Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Starfieldis among the most anticipated games of the year , or perhaps even the last few years , and it ’s only available on PC and Xbox Series X|S. It ’s no wonder that it ’s got masses turning to PC play in droves . Whether you ’re looking to upgrade or corrupt a new computer only , you ’ll be pleased to know that now is a good time to shop , as the toll of constituent are quite low .
It ’s a pretty demanding form of address , though , so not just anygaming PCwill do — you ’ll need a top - notch computer that ticks a few boxes . It ’s potential to get by with a lowly - end personal computer due to the game ’s support forFidelityFX Super Resolution 2 ( FSR 2 ) , but we ’re center on machines that will provide the optimal experience in the game .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The bare minimum
You want to playStarfield , and you ’re on a budget . It looks like a very taxing game , but this PC will at least reboot up and execute the secret plan at 1080p , and it only costs about $ 630 . Do n’t ask a very high frame rate , though — as you could see in ourRX 6600 XT review , this build is n’t ideal for pushing game at Ultra scene .
Still , we ’re satisfy the minimal requirements here . This physical body includes the six - nitty-gritty Ryzen 5 3600 , along with a knock-down enough GPU , and it comes stocked with 16 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD . The processor also occur with a central processor cooler , which saves a fiddling money .
Optimal build
If you want to be able-bodied to comfortably playStarfieldat 1440p , or even 4 K , this is the build to go with . price at around $ 1,400 to $ 1,650 ( depending on your GPU selection — more on that below ) , this is a PC that fulfill the recommended requirement shared by Bethesda and should be able-bodied to execute the game on eminent options . Most of all , it ’s an all - around solid build , with a honest power supply , a decent cooler , and a lot of upgrade potential .
Before we delve into the specs , it ’s worth noting that AMD currently has a good deal going on that can save you a bit of money . Most of itsbest processorsandgraphics cardsare bundle withStarfield , meaning savings all around . In summation , Micro Center has a howling limited - edition offer on theRyzen 5 5600X3D , so if you go near one and find this CPU usable ( perhaps even bundle with a motherboard ) , get it over my good word as long as futurity - proofing is irrelevant to you . You ’ll need a different motherboard if you pick up the Ryzen 5 5600X3D , but any B550 model will do .
Choosing a processorfor this build was challenging . disregarding of your budget , I recommend going with AMD for unadulterated play purposes , and the Ryzen 5 7600X is on the lower end of what you might want to put inside your gaming microcomputer . The last - genRyzen 5 5800X3Dis a loyal processor in gaming , but it locks you to the AM4 platform , which means you ’d need a new motherboard if you need to upgrade in the future . The Ryzen 5 7600X , on the other hand , is still more than sufficient , but can be upgraded later on due to the AM5 socket . However , if your budget can be stretched , theRyzen 7 7800X3Dis a better option in every room .
I ’m giving you two pick when it comes to the GPU . TheRTX 4070 Tiis not the near deal in terms of performance per buck , but it ’s a knock-down GPU that also unlock Nvidia ’s late Deep Learning Super Sampling ( DLSS 3 ) technology . While this is great in most games — it ’s essentially a free chassis rate cost increase — it ’s not a bragging deal forStarfield , specifically . This is because , due to anexclusive partnership with AMD , Bethesda does n’t seem to have added musical accompaniment for DLSS to the game yet .
For the prison term being , the only upscaling technology supported byStarfieldis AMD ’s own FSR 2 . FSR is open - source , though , so you could easily use it on an Nvidia GPU . It just wo n’t be as beneficial as DLSS , but it ’ll do .
If you ’d rather dumbfound to an AMD card , you have passel of option in a similar Mary Leontyne Price range of mountains . The RX 6800 is the minimum that Bethesda commend if you require to play comfortably , so it ’s better to buy theRX 6950 XT . Alternatively , you may bump it up a snick and get the RX 7900 XT or XTX , although that will increase the price importantly .
The rest of the build is pretty much what you ’d anticipate at this price chain of mountains . Starfieldcalls for a lower limit of 16 GB of RAM , so if you require to save money , you may scale down to 16 GB . However , 32 GB is chop-chop becoming the gold standard in AAA games , so you might as well get it . Other perquisite here include a motherboard with built - in Wi - Fi and a high - lineament , but affordable 1 TB SSD . As far as cooling goes , there ’s no demand to purchase a melted cooler for this processor , so you ’re all set up with the above .
