Stellaris: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing Stellaris on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Stellaris is a grand space-strategy game released on May 9, 2016, and its official requirements are remarkably modest: 4 GB of RAM, 10 GB of storage, and graphics hardware from around 2010. The catch is the late game — large galaxies filled with AI empires become heavily CPU-bound as the simulation works through fleets, populations and diplomacy every tick, so the processor and memory matter far more than the graphics card. This guide breaks down the official requirements for Stellaris, the best GPU for each resolution, and build recommendations for 1080p, 1440p and 4K.

How Demanding Is Stellaris?

Not very. Stellaris is a light game by modern standards — its official minimum graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5870, both launched in 2010, and the minimum list even accepts integrated options such as AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and Intel HD Graphics 4600. The recommended GPU, a GTX 560 Ti or R7 370, is similarly old. Any graphics card you can buy new today clears that bar with room to spare, and even a modest laptop with modern integrated graphics can run the game. Where Stellaris does get heavy is the CPU: as a galaxy fills up with empires, populations, fleets and trade routes, the monthly simulation tick takes longer to resolve, and the late game slows down on weaker processors regardless of which GPU you own. Memory and storage are just as undemanding, at 4 GB and 10 GB respectively for both the minimum and recommended tiers. Plan your build around a fast CPU and a modest GPU rather than the other way round.

Stellaris Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official Stellaris Steam store listing (app 281990), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for Stellaris by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p, Stellaris runs well on almost anything. The officially recommended card, a GTX 560 Ti or R7 370, is more than a decade old, so a modern entry-level GPU such as the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is far beyond what the game needs — it will handle 1080p with every graphics option turned up, and it leaves plenty of headroom for other games. Cheaper current cards such as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 or an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT do the same job, and older hardware like a GTX 1060, RX 580 or even a GTX 750 Ti comfortably beats the official minimum. If you already own a dedicated graphics card from the past several generations, you do not need a new one for Stellaris at 1080p.

1440p

1440p raises the pixel count, but Stellaris is a strategy game with a largely static camera and a map-and-menu presentation, so it is far less punishing than a 3D action game at the same resolution. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 and its current-generation equivalents — an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 or an AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT — are comfortable here, and even an older GTX 1060 or RX 580 will run 1440p at reduced settings. There is no reason to buy a high-end GPU for Stellaris at this resolution; the money is better spent on the processor.

4K

4K is the one resolution where a little GPU headroom helps, mostly because of the interface and map rendering, but Stellaris is still a light load at 4K. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 named here is already more than the game needs, and current cards such as the RTX 5060, RTX 5070, RX 9060 XT or RX 9070 will run Stellaris at 4K without difficulty — upscaling is optional rather than required. Older mid-range cards in the GTX 1660 or RX 580 class also cope with 4K at modest settings, which is the opposite of the situation with a modern AAA release.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Stellaris

The CPU is where Stellaris actually rewards spending. The official recommended processor, an Intel Core i5-3570K or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G, is enough to get the game running, but the late-game simulation in a large galaxy scales with single-core performance and cache, so a modern chip pays off in faster turn processing and smoother high-speed play. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is more than enough for a comfortable experience, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the fastest mainstream choice for the big-galaxy late game thanks to its large cache. Intel fans can opt for the Intel Core i5-14600K or a comparable current chip. For memory, the game officially asks for just 4 GB, so 8 GB is plenty and 16 GB is comfortable headroom for the operating system, a browser and mods — the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB kit listed here is far more than Stellaris itself will ever use. Storage needs are equally modest: the game occupies 10 GB, so any SSD will hold it. An NVMe drive such as the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD will trim loading times, but a basic SATA SSD is already a big improvement over a mechanical hard drive.

Recommended PC Builds for Stellaris

1080p budget build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 8–16 GB DDR5 — comfortably above the official requirements and enough for maxed-out 1080p in Stellaris with headroom left over for other games.

