimum of 4GB of VRAM and 30GB of SSD space, though users opting for a better experience should aim for at least 16GB of RAM and a recent GPU option that has at least 8GB of VRAM on offer to avoid issues.
The title requires a minimum of Windows 10 or 11 running on the PC and comes with a dedicated modding tool. This means that users opting for mods, downloading updates, or purchasing future DLC might need to account for additional install space.
Playing FrostPunk 2 On A Gaming Laptop
The team at Game Rant has made the task of looking for a gaming laptop to play Frostpunk 2 an easier task by handpicking some of the best gaming laptops in the business that meet or exceed the title’s hardware requirements, allowing users to help their respective cities survive without running into performance issues.
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) Gaming Laptop
The ROG All-Rounder
If you’re after a laptop that runs games well but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, then the ASUS ROG Strix G16 may be the best choice for you. This mid-range modern gaming laptop boasts an impressive 14-core Intel i7 processor and a dedicated RTX 4060 GPU that is capable of handling most modern games on medium to high settings. Also included is a whopping 1TB of SSD storage, meaning you will experience faster start-up and load times on all installed games and programs. The 16GB of DDR5 RAM also helps to keep programs smooth and consistent, creating a luxurious experience that isn’t absurdly expensive.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) Gaming Laptop is a capable gaming device that meets or exceeds all of Frostpunk 2’s hardware requirements, meeting the VRAM requirements for the title with its mid-range GPU and exceeding its hardware requirements with ease.
It also comes with a large 1TB SSD that would be handy for Frostpunk 2’s upcoming updates and mods alike, even as it meets the recommended RAM requirement of 16GB with ease. While the G16’s competition often features better displays that offer either a higher resolution or a refresh rate, it still holds its own with most entry-level or sub-$1000 models with ease.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 also makes up for this by investing heavily in its build quality and gets the full liquid metal treatment thanks to Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme being applied to the laptop that allows it to run cooler longer and perform better compared to most of its similarly configured peers.
MSI Thin 15 15.6-inch 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop
A Lightweight Contender
Looking for a gaming laptop that won’t break the bank but packs great power under the hood? From its Intel Core i7-12650H processor to the GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, prepared to run most games without any issues. The MSI Thin’s 15.6-inch 144Hz delivers immersive gameplay along with smooth visuals. You also get a plethora of connectivity options which comes in handy for peripherals and other devices.
The MSI Thin 15 15.6-inch 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop is a compact gaming laptop that users on a budget can grab that can handle Frostpunk 2’s hardware needs, offering a surprisingly capable CPU/GPU combination under $1000.
The59 Thin 15 offers a respectable FHD 144Hz display, a lightweight design and adequate SSD space and RAM to run the title even as its CPU offers enough power to do it justice.
It does just stop short of getting comfortable by opting for an RTX 4050 under the hood that sits between the 4GB of minimum VRAM and 8GB of recommended VRAM that 11 Bit Studios currently recommends for the title.
While the MSI Thin 15 also cuts corners when it comes to battery life, it does come across as a surprisingly capable candidate to play Frostpunk 2 and similar titles at medium/high graphics presets.
Acer Predator Helios 16
Value-Centric Power
The Predator Helios 16 from Acer is a great performer with its Core i9-13900HX CPU, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It features a 16-inch 2560x1600 IPS panel with 240Hz refresh rate. The laptop comes with a 90Wh battery and a 330W power adapter.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 above comes packed with some of the best hardware money can buy on a gaming laptop in 2024 even as it just creeps past the $2000 level as its asking price, which is no mean feat in an era where prices have only gone in one direction for high-end PC hardware.
It pairs a powerful 24-core Intel Core i9 13900HX CPU with a high TGP RTX 4080 GPU with 12GB of VRAM that should allow it to max out its 2K (16:10) 240Hz display with relative ease in titles such as Frostpunk 2, even as it offers twice the requisite amount of RAM and a medium-sized (1TB) SSD in tow.
The power does come at the cost of heft, both at the laptop’s level, as well as the power adapter, which can result in portability concerns for most users looking for something more compact that can game well.
ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) OLED Laptop
A Lighter Work-Centric Player
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 is a laptop that excels at productivity, bringing a gorgeous 3K OLED display, a lightweight design, and AMD’s latest deca-core Ryzen™ AI 9 365 CPU to the mix.
