Can Your PC Handle Elden Ring? A Complete Guide to System Requirements

Elden Ring has taken the gaming world by storm, garnering critical acclaim as a rich fantasy RPG that builds on elements that made the Dark Souls franchise so popular. But its expansive open world and stunning visuals come at a cost – the game demands some hefty system requirements to run smoothly.

So exactly what kind of PC hardware do you need step into the Lands Between? This definitive guide examines Elden Ring‘s official minimum and recommended specs, and what you can expect in terms of performance and visuals at different configurations. You‘ll also get CPU and GPU recommendations tailored to different budgets and priorities when upgrading your rig.

Let‘s dive in and find out what it takes to survive in the realm of the Elden Ring!

What is Elden Ring and Why Does it Demand Powerful Hardware?

In case you‘ve been living under a rock, Elden Ring is the latest hardcore action-RPG from developer FromSoftware, creators of the critically-acclaimed Dark Souls series. It evolves their challenging gameplay formula by plopping players into a sprawling open world, rather than confining them to convoluted corridors.

You take on the role of a customizable protagonist known as the Tarnished, navigating the shattered kingdom in search of scattered Great Rune shards that will make you Elden Lord. From Software‘s signature precise combat, enriching lore and boss battles await around every corner.

Elden Ring stands out through:

• Jaw-dropping open world visuals: From Software went all out crafting a beautiful yet haunting realm, demanding powerful graphics hardware.
• Smooth action-RPG gameplay: Unlike turn-based RPGs, Elden Ring plays in real time. You need sufficient computing power to render all the particle effects and animations without lag or frame drops.
• No loading screens: The open world streams in seamlessly rather than partitioning itself into levels. This requires beefy hardware.
• Uncompromising quality: From Software are obsessed with their artistic vision. To fully realize it, you need a gaming PC that meets or exceeds recommendations.

In summary – this ain‘t no indie 2D sidescroller! Elden Ring pushes even beastly gaming rigs to their limits. Let‘s examine exactly what you need under the hood.

Elden Ring Minimum System Requirements

Here are the official baseline specs needed to boot up Elden Ring:

This configuration hits a careful balance – accessible enough that many gaming PC owners can play while still somewhat filtering out older rigs.

The GTX 1060 and RX 580 were once midrange cards that are now highly outdated though, so beware. Matching the minimum specs doesn‘t guarantee a smooth or ideal Elden Ring experience even at modest settings.

At 1080p resolution, you can expect around 30 FPS on low to medium graphic settings. Visuals will be muted and muddier compared to max settings, but the game remains perfectly playable.

Now 30 FPS is not inherently problematic – many excellent titles on underpowered consoles run at this threshold. But for PC, especially an action-heavy title like Elden Ring, it leaves little margin for error. Significant onscreen action can drag you down into choppy territory.

My recommendation? Try targeting at least 45 FPS average on low settings at 1080p if you meet minimum specs. This leaves some overhead before you risk drops below 30 FPS in demanding areas. You may need to tweak options like lowering render distances.

Alternatively, if you play at higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K, sticking to 30 FPS may be wise to avoid dips. Temper expectations around visual fidelity though.

Elden Ring Recommended Specs

Here‘s what From Software suggests for 60 FPS high settings gaming:

Now we‘re talking! The jump to an i7 or Ryzen 5 CPU, 16 gigs of RAM and a more capable GPU means you can crank those visual settings. A higher frame rate clears the 60 FPS bar that makes gameplay feel highly responsive.

At 1080p resolution, you can expect 60 FPS on high to max settings for buttery smooth combat and glorious views of the Lands Between.

This is the sweet spot I recommend PC gamers target for playing Elden Ring properly. Especially if you value higher fidelity graphics over purely chasing extreme frame rates.

1440p 60 FPS gaming is also achievable with some compromises to certain settings. So if you game on a high resolution monitor, solid performance is still in your grasp without overkill hardware.

Really, today‘s mainstream PC hardware like NVIDIA‘s RTX 3000 series and latest Intel/AMD chips comfortably delivers Elden Ring‘s recommended experience. Time to go bounce off some demigods!

CPU Recommendations for Elden Ring

A sufficiently powerful processor is vital for delivering Elden Ring‘s demanding open world gameplay without frustrating hitches or input lag. Here are some of our top CPU picks:

Intel Core i5-13600K – Best Price-to-Performance

• 14 cores, 20 threads
• Up to 5.1 GHz turbo
• Unlocked for overclocking
• Price: $330

Intel‘s latest Raptor Lake chips deliver excellent bang for buck. The 13600K in particular outmuscles Elden Ring‘s CPU requirements for buttery smooth 60 FPS gameplay. Its high clock speeds and IPC gains mean more consistent performance.

If you don‘t want to splurge for a flagship i7 or i9, the 136005K hits the sweet spot. It also gives you some overhead to run background tasks or future demanding games that utilize its bountiful cores.

AMD Ryzen 7 7700X

• 8 high performance Zen 4 cores
• Up to 5.4 GHz boost
• 105W TDP
• Price: $400

Representing AMD‘s cutting-edge Zen 4 architecture, the 7700X makes quick work of Elden Ring with frames to spare. Its combination of excellent single and multi-threaded throughput keeps your average and 99th percentile frame rates high.

