How has The Last of Us Part I PC port improved since launch?

The Last of Us Part I launched in March 2023 with one of the most troubled PC ports in recent memory — widespread shader compilation stutters, VRAM overallocation crashes, and CPU bottleneck issues affected the vast majority of players regardless of hardware tier. Naughty Dog and Iron Galaxy released over a dozen patches in the months following launch that significantly improved shader pre-compilation, reduced VRAM usage, and fixed NPC streaming hitches. As of late 2023 the game was in a substantially better state, though it remains more demanding than its quality tier would suggest — the recommended GPU score of 88 is high relative to the graphical output. Installing the latest patch before playing is essential.

What are the minimum specs to run The Last of Us Part I without crashes?

Post-patch, the minimum PC requirements for stable play in The Last of Us Part I are: CPU — Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600; GPU — GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB or RX 5700 XT; RAM — 16 GB (the game is notably RAM-hungry, and 8 GB systems see more hitches); Storage — 100 GB SSD. The game's shader pre-compilation screen at launch must be allowed to complete fully — interrupting it causes in-game stutter on first load. If crashes persist after patching, verifying game files via Steam and clearing the shader cache folder (`%localappdata%\Naughty Dog\TheLasOfUs`) resolves most post-patch instability reports.

Can I Run The Last of Us Part I on RTX 4090?

The Last of Us Part I FPS Benchmark and Performance Analysis

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090Game: The Last of Us Part IUpdated: Mar 30, 2026

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 handles The Last of Us Part I without major issues. Expect roughly 87 FPS at 1080p high — smooth for most players. If you're planning to play The Last of Us Part I on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, this page gives a practical FPS estimate at 1080p high, plus what to expect at 1440p.

The Last of Us Part I FPS Benchmarks on RTX 4090

Resolution	Settings Preset	Avg FPS	1% Low FPS	Verdict
1080p	Competitive (Low)	109 FPS	72 FPS	Good
1080p	High	87 FPS	58 FPS	Good
1440p	High	64 FPS	41 FPS	Playable
1440p	Ultra	48 FPS	30 FPS	Playable
4K	High	40 FPS	24 FPS	Low

Benchmarks are estimated by our performance engine. Actual results may vary.

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Best Settings for The Last of Us Part I on RTX 4090

87+FPS1080p Competitive

Display Mode: Fullscreen
Resolution: 1920×1080
V-Sync: Disabled
Texture Quality: High
Shadow Quality: Medium
Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
Effects Quality: Medium
Post-Processing: Medium
Ambient Occlusion: Disabled

Performance Analysis

Our projection for The Last of Us Part I on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is about 87 FPS at 1080p high. At 1440p, that typically translates to around 64 FPS with similar quality targets. This places the card in the enthusiast tier for this title, with a smooth experience profile. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 provides smooth gameplay in The Last of Us Part I, with enough headroom for visual tweaks.

The Last of Us Part I beautifully remakes a classic narrative journey with stunning post-apocalyptic environments and incredibly lifelike character animations. To meet the minimum system demands, your PC should have a AMD Radeon RX 470 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970. For optimal performance and smooth rendering, it’s recommended to play with a AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 supports DLSS 3 with Frame Generation in compatible titles. In games like The Last of Us Part I that support it, Frame Generation can push perceived frame rates well beyond the base estimate above — particularly useful at 1440p where the GPU is more heavily loaded.

Use a medium/high mix and prioritize stable frame times over peak FPS spikes.
Ray tracing can be enabled with quality upscaling for a good visual/performance balance.
Disable heavy post-processing options first for easy gains

To summarize: expect a smooth experience pairing NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 with The Last of Us Part I, with meaningful gains available through the settings guide above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has The Last of Us Part I PC port improved since launch?: The Last of Us Part I launched in March 2023 with one of the most troubled PC ports in recent memory — widespread shader compilation stutters, VRAM overallocation crashes, and CPU bottleneck issues affected the vast majority of players regardless of hardware tier. Naughty Dog and Iron Galaxy released over a dozen patches in the months following launch that significantly improved shader pre-compilation, reduced VRAM usage, and fixed NPC streaming hitches. As of late 2023 the game was in a substantially better state, though it remains more demanding than its quality tier would suggest — the recommended GPU score of 88 is high relative to the graphical output. Installing the latest patch before playing is essential.
What are the minimum specs to run The Last of Us Part I without crashes?: Post-patch, the minimum PC requirements for stable play in The Last of Us Part I are: CPU — Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600; GPU — GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB or RX 5700 XT; RAM — 16 GB (the game is notably RAM-hungry, and 8 GB systems see more hitches); Storage — 100 GB SSD. The game's shader pre-compilation screen at launch must be allowed to complete fully — interrupting it causes in-game stutter on first load. If crashes persist after patching, verifying game files via Steam and clearing the shader cache folder (`%localappdata%\Naughty Dog\TheLasOfUs`) resolves most post-patch instability reports.