Optimize the new project from Bethesda and enjoy great graphics with special settings that are suitable for weak, medium and powerful machines
In Starfield , as in any modern game, users can customize the graphics to their taste or use ready-made presets. We studied each parameter and identified the best performance settings in the game that are suitable for owners of any hardware.
Trailer
Unlike Fallout 4 and Skyrim, Starfield is developed on the Creation Engine 2. Improvements in the graphics architecture, as well as hardware developments, allowed Bethesda to get the most out of the engine. Thanks to the huge number of planets, exploration of the game will be extensive and exciting. Every user will definitely want to adjust the graphics settings to get the most out of the game.
What kind of computer is needed for Starfield (system requirements)
Before you purchase the game and set out to explore thousands of planets in Starfield, it is recommended that you carefully review the system requirements. If your assembly does not meet at least the minimum stated requirements, then no performance settings will save you.
Minimum system requirements
- Operating system:Windows 10 version 21H1 (10.0.19043) or higher.
- Processor:AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K.
- RAM:16 GB RAM
- Video card:AMD Radeon RX 5700 or NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti.
- DirectX:version 12.
- Free space:125 GB.
- Optional:Requires a solid state drive (SSD).
The minimum requirements allow you to determine whether your game will run in FullHD resolution (1080p) at 30 stable FPS and only with FSR 2.0 scaling enabled. With upscaling disabled, you will need a much more powerful system to maintain stable frame rates.
To play Starfield comfortably, you will also need a solid state drive (SSD). When playing on a standard hard drive (HDD), you will encounter lengthy loading and loading times for locations. And considering how large the open world is in Starfield, this could be a major problem for gamers.
The game requires at least a six-core processor, but experts who have conducted various tests recommend using an eight-core one. This is due to the fact that in densely populated areas, Starfield heavily uses processor resources.
Recommended System Requirements
- Operating system:Windows 10/11 version 21H1 (10.0.19043) or higher.
- Processor:AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or Intel i5-10600K.
- RAM:16 GB RAM
- Video card:AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080.
- DirectX:version 12.
- Free space:125 GB.
- Optional:Requires a solid state drive (SSD).
What kind of video card is needed to play Starfield comfortably?
Tests show that to maintain 60fps without FSR 2 enabled you will need an RTX 3070 Ti graphics card . The RX 6700 XT is also a viable option, although some graphics settings may need to be adjusted. At resolutions up to 1440p (2K), the RTX 4070 and RTX 3080 deliver around 60 FPS, with the RX 6950 XT comfortably exceeding that mark.
When gaming at 2160p (4K), even high-end GPUs like the RX 7900 XTX and RTX 4080 struggle to maintain 60 FPS without FSR 2. Only the RTX 4090 allows you to enjoy Starfield in 4K at ultra.
How much video memory does Starfield need?
Problems with the amount of video memory consumed are widespread among all modern games, but during the tests we were able to verify that Starfield does not have them. Even in high resolution (4K) with additional options enabled, the game does not consume more than 8 GB of video memory. Based on this, we can conclude that 8 GB will be enough to enjoy the new project from Bethesda.
Additionally, we couldn’t detect any serious stuttering or stuttering using graphics cards with 8GB of VRAM, which has been an issue in some recent releases like Resident Evil 4 and Hogwarts Legacy.
Is there NVIDIA DLSS technology in Starfield
Even before the launch of the project, it became known that NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology would not be included in Starfield. This is due to the fact that AMD is the exclusive partner of the game for PC, but the company has stated that the technology may be implemented in the future.
Best graphics settings to optimize FPS and performance
The parameters presented below are relevant for all builds that meet the minimum Starfield system requirements.
Monitor & Resolution
- Borderless Full Screen:This will give you the best performance since windowed mode limits the game’s performance and image quality.
- Window Size:User selectable.
- Dynamic Resolution:If you have a weak PC, you can leave this option enabled to improve frame rates but degrade overall visuals. The setting may cause problems in some games as it switches between partial resolutions.
