Can My PC Run The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition?
System Requirements Checker
NVIDIA GTX 470 minimum, NVIDIA GTX 780 recommended. Check your own parts below.
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition system requirements
Minimum requirements
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-750 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 470 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Storage | 12 GB available space |
Recommended requirements
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2400 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 780 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Storage | 12 GB available space |
Requirements are transcribed from the publisher's published specification and have not been re-checked against the current store listing.
About running The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Released in 2016, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is one of the easier titles here to get running on an older or budget machine. It sits in the RPG category. Officially it wants at least NVIDIA GTX 470 alongside Intel Core i5-750, and recommends NVIDIA GTX 780 with Intel Core i5-2400. It asks for 8 GB of memory either way, plus about 12 GB of free disk space. Frame rates here are usually limited by background software long before the graphics card runs out of room.
How to improve The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition performance
- Close what you're not using. Browsers, chat apps and launchers sit on RAM and CPU while The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition runs. On a machine near the minimum this is usually the single biggest win available.
- Check your actual refresh rate and resolution. Running below your monitor's native resolution costs less than most people expect; running above your refresh rate buys nothing at all.
- Update the graphics driver. New releases routinely ship driver-side fixes. For a 2016 title on an older card this can be the difference between stutter and smooth.
- Put the game on an SSD. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition wants about 12 GB. On a mechanical drive the frame rate may be fine while texture pop-in and load times are not.
- Free the memory before you launch. Windows accumulates background services that never give memory back. FixKon clears them out in one pass, which matters most when you're on 8–8 GB.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition requirements FAQ
- What are the minimum requirements for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition?
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition lists Intel Core i5-750 or equivalent, NVIDIA GTX 470, 8 GB of RAM and about 12 GB of storage on Windows 10 64-bit.
- Can I run The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition on a NVIDIA GTX 470?
- NVIDIA GTX 470 is the published minimum graphics card, so it should start and run — at low settings, at 1080p, and with frame dips in heavy scenes. The recommended card is NVIDIA GTX 780.
- How much RAM does The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition need?
- 8 GB covers both the minimum and the recommended spec. Having more will not add frames, but it does leave room for everything else Windows is running.
- Will The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition run better if I close background apps?
- Usually yes, and most on a PC near the minimum spec. Background processes compete for the same CPU time and memory the game needs. This is what FixKon automates.