---
title: Kiln Reference Rig — The One Lab PC | Kiln
description: The Kiln reference rig: one Windows 11 PC — 8-core x86-64 CPU, RTX 3070 8GB Vulkan 1.3, 32 GB RAM, NVMe — behind every Stable, Beta, and Test grade. Kiln is a PlayStation 5 emulator for Windows PC. Not affiliated with Sony.
canonical: https://consolepc.net/lab/reference-rig
updated: 2026-10-13
---

# 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.

## Facts (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](/brief/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](/rig/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](/run/astro-bot-ps5-emulator) and [Demon's Souls](/run/demons-souls-ps5-emulator).

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](/lab/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.

## FAQ

### 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

- [The lab.](https://consolepc.net/lab)
- [How we grade.](https://consolepc.net/lab/how-we-grade)
- [Minimum rig.](https://consolepc.net/rig/minimum-rig)
- [GPU and CPU.](https://consolepc.net/rig/gpu-cpu)
- [Boost fps.](https://consolepc.net/lab/boost-fps)

## Download

Free Windows app: [Download Kiln](https://consolepc.net/download)

Markdown mirror: https://consolepc.net/lab/reference-rig.md