- Render Resolution Scale:75%. If the game produces low FPS when setting the settings, it is recommended to lower the rendering resolution.
- Graphics Preset:
Graphics Settings
- Shadow Quality:If you are trying to achieve high and stable frame rates, the first thing to do is disable or lower the setting. On weaker builds, you can abandon shadows altogether – this will greatly improve overall performance.
- Indirect Lighting:You can set a low value similar to the previous parameter.
- Reflections:
- Particle Quality:Owners of powerful builds are advised to set this to a high value. The sci-fi game has particle effects all over the place and it really adds to the atmosphere.
- Volumetric Lighting:If possible, set it to High for the best lighting.
- Crowd Density:The higher the crowd density, the more realistic the cities look. However, as the setting increases, performance may decrease in cities with high population densities, so you may want to lower this setting.
Extra Effects
- Motion Blur:On GTX 1650 or lower graphics card models, it is recommended to disable this option.
- GTAO Quality:
- Grass Quality:You can reduce this setting to improve overall performance.
- Contact Shadows:The setting has little effect on performance, so you can set the value to your taste.
- VSync:Enable (On if you do not have a monitor/display that supports VRR or G-Sync).
- Upscaling:FSR2 (if you have a compatible GPU). This allows the game to render at a lower resolution and then use artificial intelligence to scale up and significantly improve performance. FSR 2.0 is not as good as DLSS, especially if you are using an NVIDIA graphics card. Typically, turning this option off will give you the best graphics quality. However, it is recommended to test the game on different values. If you don’t notice any difference in quality, feel free to use FSR2 for better performance.
- Sharpening:
- VRS:On (Vkl).
- Film Grain Intensity:
There are still some nuances that need to be specified. For example, the Crowd Density setting at its maximum value uses a large amount of processor resources. If you are using a weak CPU, be sure to lower or disable the setting.
The biggest performance improvements in Starfield come from Shadow Quality , Volumetric Lighting , GTAO Quality, and Contact Shadows , so these are the settings you should use first to optimize your gameplay . Motion Blur also has a decent impact on performance, so disable it if your frame rate is below 60.
The best graphics settings for high picture quality
The parameters presented below are relevant for all builds that meet the recommended Starfield system requirements.
Monitor & Resolution
- Borderless Full Screen:
- Window Size:User selectable.
- Dynamic Resolution:
- Render Resolution Scale:100% or higher.
- Graphics Preset:
Graphics Settings
- Shadow Quality:The setting will have a big impact on performance, but it can produce incredibly beautiful images.
- Indirect Lighting:As with shadow quality, indirect lighting consumes a significant portion of your system’s resources.
- Reflections:
- Particle Quality:Particles really make the game more atmospheric, so set it to high.
- Volumetric Lighting:If possible, set it to the maximum setting for the best lighting.
- Crowd Density:The higher the crowd density, the more realistic the cities look. However, as the setting increases, performance may decrease in cities with high population densities, so you may want to lower this setting.
Extra Effects
- Motion Blur:We recommend disabling the setting as this will affect the overall frame rate.
- GTAO Quality:
- Grass Quality:
- Contact Shadows:
- VSync:Enable (On if you do not have a monitor/display that supports VRR or G-Sync).
- Upscaling:FSR2 (if you have a compatible GPU).
- Sharpening:
- VRS:On (Vkl).
- Film Grain Intensity:
Additional productivity tips
There are a few more tweaks and changes to general Windows and NVIDIA settings that can improve frame rates and performance. We hope this will reduce some problems:
- Enable Performance Mode in the NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Turn off the XBOX Game Bar and HDR mode if you use them.
- Disable your antivirus or add Starfield to your antivirus software exceptions.
- Disable unwanted applications from running from the task manager or end background processes.
Also, if you want to increase frame rate and performance in Starfield by making changes to the game, you can disable windowed full screen mode and enable scaling.
These parameters will allow owners of any PC to fully enjoy the game. However, we note that the project is quite “heavy” in terms of graphics, even for top-end hardware – running Starfield at maximum settings in high resolution, while achieving a high frame rate is almost impossible.