Extreme build
feel extreme ? Well , this is the material body to go with if you ’ve flummox plentifulness of money to spare and just need a PC that will runStarfieldat max configurations without a 2d thought . That means 4 K play is very much an option , and you could ramify out and try some of the othermost demanding gamesof the class without trouble .
However , as you may see based on the above parts , this soma is n’t cheap , crop from $ 2,500 to almost $ 3,000 . There are some changes you could make to make it more affordable . As for adding more to it , I really would n’t urge doing so for pure gaming . You ’d be wasting money at that point — I ’ll tell you why below .
In this build , the C.P.U. was a no - brainer . The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is thefastest gaming CPUright now , and it also ensure that you ’ll get theStarfieldbundle , have it a expectant deal . Sure , there are Intel options that are becoming , and there ’s theRyzen 9 7950X3Dif you do n’t mind spending more — but nothing beats the insane performance per dollar of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
When it comes to the graphics card , you have a few choices . TheRTX 4090 is , by far , the best graphic bill of fare currently available , but it also costs over $ 1,600 . It ’ll breeze throughStarfieldand everything else you throw at it , but it ’s expensive . If you ’d rather save up the money , the other option is AMD ’s top GPU , theRX 7900 XTX , which saves you around $ 600 . Keep in mind , however , that there ’s a massive operation break between these two cards . They ’re not really comparable . But the RX 7900 XTX is utterly fine forStarfield , andmost user have no pauperism for an RTX 4090 , anyway .
If you want to stick to Nvidia , theRTX 4080is a cheaper alternative . It ’s on about the same level as AMD ’s RX 7900 XTX , but it provide DLSS 3 . Again , we do n’t fuck when or if that ’s going to be an option inStarfield , but this is a nice feature to have in other supported game .
One affair is for indisputable — this build may have a tendency to heat up , and that ’s not due to any problems with the components . It ’s just a monster PC . Because of that , you should definitely pick up a liquid cooler , and I recommend using an all - in - one ( AIO ) choice for minimal hassle and maximum cooling . The Corsair font also fall with hatful of airflow , and if budget is not a concern , you may always raise to theor the . We have a ready to hand guide onchoosing the best PC caseif you ’re thinking of making change here , but be untrusting of compatibility .
pick the motherboardwas pretty prosperous . Once again , we ’ve got mass of ability to elevate thanks to the AM5 socket . You might be tempt to pay supernumerary for an X670E or an X670 motherboard , but I ’m here to tell you that it ’s really not worth it unless you ’re in pauperization of extra slot or support for faster RAM . You ’d be paying twice as much for that , and for gaming intent , there ’s no pauperization .
There are cheaper options when it comes to the SSD , but at this price stop , the Samsung 980 Pro is deserving the money . You ’d only be saving around $ 30 by downgrade to a cheaper 2 T.B. alternative . However , if you do n’t need a lot of repositing , you could save as much as $ 90 by corrupt theinstead .
Lastly , we have the power supply . The 1000W PSU is a little overkill , so if you ’re feeling adventurous , overleap down to 850 Isaac Watts is fine . I prefer to err on the side of caution and hereafter - proofing with a stronger PSU , which is why I recommend picking up the Corsair RM1000e .
Keep it balanced
A PC built forStarfieldis going to be a solid microcomputer for all kinds of games , fromCyberpunk 2077toHogwarts Legacy . There are ways to issue back on some expense and keep the budget more reasonable , so if you want to drop less , you may . However , it ’s voiceless to establish a truly budget computer that will do well withStarfield , and that ’s simply because it ’s a demand game .
Whether you pick the optimum build or go down the utmost path , you should be able-bodied to enjoy a smooth gaming experience inStarfieldand many other titles . Even if you scale down from the optimum build and habituate a cheaper GPU , you ’ll still be more than all right as long as you do n’t mind playing on blue context . At the very minimum , Starfieldonly requires an AMD Radeon RX 5700 or an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti , so you ’ve get plenty of wriggle room there .
If you want to make any changes to the graphic add-in , call back to check for compatibility ( slots and size ) , and to check your prices . These sidereal day , it ’s often a better deal to rat current - gen than to dive back into the past for the likes of the RTX 2080 , which is what Bethesda recommends as the minimum for playing on higher preferences . Similarly , if you ’re buy used constituent , watch for wearable and binge .
I recommend using a pecker likePCPartPickerto make certain everything conform to well together if you ’re going to interpolate these builds in any way . However , they ’re good to go as is , so if you just require a solid play PC forStarfield , you do n’t require to look any further .
