Elite Dangerous System Requirements
Elite Dangerous, released Apr 2, 2015, is an action / adventure game from Frontier Developments. Its recommended spec points at NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 graphics with an Intel Core i7-3770K-class CPU; below we translate that into parts you can actually buy today.
Official System Requirements
The minimum specs for Elite Dangerous call for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470-class graphics, 6 GB of RAM and 25 GB of storage.
The recommended specs for Elite Dangerous call for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770-class graphics, Intel Core i7-3770K-class processor, 8 GB of RAM and 25 GB of storage.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Quad Core CPU (4 x 2Ghz | Intel Core i7-3770K |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 |
| RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 25 GB | 25 GB |
Original published requirement text
Minimum: Minimum:
Recommended: Recommended:
Best GPU for Elite Dangerous
Full GPU guide →Elite Dangerous's stated graphics card is roughly NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 level. The current sweet spot is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT, with cheaper and faster options either side.
Budget
Intel Arc B570
~$220Intel Arc B570 is the cheapest current card that clears this game's recommended bar with 10GB VRAM. Fine for 1080p.
Other options at this level
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Recommended
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT
~$350AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT adds headroom with 16GB VRAM - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.
Other options at this level
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Performance
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti
~$430NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti leaves plenty of margin with 16GB VRAM for higher resolutions and frame rates.
Other options at this level
Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Best CPU for Elite Dangerous
Full CPU guide →Elite Dangerous's stated processor is roughly Intel Core i7-3770K level. The current sweet spot is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500, with cheaper and faster options either side.
Budget
Intel Core i3-14100F
~$110Intel Core i3-14100F is the cheapest current chip that clears this game's recommended bar. Fine for 1080p.
Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Recommended
AMD Ryzen 5 5500
~$80AMD Ryzen 5 5500 adds headroom - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.
Other options at this level
Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Performance
AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT
~$125AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT leaves plenty of margin for higher resolutions and frame rates.
Other options at this level
Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Recommended PC build for Elite Dangerous
Full build guide →Want the whole tower speced out? Our Elite Dangerous build guide pairs these CPU and GPU picks with RAM, motherboard, SSD, PSU and case at budget, recommended and performance tiers, with an approximate total.
Can these parts run Elite Dangerous?
- Can the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT run Elite Dangerous?
- Yes. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is well ahead of Elite Dangerous's NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.
- Can the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 run Elite Dangerous?
- Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is well ahead of Elite Dangerous's Intel Core i7-3770K target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.
FAQ
- What is the cheapest GPU for Elite Dangerous?
- Intel Arc B570 - Intel Arc B570 is the cheapest current card that clears this game's recommended bar with 10GB VRAM. Fine for 1080p.
- Which CPU should I get for Elite Dangerous?
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500 - AMD Ryzen 5 5500 adds headroom - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.
- How much RAM does Elite Dangerous need?
- Elite Dangerous lists 8 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.
- Is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 still enough for Elite Dangerous?
- It matches the game's stated target, so it will run, but it is an older part. A current card in the budget tier above gives you driver support and better efficiency for a similar outlay.