That ensures minimal ugly drops when the onscreen action gets hectic. Its balanced power efficiency also means less heat and noise generation. At $400, it‘s pricier than the 13600K but also brings more all-around gaming dominance.

Intel Core i9-13900K – The Best Elden Ring CPU

• 24 cores, 32 threads total
• Up to 6.0 GHz turbo
• Unlocked for overclocking
• Price: $700

Sit atop the throne with Intel‘s brand new flagship, the 13900K. It boasts both chart-topping gaming performance and incredible multi-threaded chops. So not only will Elden Ring run impeccably smooth, you can have other apps and background tasks open without worry.

From its P-core and E-core arrangement to beefy L2 cache, Intel pulled out all the stops. For the ultimate Elden Ring experience, the 13900K is untouchable. It demands heavy cooling and a premium price tag however.

GPU Recommendations for Elden Ring

Crushing Elden Ring‘s immersive world requires some equally serious pixel pushing power. Here are the best graphics cards for FromSoftware‘s epic at different budgets.

NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti

• 8GB GDDR6 VRAM
• 4864 CUDA cores
• 256-bit bus, 15 Gbps memory
• 1080p/1440p beast
• Price: $400 – $500

Our favorite price-to-performance GPU, the RTX 3060 Ti runs Elden Ring flawlessly while costing substantially less than higher-end cards. It hovers around a comfortable 60 FPS plus on maximum settings at 1080p, or ~45 FPS at demanding 1440p.

Its pair of NVENC video encoding chips make it excellent for game streaming too. For buttery smooth 1080p Elden Ring gaming under $500, the venerable 3060 Ti is untouchable value.

AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT

• 16GB GDDR6 memory
• 300W TDP
• HDMI 2.1, PCIe 4.0 support
• Price: $650 – $700

Representing AMD‘s efforts is the RX 6800 XT, built on groundbreaking RDNA2 architecture. It shreds Elden Ring without breaking a sweat, often surpassing 120 FPS at maximum settings for outrageously fluid gameplay.

And with 16 gigs of onboard memory, you‘ll have plenty of high speed bandwidth for gorgeous 4K textures or memory intensive mods down the line. At around ~$700 now, the 6800 XT brings outstanding future-proofed 4K performance.

NVIDIA RTX 4090 – World‘s Fastest GPU

• 16384 CUDA cores
• 24GB GDDR6X memory
• 450W beastly power draw
• Price: $1600+

If money is no concern and you demand an utterly ridiculous Elden Ring experience, the brand new RTX 4090 is unmatched. It delivers triple digit FPS at maximum settings even at demanding 4K resolution with all the eye candy enabled.

We‘re talking buttery gameplay measuring over 200 FPS at 1080p or 140+ FPS at 1440p in Elden Ring for high refresh rate monitor owners. This card is total overkill, but will let you utterly dominate any title for years to come without compromise. Just clear your fire hazard of a PSU!

Can a Budget or Older PC Run Elden Ring?

If words like CUDA cores and RDNA2 trigger your fight-or-flight response, no worries! Let‘s discuss what it takes to handle Elden Ring for PC gamers without thousand dollar rigs:

Targeting 30 FPS gameplay, you may actually get by dipping slightly below minimum requirements. For example pairing something like a four core Intel i3 CPU, 8GB of RAM and an entry level modern GPU like NVIDIA‘s GTX 1650 or AMD‘s RX 560.

You‘ll need to dial graphics down to low however, with compromises around draw distance and textures. Expect somewhat frequent drops below 30 FPS however in visually complex areas or boss fights.

I‘d call this the absolute floor I‘d recommend for playing Elden Ring properly. Going lower means significant visual downgrades for an already choppy experience. Instead consider:

Spending just $150 to $300 on a GPU upgrade – Even an affordable modern card like AMD‘s RX 6600 or NVIDIA‘s RTX 3050 makes a big difference. Paired with decent supporting components like 16GB RAM and a quad core CPU, you‘ll achieve smooth Medium 1080p gameplay around 45 FPS. Much better!

Targeting 1080p with a mix of Medium and High settings for 30 to 60 FPS depending on combat intensity is a sensible compromise for economic PC building. Focus budget towards the graphics card then support it with at least 16 gigs system RAM and a reasonably modern processor.

Prioritize spending for a nice graphics cards first when dealing with limited budgets rather than overspending on a CPU. An affordable modern GPU still gets you playable frame rates. Just make sure to set graphical expectations accordingly.

Game on with entry level hardware first before spending on upgrades – Elden Ring may actually still run acceptably if you temper graphical demands. Only spend more once you‘ve tested performance for yourself and deemed it unsatisfactory.

Walking the Razor‘s Edge In the Lands Between

Hopefully now you‘ve got a comprehensive overview of Elden Ring‘s demanding system requirements along with a variety of hardware recommendations that fit different budgets and gaming priorities.

While labeled as just "recommended specs", hitting 60 FPS maximum settings 1080p gaming is what I‘d truly consider the PC sweet spot. And the good news is today‘s midrange hardware delivers properly there for under $1000 total.

Of course, maximizing graphical polish with higher resolutions or chasing super high refresh rates demands further investment. Ultimately decide how much visual splendor and liquid smooth frames are worth to you before throwing money at arbitrarily extreme hardware.

Are you plotting to play Elden Ring based on what hardware you currently wield? Or is a PC upgrade in order before venturing into the fray? Let your fellow Tarnished know!