Elden Ring System Requirements: Minimum, Recommended & Shadow of the Erdtree (2026)

Elden Ring’s minimum system requirements are a Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 3 3300X CPU, a GTX 1060 (3GB) or RX 580 (4GB) GPU, 12GB of RAM, and 60GB of storage (80GB with Shadow of the Erdtree installed); the recommended spec steps up to an i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600X, a GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56, and 16GB of RAM. FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG launched on PC in 2022, and the specs below are its official spec sheet in full, what changes with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, whether you actually need an SSD, how the game’s 60 FPS cap works, and where to grab a genuine PC key once your rig clears the bar.

Elden Ring Minimum System Requirements

These are the baseline specs FromSoftware and Bandai Namco publish on the official Steam store page. They’ll get the game running at 1080p on low-to-medium settings, though not at a locked 60 FPS in every area.

Two things stand out compared with most 2022-era releases: the 12GB RAM floor is higher than the old 8GB standard, reflecting how much FromSoftware’s open world streams in the background, and the GPU bar is genuinely low — a GTX 1060 is a mid-range card from 2016, so a surprising number of older gaming laptops and pre-built PCs can technically run Elden Ring.

Elden Ring Recommended System Requirements

The recommended tier is what FromSoftware targets for a smoother 60 FPS experience at 1080p on higher settings, and it’s a meaningful jump from the minimum, especially on the GPU side.

In practice, a recommended-spec machine holds a steady 60 FPS at 1080p-High through most of the Lands Between, with dips only in the busiest boss arenas or when several summons and enemies are on screen at once. If you’re building or buying new hardware specifically for Elden Ring, a GTX 1660 Super, RTX 2060, or RX 6600-class card comfortably clears the recommended tier and leaves headroom for 1440p.

Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: Does It Need a Better PC?

No. Shadow of the Erdtree uses the exact same minimum and recommended CPU, GPU, and RAM tiers as the base game — FromSoftware didn’t raise the bar for the expansion, which is unusual for a DLC this large. The only real change is storage: installing the base game plus Shadow of the Erdtree needs roughly 80GB of free space total, up from 60GB for the base game alone, since the expansion’s download adds around 16.5GB on top of day-one patches. If your PC already ran the base game acceptably, it will run the DLC the same way — just budget the extra drive space before you start downloading.

Do You Need an SSD to Play Elden Ring?

An SSD isn’t listed as an official requirement, but it’s strongly recommended in practice. Elden Ring streams a huge, mostly-open world continuously as you ride around on Torrent, and players on older mechanical hard drives commonly report brief stutters every few minutes, along with slower initial load times and asset pop-in in graphically dense areas like Leyndell. None of that will stop you from playing on an HDD, but if you’re choosing between spending your storage budget on an SSD or an HDD for this game specifically, the SSD makes a noticeably smoother experience, and it’s the safer bet for the added open-world content in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring’s 60 FPS Cap, Explained

Elden Ring’s PC version is hard-capped at 60 FPS out of the box — there’s no in-game option to raise it, even on a monitor that supports 144Hz or higher. That’s because FromSoftware’s engine ties parts of the game’s physics and animation timing to the frame rate, a carryover from the studio’s console-first development. Running well above 60 FPS with community-made unlockers can visibly speed up animations and inputs, which is why most guides recommend leaving the cap alone for online or co-op play.

If you still want more than 60 FPS for a single-player, offline run, community tools exist:

• FPS unlocker mods (such as the widely used one hosted on Nexus Mods) patch the game’s memory at runtime to raise or remove the cap without editing any game files.
• These tools are not officially supported and are meant for offline play only — using them in online sessions or PvP risks desync issues and possible matchmaking bans.
• For most players, the practical takeaway is simpler: hit a locked 60 FPS reliably (recommended-tier hardware or better) rather than chase higher numbers the game was never built to run at.

How to Check If Your PC Can Run Elden Ring

1. Check your OS. Windows 10 64-bit is the floor; Windows 11 also works for the recommended tier.
2. Compare your CPU against the i5-8400 / Ryzen 3 3300X minimum, or the i7-8700K / Ryzen 5 3600X recommended spec, in Task Manager or your system info panel.
3. Check your GPU and VRAM — a GTX 1060 (3GB) is the floor; a GTX 1070 (8GB) or better gets you a steadier 60 FPS.
4. Confirm you have at least 12GB of RAM (16GB recommended) — this is higher than many games from the same era, so it’s worth double-checking on older laptops.
5. Free up 80GB of storage if you plan to install Shadow of the Erdtree alongside the base game, ideally on an SSD.
6. Update your GPU drivers and confirm DirectX 12 support — almost any GPU from the last eight years supports it, but very old integrated graphics may not.

Where to Buy Elden Ring for PC

Elden Ring is a Steam-activated title (see the official Steam store page for the current listing and DLC bundles), so once your PC clears the specs above, all you need is a genuine key. NDWS Market sells official Elden Ring Steam keys at a lower price than buying direct, with instant email delivery and no waiting on a physical case or regional lockouts. Browse the full video games category for the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree, or check the complete NDWS Market shop for antivirus software, VPN subscriptions, and gift cards to round out a new gaming PC. If you’re unsure how key delivery and redemption works before you buy, our digital key FAQ covers activation step by step.

FAQ

Can Elden Ring run on 8GB of RAM?

Not reliably. FromSoftware’s official minimum is 12GB of system RAM. 8GB can technically boot the game on some systems, but expect stuttering and longer load times, especially with other background apps open.

Do I need an SSD to play Elden Ring?

It’s not an official requirement, but it’s strongly recommended. The open-world streaming in Elden Ring runs noticeably smoother on an SSD, and players on mechanical hard drives commonly report brief stutters during exploration.

Does Shadow of the Erdtree need a better PC than the base game?

No. The DLC uses the identical minimum and recommended CPU, GPU, and RAM tiers as the base game. The only change is storage — plan for about 80GB total with both installed.

Is Elden Ring locked to 60 FPS on PC?

Yes, out of the box. There’s no official option to raise the cap, since parts of the game’s physics and animation are tied to frame rate. Unofficial unlocker mods exist for offline play but aren’t supported for online sessions.

Can Elden Ring run on a laptop?

Yes, if the laptop meets the minimum GPU and CPU tiers. A gaming laptop with at least a GTX 1060-class GPU (or newer mobile equivalent) and 12GB of RAM can run it, though thermals and sustained clocks matter more on laptops than the spec sheet alone.

What GPU do I need for a steady 60 FPS in Elden Ring?

The recommended GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56 holds 60 FPS at 1080p-High through most areas. For extra headroom in busy boss fights, a GTX 1660 Super, RTX 2060, or RX 6600-class card or better is a safer target.