System requirements

For best gaming experience
while exploring Star Citizen

I would like to remind you that it is not advisable to set up a specific configuration for Star Citizen while the game is still in its Alpha phase, especially since such a configuration can quickly become obsolete. However, if you are considering purchasing a new PC or upgrading your current PC and would like to take advantage of the Alpha version, please find below the minimum and recommended specifications provided by CIG.

The "minimum" configuration should allow you to run the game, but it is very demanding and may quickly prove to be limited. I recommend that you aim for the "recommended" configuration for the best experience.

For example, 16 GB of RAM is the "vital" minimum to run the game, but it is better to consider 32 GB.

As with the GPU, it is better to opt for a card with 6 or even 8 GB of VRAM.

SSD support has long been recommended, and today it is a prerequisite. The game continues to grow in size, and while 80 GB used to be sufficient, it is now necessary to have 150 GB of free space, or even double that if you plan to use PTU in addition to LIVE (note that PTU and LIVE can be installed on different drives if necessary).

Some will tell you that it is advisable to place the game on a different medium from the operating system, but this is not an exact science. You will probably find plenty of advice online on how to optimize the game and the hardware configuration to use.

For example, personally, I struggled with a performance issue on the game for several years. It was an increasingly frequent problem that greatly affected the gaming experience, as it took the form of freezes lasting from a few microseconds to several seconds, making FPS gameplay impossible, as well as certain actions in the ship.

From simply tweaking settings to replacing hardware, I tried everything, even completely changing my configuration, without ever being able to get rid of the problem. Nothing was more frustrating than launching the game on a brand new configuration and finding that the bug was still there. The only thing I had never changed was the operating system. Although it was continuously updated, I had stayed with Windows 10. The day I decided to switch to Windows 11, the problem miraculously disappeared...

What are the minimum requirements to play Star Citizen?

Star Citizen requires a 64-bit processor and operating system, and is not available for macOS or Linux.

Star Citizen requires a computer capable of executing AVX, AVX2, and FMA3 instructions, as indicated below in the processor requirements.

Star Citizen requires a GPU with at least 4 GB of VRAM and a driver that supports Direct3D 11.1 and Vulkan 1.2.

Graphics drivers must be updated to the latest versions to ensure optimal support.

Minimum requirements:

  • Windows 10 (Latest Service Pack)
  • Quad Core CPU, Intel i7 Haswell or later, AMD Excavator or later
  • DirectX 11.1 compatible graphics card with 4 GB VRam
  • 16+ GB of RAM
  • 150+ GB free storage on SSD media

I would like to remind you that a so-called "minimum" configuration allows you to launch the game, but does not guarantee its stability. Such a configuration may experience various issues such as crashes, slowdowns, and other bugs caused by hardware performance, not the game itself. Just because your configuration can run the latest Battlefield or Arc Raider at maximum settings does not mean it will be able to run Star Citizen. The latter is still in Alpha, and even though it is improving over time, it is still not optimized.

What are the recommended requirements to play Star Citizen?

For the best gaming experience while exploring the 'verse, players are advised to have systems that meet or exceed the specifications below.

Recommended requirements:

  • Windows 11
  • Quad/Eight Core CPU, Intel i7 Haswell or later, AMD Ryzen 5 or later
  • DirectX 12 compatible graphics card with 8+ GB VRam
  • 32+ GB of RAM, DDR4
  • 150+ GB free storage on SSD media

As an example, please find my current configuration below.
As explained at the beginning, I would like to point out that this configuration had performance issues in games until I decided to switch from Windows 10 to 11.

My configuration:

Where can I find Star Citizen Telemetry?

CIG offers a tool that players can use to get a rough estimate of performance for most system configurations so they can get an idea of what to expect. It's called the Telemetry Dashboard and can be accessed directly from the Roberts Space Industries website.

Keep in mind that each system is unique and your performance may vary based on a number of factors that cannot be accounted for by this tool.

Support for DirectX 11.1

DirectX is related to graphics, and therefore requires video cards that can support it. Most modern video cards released in the last few years can use this feature set. If you are not sure if your computer configuration allows it, check the specifications with your video card manufacturer. Below are some links to help you in your search:

The specifications to search for are "DirectX 3D 11.1", with the use of feature set 11_1.

What does DirectX 11.1 mean for Star Citizen players?

DirectX version 11.1 is not compatible with the Windows 7 operating system (OS), which some gamers still use for some reason. Microsoft officially ended support for the Windows 7 operating system on January 14, 2020. For more information on what this means, please read the related article on Microsoft's website.

Although the game has been able to run in a Windows 7 operating environment until now, the Alpha 3.17: Fueling Fortunes patch will render the game unable to run on systems that still use this OS due to the new DirectX 11.1 requirement. The same will be true for players on systems using graphics cards that are too old and cannot support DirectX 11.1 or higher. This will result in an error message on these systems that will prevent the game from launching.

Because this is an operating system/hardware conflict, CIG Technical Support will not be able to assist players having difficulty running the game until they upgrade their hardware to a newer Windows configuration that is compatible with a compliant graphics card.

While upgrading a graphics card is no small feat these days, operating system upgrades can be purchased directly from Microsoft or other computer software retailers that service your area. As with any software purchase, make sure your computer can run it before you buy it.

If you have questions about upgrading your operating system, contact Microsoft support for assistance.

What about Reshade and Star Citizen?

Currently, the third-party tool program Reshade is causing problems for players in the Alpha 3.17: Fueling Fortunes patch. When using this program, the game can sometimes incorrectly register that your video card and system are not compatible, preventing a player from entering the game.

If you are currently using this program to improve the visual appearance of the game, it is recommended that you disable or uninstall it until the conflict is resolved if you encounter this error. There are reports that renaming the Reshade d3d11.dll file to dxgi.dll before copying it to the StarCitizen/Live/Bin64 folder may fix this issue. However, if this fails, it is recommended to disable or uninstall the program.

If the error messages persist after disabling the program and your system meets all specifications, please report it through the Issue Council for investigation.

Notes & References

List of Star Citizen Ships and Vehicles List of Star Citizen Ships and Vehicles
Star Citizen Referral Code Star Citizen Referral Code
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