Starfield is the latest single-player RPG out of Bethesda Game Studios, and it has a few requirements if players want to run it on PC. Starfield is an absolutely massive game with hundreds of planets that all players can explore. Given the sheer scope of the game, players can also expect the PC requirements and recommended specs to be substantially higher than previous Bethesda titles.
Bethesda Game Studios is best known for their two most popular series: The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Both of these major franchises have seen continuous releases over the past two decades, with graphics and content matching the quickly advancing technology around them. Before its eventual 2023 release, Starfield was in development for over eight years, which was by far the longest development time out of the studio. If you’re looking to dive into this fantasy RPG, you might want to check if your PC can handle it first.
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Starfield Minimum PC Requirements
Starfield is a massive game with entire galaxies that players can fully explore. Between the open space in ship exploration and the vast landscape of planets, Starfield is an incredibly graphically intense game. It also is massive in terms of storage space, as you will need at least 125GB of space on your SSD. If you purchase any extra downloadable content with the premium editions of the game, you can only expect this number to climb. Below are the minimum PC requirements to run Starfield.
- OS: Windows 10 Version 21H1
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7 6800K
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 5700
- Storage: 125GB
Starfield Recommended PC Requirements
The Starfield minimum requirements mean you can run the science fiction epic, but not particularly well. If you only meet the minimum requirements to run the game, then you may need to go into the system settings and adjust most graphical settings to low. This also means disabling features that could impact your game experience and dull the comparably beautiful setting of deep space and the various worlds you’ll explore. If you want to run Starfield on higher graphics settings and prepare for the upcoming Shattered Space DLC, then here are the recommended PC requirements.
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel Core i5 10600K
- RAM - 16GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- Storage: 125GB
How To Maximize Your PC Performance For Starfield
Best Graphic Settings
Depending on whether your PC is on the lower or higher end of the spectrum, you may want to adjust your settings to avoid issues such as tears, stuttering, or other graphical glitches. Still, Starfield can be a visually stunning game, and there are several graphical improvements that you can make at minimal cost, so long as you meet the minimum requirements to run the game. Below are several recommendations for the in-game visual settings to improve your Starfield experience.
Graphics Option | Setting |
|---|---|
Render Resolution | 75% |
Graphics Preset | Custom |
Shadow Quality | Medium |
Indirect Lighting | Low |
Reflections | High |
Graphics Option | Setting |
|---|---|
Particle Quality | High |
Volumetric Lighting | Low |
Motion Blur | Off |
GTAO Quality | High |
Grass Quality | High |
VSync | On |
Keeping indirect lighting and volumetric lighting on low to medium are two great ways to reduce the stress Starfield may put on your PC while having very little impact on your visual experience.
Cutting down on lighting and shadows also allows you to go higher on the more important graphical qualities, such as GTAO, grass, reflections, and more. Enabling Vysnc will also prevent screen tearing and other disruptive issues. With these settings enabled, you can enjoy space exploration, combat, and increased companions in Starfield far more.
How To Run Starfield On Steam Deck
Starfield is playable on Steam Deck, but you shouldn’t expect the same performance level as on PC or other comparable platforms. Given how graphically intense Starfield can be, you might experience common issues such as frame rate drops. To combat this and to achieve the best performance possible, there are some recommended settings that you should check out before loading up Starfield on the Steam Deck.
First, select the low graphics preset or custom and turn down graphical settings such as shadows, grass, lighting, and reflections to low. Next, turn on AMD FSR 2.0 in the settings menu, and make sure that your resolution is at 800p. With all this, you should play Starfield on your Steam Deck much easier. While it still won’t be comparable to higher-end PC versions of the game, this will allow you to play Starfield on the go with relative ease.
Starfield
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- September 6, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Genre(s)
- Action , RPG
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence
