The lab.
One rig, blunt grades, no magic settings. Everything the lab knows about frames, settings, and statuses.
Reference rig.
One PC grades everything: 8-core CPU, RTX 3070, 32 GB RAM, NVMe, Windows 11. Every status on the roster comes from this machine.
◎ At a glance
Reviewed 2026-10-13.
| OS | Windows 11, 64-bit |
| CPU | 8-core / 16-thread x86-64 |
| GPU | RTX 3070 8 GB, Vulkan 1.3 |
| RAM / Disk | 32 GB / NVMe SSD |
Reference rig spec
| Part | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11, 64-bit |
| CPU | x86-64, 8 cores / 16 threads |
| GPU | RTX 3070 8 GB, current Vulkan 1.3 driver |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Storage | NVMe SSD |
| Target | 1080p 60 fps on Stable titles |
The machine
One desktop grades every title: Windows 11 64-bit, an 8-core / 16-thread x86-64 CPU, an RTX 3070 8 GB on a current Vulkan 1.3 driver, 32 GB RAM, and an NVMe SSD. Nothing else runs during grading.
The RTX 3070 sits inside the reference class on the spec sheet — RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT class or better. The floor and the lab machine are different things; see minimum rig.
Drivers stay current. Stale drivers do not grade titles — they waste sessions.
Why one rig
One rig makes grades comparable. A Stable on this machine means the same thing for Astro Bot and Demon's Souls.
Your PC is not this PC. Stronger hardware sometimes beats the lab numbers; weaker hardware will not match them. That is physics, not pessimism.
How a session becomes a status: how we grade.
1080p is the target
Grades are earned at 1080p on the Performance preset. 1440p numbers and 4K numbers are trivia, not grades.
If your monitor is 1440p or 4K, the emulator still renders the graded target first. Upscaling a smooth 1080p beats choking at native res.
Questions
What PC does Kiln use for testing?
One Windows 11 desktop: 8-core/16-thread CPU, RTX 3070 8GB, 32GB RAM, NVMe SSD. Every grade comes from this machine.
Is the RTX 3070 required?
No — it is the lab card, not the minimum. The floor is lower; see the minimum rig. But lab frame rates assume lab-class hardware.
Do you test on laptops?
No. The reference rig is a cooled desktop. Discrete-GPU laptops on wall power are in the same conversation with less headroom.
Related
How we grade.
Stable finishes. Beta plays with issues. Test waits its turn. Every grade is a real session on the reference rig with a public note.
Minimum rig.
Floor boots, lab class plays. 6 cores and 6 GB VRAM to check boots; 8 cores and 8 GB VRAM to match the grades.
GPU and CPU.
GPU: Vulkan 1.3, 8 GB+ VRAM, current driver, discrete device selected. CPU: 8 real cores. Everything else is secondary.
Boost fps.
The lab checklist for frames: right GPU, current driver, 1080p Performance preset, shader patience, NVMe, nothing else running.
Windows installer · 400+ titles in the launcher
Get the launcher.
Install Firmware with your own PS5UPDATE.PUP, boot the system software, then start a game you own.