1440p sweet-spot build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — the X3D chip is the part that genuinely matters here, keeping late-game turns quick in large galaxies.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 16–32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — enough for 4K, though the GPU will be doing far less work in Stellaris than the CPU.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Stellaris?

The upgrade calculus for Stellaris is unusual. The graphics card is almost never the limiting factor, because the official minimum is a 2010-era GPU and the recommended card is a GTX 560 Ti, so if Stellaris is your main game, spend on the CPU first — a modern processor with strong single-core performance and a large cache makes the biggest difference to late-game turn times and to how smoothly the simulation runs at high speed. Going from 4 GB to 8 or 16 GB of RAM is a cheap and worthwhile upgrade if your machine is memory-starved, and moving the install to an SSD trims loading times. A new GPU only makes sense if you also play more demanding titles. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build for the best value.

Can You Play Stellaris on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes, and easily. Stellaris is one of the better fits for portable play, since the official minimum list includes integrated graphics such as AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and Intel HD Graphics 4600. A gaming laptop with an RTX 4060-class mobile GPU is far more than the game needs and will run it at 1080p with settings turned up; even a thin-and-light with modern integrated graphics can handle it at lower settings, though the late-game simulation will be slower on a low-power CPU. On handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, the game runs comfortably, and the pause-and-plan pacing of a grand strategy title suits a small screen well. Storage is a non-issue at 10 GB, though an SSD is still preferable to a microSD card for load times.

How to Boost FPS in Stellaris

Because Stellaris is far more CPU-bound than GPU-bound, the usual graphics-first tuning advice only goes so far. There is no upscaling or frame-generation feature to lean on here, so if the late game feels sluggish, the most effective changes are made when you start a new game: a smaller galaxy, fewer AI empires, fewer habitable worlds and a lower difficulty all reduce the amount of work the simulation has to do each tick. Within a running game, lowering the graphics quality preset will help if you are genuinely GPU-limited on older integrated graphics, but it will not speed up turn processing. Beyond that, keep your graphics drivers up to date, close background applications, and install the game on an SSD rather than a mechanical drive to shorten loading times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Stellaris?

Almost certainly. The official minimum is an Intel Core i3-530 or AMD FX-6350, 4 GB of RAM, 10 GB of storage, and a GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon HD 5870 — or integrated graphics such as AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 or Intel HD Graphics 4600. Virtually any desktop or laptop with a dedicated graphics card from the last few generations, and most with modern integrated graphics, clears that bar. For a smoother late game, aim for the recommended CPU class or better and 8 GB of RAM.

Is Stellaris demanding on PC?

No. Stellaris is a light game — its official requirements list a 2010-era graphics card and just 4 GB of RAM, and integrated graphics are enough to meet the minimum. The only genuinely demanding part is the CPU-bound late-game simulation, where large galaxies with many empires slow down on older processors.

What GPU do I need for Stellaris at 1440p 60fps?

Very little, because Stellaris is not a GPU-heavy game. A AMD Radeon RX 7600-class card is far more than 1440p needs — older cards like the GTX 1060 or RX 580, and modern options such as the RTX 5060 or RX 9060 XT, are all comfortable at 1440p. If you want a consistently smooth 1440p experience, the more important component is the CPU, since late-game performance depends on it.

How much RAM does Stellaris need?

Officially, 4 GB — the same figure for both minimum and recommended. In practice 8 GB is a sensible baseline so the operating system, a browser and other background apps have room alongside the game, and 16 GB is comfortable headroom if you run a lot of mods or keep many applications open. Faster DDR5 memory helps a little in CPU-limited situations, but capacity beyond 16 GB makes no difference to Stellaris.

Do I need an SSD for Stellaris?

Not strictly — the game only needs 10 GB of free space — but an SSD is still worthwhile. It shortens initial load times and saves, and it makes the whole system feel snappier. An NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is far more than Stellaris requires, but it is a solid general-purpose choice.