Starfield is set to release November 2022, and the hype is unreal. Bethesda promises us a next-generation space game in their first new universe in 25 years. If you’re a Skyrim fan or lover of Bethesda, you’re going to want to download this game when it releases.
However, next-generation games mean you’ll need computer hardware that can keep up with the heavy demands of the game. Before jumping on the preorder, you’ll want to make sure your PC meets at least the minimum specs for Starfield.
To run Starfield on a PC, your system needs at least 8GB of RAM and 75GB of available disk space. You’ll also want an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or newer for your GPU, and an Intel Core i5-4690K or newer for your CPU. For your operating system, make sure your PC is running Windows 10 or newer.
In this article, I’ll discuss the minimum specs your system needs to run Starfield, as well as what Bethesda recommends and a top build for a Starfield rig. Additionally, I’ve compiled a list of great gaming laptops for running Starfield.
Let’s get into it.
Minimum Part Requirements for Starfield
| Memory | GPU | CPU | OS | Disk Space |
| 8 GB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | Intel Core i5-4690K | Windows 10 64-bit | 75 GB |
These are the minimum requirements your PC needs to meet to play Starfield. For memory, you’ll need 8GB and 75GB of available disk space. More RAM is better, but you only need 8GB to be able to run it.
For your GPU, you’ll need at least an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, and for your CPU an Intel Core i5-4690K or newer. You’ll want to be running Windows 10 64-bit to meet launch requirements; Windows 7 isn’t going to cut it with this game.
Recommended Specs and Top Build for Starfield
| Memory | GPU | CPU | OS | Motherboard | PSU | |
| Recommended | 16 GB | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 | Intel Core i7-6700K | Windows 10 64-bit | ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A | EVGA SuperNOVA 120-GP-0650-X1 |
| Top Build | 32 GB | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | Intel Core i7-8700K | Windows 10 64-bit | ASUS ROG Strix Z690-A | EVGA SuperNOVA 120-GP-0650-X1 |
Above you can find the recommended specs for Starfield, as well as a top build that I put together specifically for playing Starfield.
The recommended specs are 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070, an Intel Core i7-6700K, and Windows 10 64-bit. These specs will already give you a much better experience than the minimum specs, but for my top build, I upped the ante a little.
If you really want to get the most out of starfield, go for 32GB of RAM over 16GB to help with loading the world smoother. Any RTX GPU is great for games like Starfield, but I would suggest going for the newest one you can find to stay ahead of the curve. No matter which RTX you get, you’ll have ray-tracing.
For your CPU, anything 11th gen or newer will suffice, but I would recommend going with the best one of that generation to keep performance up long-term.
Best Laptops to Run Starfield
| Laptop | Memory | GPU | CPU | OS |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 | 40 GB | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 | AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Asus TUF Dash F15 | 16 GB | Nvidia RTX 3060 | Intel Core i7-11370H | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Gigabyte Aorus 17G | 32 GB | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 | Intel Core i7-11800H | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
With the way that computer parts are priced these days, you might not be able to get a great GPU for playing Starfield before it releases. Luckily, these three laptops all have RTX 3000-series graphics cards and are priced right around what the individual card costs these days.
Gaming laptops are worth it these days since you get the components you want in a package for a reasonable price. For the best performance, go for the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15. It has 40GB of RAM to handle any task, including Starfield, and a Ryzen 9 processor to boot.
The other two laptops on this list are great and capable of running Starfield well, but the Zephyrus is the best bang for your buck without a doubt.
Will Starfield Work on Windows 10?
Starfield will ONLY work with Windows 10, and only 64-bit at that. With the 32-bit version, your RAM utility is maxed out at 4GB, which will make trying to play Starfield a nightmare.
If you aren’t sure which version of Windows you have, follow these steps to check:
- Click the Windows button in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
- Right-click the Computer button and choose Properties from the screen. This will show you the Windows version your system is running.
How Much Space Will Starfield Take?
Starfield will take 75GB of disk space. You can store it either on your hard drive or solid-state, but next-generation games like these play best when run from SSD over HDD. Either way, you’ll need 75GB available on whichever drive, and you’ll need at least 8GB of RAM.
Why Would Starfield Run Poorly?
There are a couple of common causes of poor performance when running a game like Starfield. The first reason might be that your computer doesn’t have the hardware to run the game. Either you’re not meeting the minimum requirements, or one of your components isn’t functioning at its best.
Starfield might also run poorly if your settings are too high, or if your monitor isn’t able to match the output of your GPU. This usually results from bottlenecking the CPU or GPU. You’ll want to make sure your system isn’t bottlenecking to get the best performance.
FAQs
Can You Run Starfield on a Hard Drive?
You can run Starfield on a hard drive, but it would run best off of a solid-state drive. Environments in next-gen games like Starfield need the fastest data transfer possible to run at their best.
Can An i5 Run Starfield?
An i5 can run Starfield, but you’d be better off with an i7 or newer. The newer the processor, or at least the more cores/threads it has, the better Starfield will run on it.
