How to Upgrade the Scanner Room in Subnautica
Discover how to upgrade the Scanner Room in Subnautica with a practical, step-by-step guide. Learn upgrade paths, resource gathering, power management, and troubleshooting to expand your exploration.
In this guide you’ll learn how to upgrade the Scanner Room in Subnautica, including planning upgrade paths, gathering modules, and installing new components. You’ll understand the different upgrade options, where to find them, and how to manage power so your base scanners stay online during extended exploration. how to make scanner room upgrades subnautica
Why Upgrading the Scanner Room Matters
Upgrading the Scanner Room fundamentally changes how you explore the underwater world. A more capable scanner helps you surface more hints about nearby resources, wrecks, and points of interest, reducing aimless wandering. If you’re looking for practical ways to extend your scouting, understanding the impact of upgrades is the first step. The topic of how to make scanner room upgrades subnautica is best approached by outlining upgrade goals, expected gains, and how to balance power and base layout so you don’t stretch your resources too thin.
Upgrade Paths: Range, Efficiency, and Connectivity
Three broad upgrade paths define the Scanner Room’s potential. Range upgrades push the scanning radius outward, making distant features easier to detect. Efficiency upgrades curb energy costs, helping you run the scanner longer on limited power. Connectivity or data-link upgrades improve how the scanner communicates with your base systems, enabling more stable data collection and potential integration with other base modules. While you don’t need every upgrade right away, a staged approach lets you steadily increase your exploration footprint without overloading your power supplies.
Planning Your Upgrades: Resources, Power, and Base Layout
Before crafting or finding upgrade modules, map out your playstyle and base layout. Consider how often you travel far from your main base and whether you rely on automated resource gathering. Plan upgrade timing to align with power generation capability, storage capacity, and available crafting resources. A thoughtful plan helps you decide whether to prioritize range first for wider exploration or efficiency first to extend scanner uptime during long expeditions. It also reduces the risk of crafting items you can’t immediately install.
Finding and Acquiring Upgrade Modules
Upgrade modules are typically earned through exploration, wreck exploration, and occasional rewards from encounters with friendly traders or in-game milestones. Since upgrades come in several flavors, it’s wise to collect a small stock of each type so you can test how they affect your scanning strategy. When you locate a module, verify compatibility with your Scanner Room and organize your inventory so you can install modules promptly once you reach your base.
Installing Upgrades: Preparation, Placement, and Verification
Installation requires accessing the Scanner Room upgrade interface from within your habitat. Start by verifying that your base has sufficient power capacity to support the new modules. Place range upgrades first to immediately notice expanded detection coverage, then add efficiency upgrades to stretch energy budgets longer. After installation, test the scanner on a known hotspot, observe how far scanning reaches, and adjust the system’s settings to balance breadth of detection with speed of data processing.
Testing, Debugging, and Fine-Tuning
Once upgrades are installed, run a hands-on test in different areas around your base. Compare scan results before and after upgrades to quantify improvements in range and data clarity. If you encounter power fluctuations, rework energy storage or upgrade the power supply to maintain consistent operation. Regularly revisit settings as you unlock new tech and discover more of the underwater world; this keeps the Scanner Room efficient as your base grows.
Tools & Materials
- Habitat Builder(Used to access the upgrade interface and craft modules.)
- Scanner Room Upgrade Modules(Range, Efficiency, and Connectivity variants compatible with your Scanner Room.)
- Power Sources(Batteries or other base power sources to support new modules.)
- Storage Space(Extra inventory to hold collected modules and components.)
- Repair Tools(Helpful for maintaining base integrity during long upgrade sessions.)
Steps
Estimated time: 60-120 minutes
- 1
Open the Upgrade Console
Access the Scanner Room upgrade interface from your base’s Habitat Builder. Ensure you have enough power and a clear work space. This step is about enabling the upgrade workflow for subsequent installs.
Tip: Verify you’re connected to a stable power source before starting to avoid mid-install interruptions. - 2
Choose Upgrade Path
Review available upgrade types (range, efficiency, connectivity) and select the path that best fits your exploration style. Prioritize based on your anticipated travel distance and energy reserves.
Tip: If you’re unsure, start with a Range upgrade to immediately expand discovery reach. - 3
Install Range Upgrade Module
Insert the Range upgrade module into the designated slot. Confirm installation and observe the new scan radius in the immediate area. This step directly expands where the scanner can detect signals.
Tip: Install in a well-lit area of the base to clearly see the effect during the first test. - 4
Install Efficiency Upgrade
Add an Efficiency upgrade to reduce energy draw. Reconcile power budgets by re-evaluating storage and generator capacity after the install.
Tip: If power issues persist, consider a modest early upgrade to balance consumption. - 5
Test Range and Fine-Tune Settings
Run a controlled scan around known hotspots and compare with pre-upgrade results. Adjust sensitivity, filter settings, and scan frequency to maximize results without draining power.
Tip: Document changes and test in multiple locations to confirm consistent performance.
Common Questions
What is the purpose of upgrading the Scanner Room in Subnautica?
Upgrades extend movement of the scanner's detection radius and improve efficiency, making exploration faster and less resource-intensive.
Upgrades extend the scanner’s range and efficiency for faster exploration.
Where can I find Scanner Room Upgrade Modules?
Modules are usually found through exploration, wreck sites, and rewards; they must be compatible with your Scanner Room.
Modules are found through exploration and rewards and must match your Scanner Room.
Do upgrades require additional power?
Yes, upgrades increase power demands. Ensure your base has sufficient capacity or add power sources to support the enhanced scanner.
Upgrades use more power, so check your base power supply before installing.
Can I remove or replace upgrades later?
Upgrades can be replaced or removed as needed, but do so with caution to avoid destabilizing the base systems.
Upgrades can be swapped later, but handle changes carefully.
Is there a recommended upgrade order for beginners?
Starting with a Range upgrade is common for quick gains, then adding Efficiency to stabilize power usage as you expand.
Start with Range, then add Efficiency to balance power.
How do I test the new scanner range effectively?
Test in known hotspots and compare scan results pre- and post-upgrade to gauge improvement and adjust settings.
Test in known spots to measure the upgrade’s impact.
Will upgrading the Scanner Room affect other base systems?
Upgrades can influence overall energy management; monitor power usage and avoid overloading circuits.
Watch your power usage; upgrades can affect the whole base.
Watch Video
Key Takeaways
- Plan upgrades before crafting to align with playstyle.
- Prioritize Range upgrades early for broader exploration.
- Balance power use with efficiency upgrades.
- Test upgrades in multiple zones for consistent results.