The ASUS Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) OLED Laptop above might be more suited to those who need a work laptop that can also casually game while being able to run titles like Frostpunk 2 without any issues.
It comes with a high-resolution OLED display that holds its own against the best in the business, a capable CPU to meet Frostpunk 2’s needs, and plenty of RAM and SSD storage in tow to keep things going.
For those looking for a discrete GPU, while the Radeon 880M does a fairly decent job in most games, it is still not comparable to discrete GPUs in the laptops above. But for a passable gaming experience backed by an excellent display and CPU, the Zenbook S16 might surprise most gamers as a productivity-centric option that delivers while weighing considerably less than its much bulkier alternatives.
Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop (RTX 4090)
Performance At A Premium
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 Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop above touts a powerful RTX 4090 GPU, combining it with Intel’s latest 14900HX CPU, making for a very potent combination that should handle titles like Frostpunk 2 and beyond with relative ease in 2024 and beyond.
With 2TB of SSD storage under the hood and 32GB of RAM in play, Razer’s highest-end gaming laptop offers what is essentially overkill across the board for gamers and creators alike, even as its QHD+ Mini-LED display makes the most of its performance offerings.
The Blade 18 is, however, a pricey affair even as it benefits from a 10% price cut ahead of next year’s models showing up on shelves and remains, despite its respectable weight for its form factor, a less portable option than many of its much more compact alternatives in the business.
For those who most have it all, however, the RTX 4090-touting Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop has few equals in terms of design, performance, and future-proofing, albeit at a cost.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060)
A Compact Juggernaut
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.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060) offers a powerful mix of what is one of the best octa-core laptop CPUs for gaming and productivity paired with a mid-range Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU.
It meets or exceeds all of Frostpunk 2’s hardware requirements with ease while throwing in a beautiful OLED display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate but can be taxing to run games at its native resolution even as it clocks in at just 1.5 kg of weight.
It does come with a slightly power-restricted RTX 4060 GPU under the hood at 90W of TGP available to it in addition to soldered-on RAM which is restricted to 16GB, making it a less viable laptop for those who add memory or look for better repairability down the line.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060) is available at a mammoth $350 discount at the time of writing at Best Buy, making it an even better deal to grabin tandem with a similar $300 discount on its RTX 4070 siblingthat comes with 32GB of RAM by default.
WHERE TO PLAY
The game takes place 30 years after the apocalyptic blizzard that has taken place in Frostpunk. Earth is still overwhelmed by the neverending frost and harsh, icy climate. You play as the leader of a resource-hungry metropolis where expansion and internal conflicts are an unavoidable reality. It’s up to you to make decisions about your City’s future and face their consequences.In Frostpunk 2 you’re able to build your City on a new scale by creating entire districts with different purposes. Make sure that all parts of the City work well together as well as research technologies that will set the direction for your citizens’ progress.THE CITY MUST NOT FALL “Frostpunk 2 is still a game about the City and its society,” states Jakub Stokalski, game Co-Director and Design Director at 11 bit studios. “But inner turmoils, sparked by rising social differences, mean that players will be facing new kinds of threats. We use a post-apocalyptic setup to tell a meaningful story about human ambition. Because ultimately, what can end us is not nature itself – it’s human nature.”NAVIGATE BETWEEN FACTIONS AS A STEWARD As the City grows, creating and passing new laws becomes a more complex matter. The people slowly divide into factions with different, often contradictory visions of the future. The Council is a place where these ideas clash, sometimes violently. It’s your role as a Steward to ensure that the city will not fall because of those conflicts. Manage emerging crises while at the same time steering humanity towards a new destiny.
FAQ
Q: How Much Storage Space Does FrostPunk 2 Require?
Frostpunk 2 requires 30GB of storage space. The developer recommends an SSD to avoid performance issues and long loading times.
Q: How much RAM is enough for Frostpunk 2?
Frostpunk 2’s developer recommendations sit at 8GB as a minimum RAM threshold and 16GB as its recommended threshold for the title. For those intending to use mods extensively with the title, it might be prudent to invest in 32GB of RAM to avoid running into performance issues.
