Can I Run Skyrim Special Edition on My PC / Laptop?
RPG. by Bethesda Game Studios.
Check if your PC can run Skyrim Special Edition
Pick your graphics card and processor to check.
Can I run Skyrim Special Edition on my PC?
Use the checker above to find out in seconds. Pick your graphics card and processor and it compares them against Skyrim Special Edition's official requirements. As a quick guide, you need at least a NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB graphics card, a Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945 processor, and 8 GB RAM of RAM to play at 1080p.
Can I run Skyrim Special Edition on my laptop?
Yes, if your laptop has a dedicated graphics card around a NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB or better and 8 GB RAM of RAM. Laptops with only integrated graphics usually fall short. Enter your laptop's GPU in the tool above to check. Keep in mind that the laptop version of a card runs a little slower than the desktop card of the same name, and heat can lower sustained frame rates.
To run Skyrim Special Edition you need at least a NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB graphics card, a Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945 processor, and 8 GB RAM. Use the checker above to see whether your PC or laptop clears the bar, then check the full requirements below.
Skyrim Special Edition system requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (CPU) | Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945 | Intel i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 |
| Graphics card (GPU) | NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB | NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB /AMD R9 290 4GB |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| DirectX | 11 | 11 |
| Storage | 12 GB available space | 12 GB available space |
Storage: 12 GB available space
Can these graphics cards run Skyrim Special Edition?
| Graphics card | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GTX 1050 Ti | Playable | Clears the minimum. Good for 1080p on low to medium, better with upscaling on. |
| GTX 1650 | Playable | Clears the minimum. Good for 1080p on low to medium, better with upscaling on. |
| RX 570 | Playable | Clears the minimum. Good for 1080p on low to medium, better with upscaling on. |
| RX 580 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| GTX 1060 6GB | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| GTX 1650 Super | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| GTX 1660 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| GTX 1660 Super | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 3050 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| GTX 1660 Ti | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RX 6600 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 2060 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 4050 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| Arc A750 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 3060 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RX 6600 XT | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RX 7600 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RX 6700 XT | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 4060 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 3060 Ti | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 3070 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
| RTX 4070 | Runs well | At or above the recommended card. Comfortable at 1080p high, and 1440p is realistic. |
Can I run Skyrim Special Edition? Your questions answered
Pick your graphics card and processor in the checker above and it compares them to Skyrim Special Edition's requirements. As a guide, you need at least a NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB, a Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945, and 8 GB RAM.
The minimum is a Intel i5-750/AMD Phenom II X4-945 processor, a NVIDIA GTX 470 1GB /AMD HD 7870 2GB graphics card, and 8 GB RAM. The full minimum and recommended specs are in the table above.
For a smoother experience Skyrim Special Edition recommends a Intel i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 processor, a NVIDIA GTX 780 3GB /AMD R9 290 4GB graphics card, and 8 GB RAM.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 3050 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes. The GTX 1650 clears Skyrim Special Edition's minimum. Expect 1080p on low to medium settings, and turning on DLSS or FSR gives a smoother frame rate.
Yes, comfortably. The GTX 1060 6GB is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RX 580 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 4060 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 3060 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 2060 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The GTX 1660 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The GTX 1660 Super is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RX 6600 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The GTX 1660 Ti is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 3060 Ti is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 4050 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Yes. The GTX 1050 Ti clears Skyrim Special Edition's minimum. Expect 1080p on low to medium settings, and turning on DLSS or FSR gives a smoother frame rate.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 4070 is at or above Skyrim Special Edition's recommended graphics card, so you can play 1080p on high settings and 1440p is realistic.
Want to check another build? Use our bottleneck calculator to match your CPU and GPU, or the PSU calculator to size your power supply.