We were already hyped for Starfield before the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase and the game's dedicated Starfield Direct presentation, but after being treated to nearly an hour of detailed gameplay footage and system overviews, our excitement for Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG is at an all-time high. Scheduled to release later this year on September 6, it has the potential to dominate the Game of the Year conversation and stand tall as one of the best games to hit the Xbox and Windows PC platforms.
The size and scope of Starfield seems almost unfathomable, and if you're a PC gamer, you're probably wondering about the hardware you'll need to enjoy it all smoothly. Thankfully, ahead of the game's launch, Bethesda has shared Starfield's PC system requirements on its Steam Store page.
Here's everything you need to know about these requirements, including what the minimum and recommended specs are and how you can check to see if your rig will be able to support your star-sailing adventures.
Starfield PC specs: System requirements
- Starfield preorders are live
- Starfield Wireless Xbox controller
- Learn all about Starfield
- Starfield will be locked at 30 FPS
Now that Starfield preorders are live everywhere — including Valve's PC game distribution platform Steam — we've been able to learn what the game's official minimum and recommended specs are from the RPG's Steam Store page. Notably, these specs include the processor, memory, graphics card, and storage hardware you'll need, as well as the operating system and DirectX version the game requires.
Overall, Starfield's requirements are very reasonable for a AAA 2023 release, especially when you consider just how big it's going to be in terms of both scale and depth. With that said, it's notable that 16GB of RAM is required, as is having an SSD (time to finally join the SSD gang, HDD users). Also, the game's massive 125GB file size may force you to uninstall some games or add extra storage to your system.
Below, you'll find a complete list of Starfield's minimum and recommended specs, along with some predictions for the hardware you'll need for Ultra gameplay.
Starfield PC Minimum system requirements
With this hardware, you'll likely be able to play Starfield at 720p or 1080p with a solid frame rate of 30 FPS on Low settings.
- OS: Windows 10 version 22H2 (10.0.19045)
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
Starfield PC Recommended specs
In most cases, recommended specs will enable you to turn settings up to Medium or High and enjoy a decently high framerate while playing at 1080p or 1440p. The best gaming laptops should be able to handle this rather easily.
- OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
Starfield PC Ultra Requirements
Bethesda hasn't shared any official requirements for Ultra and/or 4K gameplay at higher framerates yet, so for now, we'll have to speculate. Given that Starfield has tons of underlying systems that all constantly interact with one another in real-time, we expect that the game will be quite CPU intensive. Therefore, a powerful processor will likely be a must-have. Of course, a powerful GPU like one of NVIDIA's high-end RTX 30 Series cards will help too (40 Series cards obviously work too, but they're pricey), especially if you're planning to push 4K.
As for RAM, you'll probably be fine with the required 16GB, though more can't hurt (only upgrade to DDR5 if you're getting a new CPU and motherboard that's not compatible with DDR4, as the in-game performance gains are minor). Storage-wise, faster speeds mean faster load times, though I wouldn't worry about upgrading for that if you have a big enough SSD already.
Can my PC run Starfield?
Not sure if your current PC meets the requirements listed above? Fear not, as there's an easy way to check. All you need to do is perform a quick analysis with the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, a built-in piece of Windows software that allows you to identify all your components in seconds. Here's how to use it.
1. Click the Windows button on your taskbar.
2. Type dxdiag.
3. Click dxdiag in the search results. Windows will then show your PC specifications.
4. Navigate to the System tab for details on your processor, memory, and Windows version.
5. Navigate to Display tab for details on your graphics card hardware.
Note that checking your available hard drive space is even easier. All you have to do is open File Explorer, look for the drive you're planning to install the game on, and check to see that you have over 125 GB of free space.
How to upgrade my computer's GPU to play Starfield
Starfield is shaping up to be an incredible game with impressive graphics and a vast universe to explore. If you're looking to update your computer in order to play this sci-fi adventure better then you should check out our guide on how to upgrade your PC's graphics card.
Into the stars
With so many exciting possibilities made available to Starfield players, it's understandable that many people will want to get the most out of the game by making sure their computers can meet certain requirements. While it's perfectly fine to play a game at the minimum specs, the experience will be a whole lot smoother and more convenient if your gaming laptop or computer has a bit more oomph to it. This means having a powerful GPU and plenty of storage to make room for the game.
Whether you're looking into purchasing a new computer or laptop that can handle Starfield or you're trying to find out what processors you need to use in your existing rig, we at Windows Central wish you the very best of luck in your preparations.
