Baldur’s Gate 3 System Requirements
Baldur’s Gate 3 has official system requirements for both Windows and Mac. The minimum requirements are very reasonable, requiring only an Nvidia GTX 970 (an 8-year-old graphics card) and an Intel Core i5-4690. Both were mid-range parts nearly a decade ago, meaning a wide range of budget gaming PCs will be able to play the game with ease.
Minimum System Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4690 / AMD FX 8350
- RAM: 8GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 480
- Storage: 150GB (SSD required)
The only requirement that might be a hurdle for older budget builds is the need for an SSD. However, with the affordable prices of SSDs these days, it shouldn’t be too difficult to upgrade your PC with one.
The recommended specs are more demanding, but even these are tame for 2023. Larian recommends an Nvidia RTX 2060 Super or an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT for graphics and an Intel 8700K for CPU. Both are older components, and current-gen equivalents are very affordable. For example, you can get comparable CPU performance from an Intel Core i5-13600K and similar GPU performance from an Nvidia RTX 3050.
Recommended System Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
- Storage: 150GB (SSD required)
Baldur’s Gate 3 will also run on the best MacBooks, but you’ll need a powerful machine to handle it. The developers recommend a MacBook Pro 15 (2016) with an AMD Radeon 460 as the minimum. For recommended specs, you’ll need either a MacBook Pro 16 (2019) or a MacBook with an M1 chip and 16GB of RAM.
The Best PC for Baldur’s Gate 3
The recommended system requirements are ideal for playing Baldur’s Gate 3 at 1080p. But, since those components are discontinued, you’ll need equivalent performance from current-gen hardware. This guide will outline the best PC components to build a system capable of running Baldur’s Gate 3 smoothly at either 1080p or 1440p resolution.
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The Nvidia RTX 3060 is the closest current-gen graphics card to the RTX 2060 Super in terms of performance. Since the RTX 3060 is being replaced by the RTX 4060, you can find it at a good price, making it a great choice for 1080p gaming.
MSI Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT
For those who prefer AMD, the Radeon RX 6600 XT offers comparable performance to the RTX 3060 at a slightly lower price point, making it an attractive option for 1080p gaming.
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming OC 8G
If you want to play at 1440p, you’ll need a more powerful graphics card. The Nvidia RTX 3070 provides the necessary performance and is a great choice if you can find it in stock.
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition
If you can’t find an RTX 3070, the RTX 4060 Ti offers similar performance and is a good alternative for 1440p gaming.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Larian recommends an Intel Core i7-8700K, but you can get comparable performance from the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X. It’s a six-core, 12-thread processor with a boost clock of 4.6GHz, offering excellent performance at an affordable price.
Corsair VENGEANCE LPX DDR4 16GB
For smooth gaming, you’ll need 16GB of DDR4 RAM. This Corsair VENGEANCE LPX kit is a reliable choice and comes at an attractive price point.
MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
A B550 motherboard provides the necessary features and compatibility for your chosen CPU and other components. The MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 is a solid choice, offering a good balance of features and value.
Samsung 870 Evo SATA SSD 250GB
To ensure fast loading times, you’ll want to install Baldur’s Gate 3 on an SSD. The Samsung 870 Evo is a reliable and affordable option, offering good performance at a reasonable price.
MSI MPG A850G power supply
For a PC build with the components mentioned above, a 700W power supply is sufficient. This MSI MPG A850G offers enough power and supports PCIe 5.0, ensuring compatibility with modern graphics cards.
Should You Play Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is designed for PC first, even with the PS5 release coming a month later. It will likely look and control better on PC, especially if you have the hardware to push the graphics settings to their maximum. While the game will be playable with a controller, Larian Studios hasn’t added controller support for the PC version of the Early Access build. As such, it is likely to be best enjoyed using a keyboard and mouse.
Additionally, the game is releasing a month earlier on PC (August 3rd) compared to the PS5 release (September 6th). If you’re excited to dive into this massive RPG, building a gaming PC will give you a head start.
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