Best Tadpole Upgrade Modules

Upgrade your Tadpole in Subnautica 2! Learn about the best modules, including the Depth Module Mk 1 and Engine Efficiency Module, plus all crafting recipes.

What You Need to Upgrade the Tadpole

All upgrade modules are crafted at the Modification Station and then equipped manually into the Tadpole. Before you can install anything, you need these two things:

How to Equip Upgrade Modules

You need to install the Modules manually in a Tadpole. Below are all the steps you need to take.

Step	Instructions
1	Craft the module at the Modification Station.
2	Swim to the top of the Tadpole and interact with the upgrade panel beside the Power Cell socket.
3	Drag the module from your inventory to the Upgrades Panel. The effect activates automatically.

The Tadpole has four upgrade module slots. Stackable modules like the Engine Efficiency Module occupy separate slots and each are counted independently.

All Tadpole Upgrade Modules Ranked

The Tadpole is your main vehicle for deep exploration, and the right upgrades make a significant difference in how far you can go and how safely you can get there.

Module	Priority	Effect
Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 1	★★★★★	Extends safe diving depth to 450 meters. Without it, the hull takes continuous damage below 250 meters.
Strike Armor	★★★★★	Reduces incoming physical damage from attacks and collisions.
Engine Efficiency Module	★★★★	Reduces power use by 20% per module. Stacks up to four times for a maximum 80% reduction.
Cavitation Muffler	★★★	Reduces vehicle noise to lower the chance of drawing large predators.
Photovoltaic Charger	★	Passively recharges the Tadpole's power cell in shallow, sunlit water during the day.
Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 2 (Creative Mode only)	-	Extends safe diving depth to 800 meters. Currently locked to Creative Mode.

Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 1

The single most important upgrade for your underwater ride. The Depth Module Mk. 1 allows the Tadpole to dive to 450 meters before structural damage occurs, opening up the deeper biomes where most of the game's late-stage resources and story content live.

Engine Efficiency Module

Reduces the Tadpole's power consumption by 20% per module and stacks up to four times, meaning a fully stacked set cuts power use by 80%. This directly translates to longer exploration sessions before you need to return or recharge. If you're pushing into distant biomes, this is one upgrade that you absolutely need.

Strike Armor

Reduces incoming physical damage from attacks and collisions by adding strike plates to the Tadpole's hull. This upgrade makes your Tadpole significantly sturdier, which is especially valuable when you're out gathering rarer materials in areas infested by more aggressive predators.

Cavitation Muffler

Reduces vehicle noise to lower the chance of drawing large aggressive predators toward the Tadpole. Especially useful in deeper biomes where encounters with massive creatures become more frequent. This is particularly useful if you have the Tadpole Haul chassis equipped, since it is the slower of the two chassis options.

Photovoltaic Charger

The Photovoltaic Charger upgrade allows you to recharge the Tadpole's power cells, but only when you're traveling near the surface. This makes the upgrade largely impractical in a game built around deep‑water exploration, since you’ll rarely be near sunlight when you actually need power. In most cases, it’s more practical to carry extra Power Cells instead.

All Tadpole Module Upgrade Recipes

Module	Ingredients
Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 1	- x3 Celestine - x2 Enameled Glass - x1 System Chip
Engine Efficiency Module	- x1 Titanium Ingot - x2 Glass - x1 System Chip
Cavitation Muffler	- x3 Titanium - x2 Strontium
Strike Armor	- x2 Enameled Glass - x2 Strontium
Photovoltaic Charger	- x1 Copper Ingot - x1 Strong Acid - x1 Troilite
Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 2 (Creative Mode only)	- x2 Dedicated Core - x2 Troilite - x2 Mangalloy Ingot

All Tadpole upgrade modules are crafted at a Modification Station. Check out our guide below to learn where to find each Tadpole fragment.

Related Articles

Recommended Guides

Walkthrough (Early to Late-Game)	Where to Go and What to Do Next	Tadpole Pens: How to Open the Locked Door
Plant Farming Guide	Cooking and Recipes Guide	Best Biomods
Best Tadpole Upgrades	Metal Farm Guide

Progression & Priorities
Early Game	Mid-Game	Endgame

Lists

All Leviathans	All Items List	Biomes & PoI List
Blackbox List	Recipe Data Cards (Blueprints)	Vehicle List
Buildings & Facilities List	Best Base Locations	Best Tools to Craft

Notable Items

Salt	Silver	Copper
Lead	Lucifer Rotsac	Conduit Crystals
Creature Enamel	Enameled Glass	Troilite
Celestine

Guides for Beginners

Multiplayer Guide	How to Eat Food (Digestion)	How to Craft Items
Drinking Water Guide	How to Craft Air Tank?	How to Get Basic Fins
Scanner Station Guide	How to Manage Your Oxygen?	Base Guide
Alien Ruins	How to Use Coordinates	Tadpole Guide
How to Get More Storage	How to Get a Rebreather	Bioscanner Guide
Night Survival Guide	How to Heal	Angel Comb Guide
How to Power Your Base	How to Recharge Batteries and Tools	How to Get the Repair Tool
World Tree Guide	Flashlight Guide	Strong Acid Guide
How to Get Heat Tolerance	Scanner Guide	How to Get Tadpole Depth Module Mk. 2
How to Get a Wakemaker	How to Get Fibrous Pulp	How to Get a Wiring Kit
How to Get Advanced Wiring Kit	How to Get the Entangled Power Cell	How to Refund Bases

Pre-Game Guides

Specs Requirements	New Game Features	Is There Crossplay?
Supported Devices	Update & Roadmap	How Long to Beat?
Can You Play Subnautica 2 on PS5 and PS4?	Is Subnautica 2 on Xbox?	Is Subnautica 2 on Steam?
Is Subnautica 2 on Switch?