Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Shadow of the Erdtree is the expansion for Elden Ring — the base game is required to play it — and it runs on the same engine as the 2022 original, so its published system requirements are modest by modern standards. FromSoftware asks for nothing more than a GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or Radeon RX 580 4 GB at minimum and a GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56 at recommended, which means most gaming PCs built in the last several years already meet or beat the target. This guide breaks down the official PC requirements for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations for 1080p, 1440p and 4K.

How Demanding Is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

Not very — this is a mid-range-friendly action RPG, not a hardware-hungry showcase. Shadow of the Erdtree adds an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow, with perilous dungeons and new enemies, weapons and equipment, but it is built on the same engine as the base game and its official requirements have not moved far beyond it: a Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 3 3300X, 12 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB at minimum, and a Core i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600X, 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56 at recommended. In practical terms that means older budget cards handle 1080p, a current entry-level GPU such as the GeForce RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT is more than enough for 1440p, and even 4K is within reach of a strong mid-range card rather than a flagship. It is also not a CPU-heavy title — there is no large-scale simulation or hundreds of AI units here — so a modest modern six-core is plenty. The things that keep the experience smooth are enough VRAM for the expansion’s larger environments and an SSD for the constant world streaming.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Steam store listing (app 2778580), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree by Resolution

1080p

1080p is comfortably covered by almost anything from the official minimum upward. A card like the AMD Radeon RX 7600 sits well above the required GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB and will handle high settings without complaint, and current-generation entry-level options such as the GeForce RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT land in the same bracket. If you already own a GTX 1070, an RX Vega 56 or anything newer, you are at or above the recommended spec for 1080p already.

1440p

Step up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER and you have far more headroom than Shadow of the Erdtree needs. This is the resolution most PC gamers target, and this class of card is the sweet spot for it, with the current-generation GeForce RTX 5070 and Radeon RX 9070 sitting in the same tier. Because the recommended GPU is only a GTX 1070, even an RTX 3060 12 GB or RX 6600 XT-class card can drive 1440p here with a couple of settings trimmed back.

4K

4K is the one resolution where the expansion asks for real muscle, but it is still a long way from the heaviest titles on PC. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a realistic entry point for 4K, with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and Radeon RX 9070 XT as current-generation equivalents. Because the game ships without DLSS, FSR or XeSS support, plan on tuning the in-game settings — or dropping resolution slightly — rather than leaning on upscaling to carry the frame rate.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Pair your GPU with a capable processor: the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is far beyond what Shadow of the Erdtree asks for and excellent value for gaming generally, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the fastest mainstream gaming CPU if you want maximum frame rates in everything you play. Intel fans can opt for the Intel Core i5-14600K. Any of these comfortably clears the official Core i7-8700K / Ryzen 5 3600X recommendation, and you can happily keep an older six-core such as a Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400 — this game is not CPU-bound, so the processor is rarely the limiting factor. For memory, the official recommendation is 16 GB with 12 GB as the floor, so a 32 GB DDR5 kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is more than enough and leaves room for background apps and future games. Install the game on a fast NVMe SSD like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD to cut load times and reduce texture streaming stutter: the official requirement is 60 GB of available space, and an SSD noticeably shortens the waits when you move between the base game and the Land of Shadow.

Recommended PC Builds for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

1080p budget build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — well above the official recommended spec, so it runs the expansion at 1080p on high settings with room to spare.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — the setup most players should aim for; 1440p on high settings is easy work for this combination, and it will handle far heavier games too.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — enough for 4K in Shadow of the Erdtree with the in-game settings tuned, and a solid foundation for upcoming releases.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

Only if you are genuinely below the official minimum. If your graphics card is older or slower than a GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB, or you have less than 12 GB of system memory, then yes — an upgrade is worthwhile, and the graphics card delivers by far the biggest jump in gaming performance, so start there. If you already own something in the GTX 1070 / RX Vega 56 class or newer, the expansion’s requirements are low enough that you do not need new hardware for it; any upgrade you make is really about other, heavier games. A modern six-core CPU from the last several years will not hold back a mid-range GPU in this title, so you can usually keep your existing processor. Moving the game to an NVMe SSD is the cheapest upgrade that noticeably smooths out the experience, since it reduces the streaming hitches and load times that come with the Land of Shadow’s large open areas. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build for the best value.

Can You Play Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree on a Laptop or Handheld?

Gaming laptops are fine. A mobile GPU around the GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 3050 level already matches the spirit of the official recommended desktop spec at 1080p, and an RTX 4060 laptop or better will run the expansion comfortably, though expect shorter battery life and more heat than a desktop. On handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, Shadow of the Erdtree is playable once you lower the resolution and graphics settings — it is not a light indie game, but it is far from the most demanding thing you can put on a handheld. If portability matters, prioritise a device with a capable GPU and pair it with a fast microSD or SSD for storage.

How to Boost FPS in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Note first that Elden Ring and its expansion do not include DLSS, FSR, XeSS or frame generation, so there is no upscaling switch to flip here — gains come from the in-game graphics menu and, if necessary, from running at a lower resolution. Drop the most expensive settings first, such as shadow quality, lighting and volumetric effects, before lowering overall resolution. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background apps, and make sure the game is installed on an SSD so streaming hitches do not cost you frames during traversal. Because the official requirements are modest, most systems that meet the recommended spec will not need to compromise much at all, and a stable frame rate almost always feels better than chasing maxed-out visuals with stutter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

If your PC has at least a GTX 1060 3 GB or RX 580 4 GB, a Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 3 3300X, 12 GB of RAM, DirectX 12, Windows 10 or newer and 60 GB of free space, it meets the official minimum and can run the expansion at 1080p with adjusted settings. For the recommended experience, aim for a GTX 1070 or RX Vega 56, a Core i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600X and 16 GB of RAM — a spec that most modern mid-range cards clear easily.

Is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree demanding on PC?

No. It is a mid-range-friendly action RPG with modest published requirements, and a GTX 1070-class card already meets the official recommended spec.

What GPU do I need for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree at 1440p 60fps?

A NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER-class graphics card is more than enough for high-settings 1440p in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and it will hold up for years of heavier games too. You can go lower — an RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT-class card already sits above the official recommended GTX 1070 and will handle 1440p with a couple of settings reduced.

How much RAM does Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree need?

The official minimum is 12 GB and the recommended figure is 16 GB, which is also the practical target for a modern gaming PC since it leaves headroom for background apps. 8 GB falls short of the minimum and will cause stuttering.

Do I need an SSD for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

The official requirement is 60 GB of available space, and an SSD is strongly recommended — the expansion streams a large open region, so an NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro reduces load times and traversal hitches compared with a mechanical hard drive.