A PUBG match is long and visually busy, with foliage, vehicle movement, and smoke changing the whole frame. Recordings therefore grow quickly. Lower quality too far and distant enemies or scoped shots become blurry; raise bitrate too much and a few matches can fill an SSD. Estimate the size first, then confirm the setting with a real test recording. The install itself only needs 40 GB (minimum) to 50 GB (recommended) of free space according to Steam (table just below), and the full CPU and GPU table is in PUBG minimum and recommended specs. This article covers the recordings that pile up on top of that: how to estimate their size and how to shrink it.
Space to free up before you record: 40–50 GB for the install, plus recordings
The PC (Steam) version of PUBG lists 'Storage: 40 GB available space' under minimum and '50 GB available space' under recommended on its Steam store page (checked September 14, 2026). Those figures are the free space you need at install time, not how much the game occupies afterwards, and they can change with patches, so re-check the same page. The full CPU, GPU and RAM table, plus how to read the actual footprint in Steam's Storage tab, is in PUBG system requirements and storage guide.
| Item | Free space | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum requirements | 40 GB available space | Steam store listing (checked September 14, 2026) |
| Recommended requirements | 50 GB available space | Steam store listing; PUBG Support describes the recommended specs as targeting 144 fps in most situations |
| Actual size after install | No official figure | Check Steam → Settings → Storage tab |
| One extra hour of recording | About 5.5 GB at 12 Mbps video plus 0.16 Mbps audio | Our own calculation from the formula below; varies with bitrate |
When PUBG runs out of disk space: move, clean up, split drives
- 1Move the game to another drive without reinstalling — Create a Steam library folder on the destination drive first (Settings → Storage tab → the '+' button at the top). Then select the drive PUBG is on, tick the game and click Move; Steam copies the files over without a re-download. Steam's help page also notes that installing Steam itself to an external hard drive is not recommended because of potential performance issues.
- 2Check the real footprint and clean up — In Settings → Storage, see how much PUBG actually occupies and how much each drive has left. Then clear replays you have already watched from the in-game replay list and delete full-match recordings you have finished reviewing.
- 3Keep recordings on a different drive than the game — Point your recorder's output folder (in OBS, the Recording Path under the Output tab of Settings) at a drive other than the one PUBG is installed on. Recordings grow by gigabytes per hour, so this keeps them from eating into the game or Windows drive.
Replays are covered in PUBG replay and death cam guide, and where the replay files actually pile up is in PUBG replay file location.
Notice where the real variable is. The install stops at 50 GB, but recordings keep adding about 5.5 GB every hour. You do not need to keep every full match; if only kills and chicken dinners survive, most of the storage problem disappears. DOR detects PUBG, records the full match automatically and clips your kills into its in-app library, so deleting the original and keeping the clips becomes the default routine. Details are in the DOR section below and in the best PUBG clipping software comparison. First, though, work out how fast those recordings pile up.
Estimate PUBG recording size from bitrate
This decimal-GB estimate uses the combined video and audio bitrate. Variable-bitrate recording, container overhead, and scene complexity can change the final size.
To calculate the estimate, convert Mbps to megabytes per second and multiply by 3,600 seconds. For example, 12 Mbps video plus 160 Kbps (0.16 Mbps) audio gives 12.16 × 0.45, or about 5.47 GB. File Explorer may show a slightly different value because GB and GiB use different units.
| Total bitrate | Estimated size for 30 minutes | Estimated size for 1 hour | Estimated size for 5 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8Mbps | About 1.8 GB | About 3.6 GB | About 18 GB |
| 12Mbps | About 2.7GB | About 5.4 GB | About 27GB |
| 20Mbps | About 4.5 GB | About 9GB | About 45 GB |
| 40Mbps | About 9GB | About 18 GB | About 90 GB |
Does a higher bitrate always improve PUBG video quality?
A bitrate that is too low creates blocky artifacts in smoke, grass, and fast camera turns, but quality gains taper off beyond a certain point. Resolution, frame rate, codec (H.264, HEVC, or AV1), encoder preset, and scene complexity all affect the result. Quality-based recording also changes bitrate from scene to scene, so file size can vary between matches.
- Use 1080p 60 fps as a starting point, then confirm that distant enemies and the kill feed remain readable.
- Include fast vehicle movement, smoke fights, and dense foliage in your test footage.
- If you plan to upload the video, inspect the platform's recompressed version before deciding whether to raise the source quality.
- Using a 4K monitor does not necessarily mean you have to record in 4K. Look at the viewing environment and editing purpose first.
How to reduce PUBG recording size, in order
- 1Lower unnecessarily high bitrate — Record the same scene for 30 seconds at each setting, then compare file size and compression artifacts in foliage and smoke.
- 2Adjust the frame rate to your purpose — Keep 60 fps if smooth combat footage matters; compare 30 fps when basic review and lower storage use are the priorities.
- 3Test highly efficient codecs — HEVC or AV1 may deliver the same perceived quality at a smaller size, but confirm editor and playback-device compatibility first.
- 4Separate full-match recordings from clips — Delete reviewed full matches according to your archive policy, while keeping chicken dinners, clutches, and other highlights as separate clips.
- 5Create a regular organizing schedule — Organize original, edited, and uploaded files weekly or whenever free space falls below a set threshold.
Manage storage when recording PUBG with OBS
In OBS, review the encoder and quality or bitrate under Settings → Output → Recording, then check output resolution and FPS under Settings → Video. Copying a streaming CBR value is not always efficient for local recording; a quality-based mode may suit the purpose better. Labels and available options vary by OBS version and output mode, so follow the descriptions shown in your current installation.
| OBS setting | Effect on file size | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Output resolution | More pixels means more data needed | Minimum resolution at which small enemies and UI are readable |
| FPS | 60fps saves more frames than 30fps | Motion smoothness during fights and the purpose of the recording |
| Bitrate/quality | Higher settings generally create larger files | Visible compression artifacts in smoke and foliage |
| Codec | Compression efficiency and compatibility changes | GPU, editor, and playback device support |
| Audio tracks | More tracks and higher audio bitrate add data | Whether game audio and microphone need separate editing |
Manage DOR clips alongside full-match originals
Keep OBS originals for matches that need full-flow analysis, and move short moments you want to rewatch or share into a clip library such as DOR. This avoids storing every full match indefinitely. Before deleting an original, open the PUBG clip and verify its start, ending, audio, and picture quality.
- Original folder: Full matches that have not yet been reviewed or edited
- Clip folder/library: Moments worth keeping, such as chicken dinners, long-range kills, and vehicle plays
- Edited version folder: Final file exported with subtitles and music
- Backup: Records of competitions, scrims, and friends that cannot be recreated
- Pending deletion: A temporary folder for files that will be removed after one final review
Set clear rules for cleaning up PUBG recordings
Base cleanup rules on how each file is used instead of deleting everything oldest-first. Remove uploaded and backed-up intermediate renders first, delete ordinary full-match recordings after review, and copy tournament footage or irreplaceable moments to another drive. Adding the date, mode, map, and result to each filename lets you identify disposable files without opening them.
