XChat System Requirements: GPU, RAM, and Compatibility Guide

XChat needs a ray-tracing GPU: RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT / Arc A750 or better. Older cards without ray tracing may run it at lower quality, but aren't supported. Check your GPU tier below.

Requirements Table

GPU Compatibility Guide

XChat is built for hardware ray tracing.

Supported: NVIDIA RTX 2070, AMD RX 6700 XT, Intel Arc A750, and faster ray-tracing cards.

Not supported: GTX cards, older AMD cards (RX 5000 and below), and integrated graphics (Intel Iris/UHD, AMD Radeon integrated). XChat may start on them at lower quality and frame rates, but that is an edge case and it may not work.

Not supported: - macOS GPU (no macOS build yet) - GPUs without hardware ray tracing (GTX and older, integrated graphics) - Apple Silicon

If you are unsure whether your card supports ray tracing, look up the model on the NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel product page.

Driver Requirements

Outdated drivers are the most common cause of shader compilation failures and launch crashes. Install the current stable release from the manufacturer directly, not through Windows Update.

If you experience a shader compilation crash shortly after startup, updating your driver is the first step.

CPU and RAM

XChat is GPU-bound in most scenes, but the CPU and RAM floor still matters.

CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-10400, or faster. Dual-core processors will struggle with scene streaming.

RAM: 8 GB. Closing background applications before launching helps in busy social spaces. 16 GB+ means you will never hit memory pressure.

Storage: ~18 GB free on an SSD. SATA SSD is fine; NVMe loads slightly faster. A spinning hard drive will cause hitching during asset streaming.

Laptop Notes

Laptops with a discrete GPU and an integrated GPU will often default to the integrated GPU for battery life. XChat requires the discrete GPU and will fail silently if it gets the iGPU instead: black screen or immediate crash with no error.

NVIDIA laptops: Open NVIDIA Control Panel → "Manage 3D settings" → "Program Settings" → add XChat → set preferred graphics processor to "High-performance NVIDIA processor."

AMD laptops: Open AMD Adrenalin → "Gaming" tab → add XChat → set GPU preference to your discrete Radeon card.

After changing the setting, restart XChat.

Laptops with only integrated graphics (no discrete GPU) aren't supported. XChat may start at much lower quality and frame rates, particularly in populated areas.

Network Requirements

XChat is a persistent online world. An internet connection is required at all times. No offline mode.

A 10 Mbps or faster broadband connection handles normal play. Latency matters more than raw bandwidth; voice sync and character state updates are sensitive to ping. A wired or stable Wi-Fi connection delivers better experience than high-bandwidth with inconsistent latency.

If you cannot connect and everything else looks correct, try disabling your VPN or switching to a mobile hotspot to isolate the issue.

OS Notes

Windows: Windows 10 (64-bit) and Windows 11 are both supported.

Linux: A native Linux build ships alongside the Windows build. Runs directly on Vulkan, no Proton needed. It is less tested than Windows: only a few players run it so far, so expect more bugs.

Common Linux issues:

• AMD: Use Mesa's RADV driver and keep Mesa current; hardware ray tracing needs a recent release.
• NVIDIA: Use the proprietary driver; Nouveau has no hardware ray tracing.

Driver and distro setup are in XChat on Linux.

macOS: No macOS build is currently available. Planned for a later phase.

Troubleshooting

Crashes immediately on launch Usually a driver issue or GPU routing problem. Update your GPU drivers. If on a laptop, verify you are using the discrete GPU, not integrated.

Shader compilation crash shortly after startup Update your GPU drivers to the latest stable release from NVIDIA or AMD directly.

Laptop crashes on launch despite having a discrete GPU XChat is running on the iGPU. Force the discrete GPU in NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Adrenalin as described above.

Low framerate on GTX or integrated graphics Expected: these cards have no hardware ray tracing and aren't supported. Lower the in-game quality settings and close background applications, or move to a ray-tracing GPU.

Low framerate on a qualifying hardware RT GPU Check VRAM usage with GPU-Z or HWiNFO. If you are at or above VRAM capacity, scene streaming will stall. A 12 GB card has more headroom than 8 GB in busy scenes.

Cannot connect to servers Check whether a VPN or corporate firewall is blocking XChat's connection. Try a direct connection or mobile hotspot to isolate. If the problem persists, report it in Discord with your ISP and approximate region.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, join the Discord and include: GPU model, VRAM amount, OS and version, driver version, and what happens when the crash occurs.

Download XChat free when your hardware checks out, or read the XChat review first. Linux users should also read XChat on Linux.

3DXChat System Requirements (for Comparison)

3DXChat costs $9.99/month with no free trial; the 3DXChat price breakdown has the details. XChat is free, and the XChat vs 3DXChat comparison covers the rest.

FAQ

Does XChat work on GTX cards?

Not officially. GTX 10-series (1060, 1070, 1080) and 16-series (1660) cards have no hardware ray tracing, so they aren't supported. XChat may start on them at lower quality and frame rates, but that is an edge case and it may not work. An RTX 2070, RX 6700 XT, Arc A750, or faster card is the supported path.

Does XChat work on integrated graphics?

Not supported. XChat may start on integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon integrated) at low quality, especially in social spaces with many characters, but it may not work. Use a discrete ray-tracing GPU.

Can I run XChat on a laptop?

Yes. Laptops with a discrete GPU work well; force XChat to use the discrete GPU in NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Adrenalin settings (the system defaults to integrated for battery life). RTX 4060 Laptop GPU and RTX 4070 Laptop GPU are the most common qualifying options in current gaming laptops. Laptops with only integrated graphics aren't supported.

Will XChat run on a Steam Deck?

Not supported. The Steam Deck's GPU is far below the requirements. XChat may start at low quality, but it isn't tested.

Does XChat support Linux?

Yes. A native Linux build ships with each release, no Proton or compatibility layer required. Only a few players run it so far, so it is less tested than Windows. NVIDIA needs the proprietary driver; AMD and Intel use Mesa. The XChat on Linux guide walks through the setup.

Is 8 GB VRAM enough?

Yes. 8 GB is the requirement. 12 GB is more comfortable in populated areas with many character models active. If choosing between an 8 GB and 12 GB card in the same price range, take the 12 GB.

What GPU should I buy to run XChat at full quality?

Budget hardware RT: Intel Arc B580 (~$249, 12 GB VRAM) or RTX 4060 (~$299). Mid-range: RTX 4070 (12 GB) or AMD RX 7700 XT. These comfortably exceed the requirements.

Why does XChat use ray tracing?

XChat's lighting, shadows, and reflections are built on a ray-traced pipeline from the ground up. That is why XChat needs a ray-tracing GPU.