Starfield is Here — These are the PC Specs and Setup Tips You Need to Know

It’s not every day you get to experience the drop of a game that’s decades in the making — but with Starfield’s release, we’ve all gotten lucky. The upcoming space RPG has had tongues wagging since its 2018 announcement at E3, but now the first new intellectual property from Bethesda in 29 years is about to lift off. With so much anticipation surrounding its release, avid gamers are getting ready to dive into this celestial open-ended gameplay — and that means making sure your PC can handle the heat (or freeze).

We’ve assembled your foolproof guide to getting your PC Starfield-ready, from the GPUs that will (virtually) launch you into outer space to the SSDs that will help your rig keep things running smoothly. 

Can I run Starfield on my PC?

Like most new-gen games, there are minimum requirements for running Starfield on your PC. Bethesda has outlined both the minimum and recommended requirements for your PC if you want to get the most out of your gaming experience:

Minimum

OS: Windows 10 version 21H1 (10.0.19043)

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

Storage: 125 GB available space

Additional notes: SSD required

Recommended

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 

Note that a stronger processor and GPU are recommended if you’re keen to level up your gameplay and graphics — and trust us when we say these visuals deserve to be seen in all their glory! 

The best SSDs for Starfield (and other PC games)

As you can see from the Bethesda recs, Starfield needs an SSD to run properly no matter what sort of rig you’re rocking. A high-quality SSD is crucial to prevent lag and keep your gameplay running smoothly. With all the different types of SSDs out there — from SATA and NVMe to PCI and M.2 — there’s something for every experience level and budget.

If you’re chasing that top-of-the-line speed, the Samsung 990 PRO SSD is a fantastic option. It’s one of the fastest NVMe SSDs you can get for a PC — just make sure that your PC supports the PCI 4.0 standard so you can take advantage of those top speeds. For maximum capacity (and size), you can’t go wrong with the WD Black SN850X — you can get these in a whopping 4TB for premium performance. Gaming on a budget? The Crucial P3 has got you covered with the latest Gen4 NVMe technology at a decent price point.

Building a PC for Starfield

In a dream world, we’d be able to create custom PCs for every major gaming release that are tailor-made to support their specs. While we don’t live in that world, we can provide guidance on the components to build the ideal PC for Starfield gameplay — and you can pick and choose the mods that matter most to you.

Operating system

As you can see from Bethesda’s official guidelines, you can get away with running Starfield on Windows 10 — but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. An upgrade to Windows 11 will help everything run more smoothly, not to mention it will put you in a better spot for future game releases that require more power. 

CPU

If you want the best gameplay experience with Starfield, you need processing power. While Starfield’s minimum recommended CPU is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, we’re of the opinion that you’ll need to step it up to avoid bottlenecks and less-than-ideal framerates. 

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a great example of an affordable option that still packs a performance punch for the mid-range category. It’s compatible with a wide range of motherboards, has six cores (so nothing over the top) and will take you a long way with most modern gaming titles. Another wallet-friendly option is the Intel Core i5 10400F — it’s a six-core, twelve-thread chip that can boost up to 4.3 GHz, so you can enjoy smooth and speedy performance all around.

Looking for some premium options? Go straight to the top of the ladder with the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the ultimate in gaming performance. This superstar CPU is built on 5nm process technology, boasting 8 cores that deliver up to 5 GHz. When you add its 8 MB of L2, 96 MB of L3 cache and groundbreaking 3D V-Cache tech, it’s obvious why hardcore gamers are coveting this primo processor. If you want to go nuts (and money is no object), we can also suggest the Intel Core i9 13900KS — with 24 cores, 32 threads and a 36MB cache, you’ll never look back. 

RAM

While the bare minimum of RAM to run Starfield is 16GB, we’d recommend jumping up to 32MB if you can swing it. This extra power will come in handy if you want to run other programs while you game. The choice between DDR5 or DDR4 is much of a muchness, but DDR5 is a smarter choice if you plan to further mod your PC in the future. 

A great choice for a RAM upgrade for Starfield is the Corsair Vengeance RGB 32GB. It’s split into two sticks of 16GB each, operating at an effective 5,600MHz — not to mention its DDR5 memory provides faster frequencies and lower power consumption. The Kingston FURY Renegade RGB 32GB is another stellar option designed for extreme performance on next-gen DDR5 platforms. You’ll get speeds of up to 6400MT/s, as well as 16 customisable RGB lighting effects for that extra flair. Rocking the DDR4 life? We have recs for that, too. The Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 32GB  provides four 8GB DIMMs (32GB total) at CAS 16 timings, offering up performance and speed in spades. 

GPU

Every serious gamer knows that the graphics play a huge role in the experience — and with so much detailed lore involved, Starfield is no exception. If you want to see everything with as much exquisite detail as the developers intended, you’re going to need a GPU that can stand up to the task.

Our first pick is the ASUS GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ProArt OC, a mighty graphics card crammed with features designed to make your gaming performance the best it can be — think NVIDIA’s latest DLSS3, the ultra-efficient Ada Lovelace architecture and full ray tracing. For something a little more affordable, check out the Sapphire Radeon RX 6600. You’ll get stable, reliable and steady performance with bonus cooling features, not to mention AMD is an exclusive partner for Starfield.

Another budget-friendly option is the MSI Radeon RX 7600 MECH 2X, a sturdy graphics card with AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution technology — that means you get incredible image quality while boosting framerates. Won’t settle for anything less than the best? If you’ve got the budget for it, splash out on the Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XTX. This bad boy is AMD’s GPU masterpiece, boasting coveted RDNA 3 architecture, a generous 24GB GDDR6 memory, and 6,144 stream processors. That’s a lot of detail! 

FAQs about Starfield

1) When does Starfield come out?

Get excited — Starfield has an official release date of 6 September 2023. 

2) What is the plot of Starfield?

Starfield is a treat for sci-fi lovers and gamers alike — a real geek’s paradise, if you will. The game is set in the year 2330 around the Settled Systems, a region of space that’s been heavily colonised by humankind. Thanks to its futuristic setting, technology has advanced to the point where humans can thrive in their new space-set civilisation. Much like Earth, there are still struggles for power and factions that cause friction — and you’ll navigate this brave new world while deciding who to fight for.

3) How many hours is the Starfield story?

Because it’s early days, there isn’t much concrete data to reveal in regards to Starfield’s runtime. However, reports from the first available reviews are saying you might realistically spend anywhere from 15-20 hours completing Starfield’s main story.

Your trusted home of PC gaming

No matter what you need to get your PC Starfield-ready, Mwave has got you covered. We stock the most comprehensive range of PC and gaming hardware, from the big-ticket purchases to the little extras that tie a setup together. You can trust us for all your CPU, graphics cards, HDDs, memory and PC gaming needs — we pride ourselves on carrying the best brands alongside options for every skill level and budget. Whether you’re starting from scratch with a dream PC build or just want to beef up your gaming setup, Mwave has it all.