The Elder Scrolls Online Season One: PC requirements and which GPUs run it

The Elder Scrolls Online has started its Season One. Update 51 arrived on September 28 with the new Rumors system and the Nowhere Vault, a puzzle-driven PvE experience for solo or group play. Today, September 30, the High Seas of Tamriel event also kicks off, running until October 14. If you are thinking about returning to Tamriel or jumping in for the first time, the good news is that the PC requirements are still modest, and we checked them against the most common graphics cards.

The Elder Scrolls Online PC requirements

Here are the official Windows requirements from the Steam store page:

The CPU is the same in both columns, so the gap between minimum and recommended comes down to the graphics card and RAM. The heaviest ask is storage: 150 GB. And since this is an MMO, you also need a broadband connection.

Which GPUs run it

Every card on our reference list clears the minimum. Grades are measured against the recommended requirement, with 16 GB of RAM:

• GTX 1650: clears the minimum but falls short of the recommended. It grades C (Tight), so it runs, with less headroom.
• RX 580: meets the recommended, grading B (Solid).
• RTX 3050: sits above the recommended, grading A (Smooth).
• RTX 4060: has plenty to spare, grading S (Overkill).

The Steam listing itself did not change: it still asks for a GeForce 560 or Radeon 6870 at minimum and a GTX 970 or RX 570 for recommended. What we did adjust on canirun is the score we use to measure the minimum GPU, which dropped from 2,500 to 1,200. The recommended stays at 8,600, so grades do not move. The only difference is that a card scoring between those two values now shows as clearing the minimum.

What about Steam Deck or Mac?

Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck. On canirun, measured against the recommended requirement, the Deck grades D: it clears the minimum but sits between minimum and recommended, so expect little headroom. The details are on the game’s Steam Deck page.

There is a Mac version too. It asks for macOS High Sierra 10.13, an Intel Core i5 at minimum or an Intel i7 for recommended, 4 GB of RAM in both cases, AMD Radeon graphics and the same 150 GB. There is no Linux version. If you play on a Mac, see what else runs on your machine.

Can your PC run The Elder Scrolls Online?

Here is how your setup grades against ESO, Skyrim Special Edition and Oblivion Remastered:

Game	Rec. GPU score	Rec. RAM	Min. RAM	Your PC
The Elder Scrolls® Online	8,600	8 GB	4 GB	?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition	7,650	8 GB	8 GB	?
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered	18,050	32 GB	16 GB	?

On the full game page you can see your grade with your own GPU and RAM, plus which upgrade helps most if you fall short.

Sources: The Elder Scrolls Online on Steam, Steam: High Seas of Tamriel, Steam: Rumors system, Steam: Nowhere Vault