Starfield, a.k.a. ‘No Man’s Skyrim’ is set to be yet another of Bethesda Studios’ achievements in the open-world RPG field– sorry, ‘open space’ is the more appropriate term. Because in Starfield, a whole galaxy is at the mercy of your curiosity. You will need a beefy system to accommodate that much solar system, however. So we’ll be recommending the best gaming laptops for Starfield.
For reference, here are the system requirements for Starfield:
Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 version 21H1 (10.0.19043)
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, Intel Core i7-6800K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700, NVIDIA GeForce 1070 Ti
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10/11 with updates
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel i5-10600K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 125 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Required
It’s a fairly demanding game and you’ll need something like an RTX 3060 Ti which is the RTX 2080’s equivalent in terms of performance. That’s a desktop version of the RTX 3060 Ti, meaning you’ll need a higher tier of GPU for a gaming laptop since laptop graphics cards are weaker.
With that in mind, here’s our lineup of the best gaming laptops for Starfield.
Gigabyte AORUS 15
PROS
- QHD display
- Reasonable pricing
- Customizable specs (display size included)
- Current-gen hardware, good for future-proofing
- Decent brightness
CONS
- A bit thick and bulky
- Speaker could be better
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ 16:9 Thin Bezel QHD 2560×1440 165Hz
Balance is what we’re looking for when we mention the best since electronics go outdated fast so price is a bigger factor than you think. Starfield wants a borderline high-end machine, and for that, an RTX 4070 is the sweet spot.
Thanks to Gigabyte’s Aorus 15 lineup, you don’t have to spend too much for that mid-high-end machine. It also comes with a QHD display, which again, is a sweet spot that strikes the balance between FHD and 4K.
MSI Stealth 17 Studio 17.3" QHD 240Hz
PROS
- QHD
- High refresh rate
- Quiet cooling system
- 17-inch screen
- Generous RAM
- i9 processor
- Current-gen hardware, good for future-proofing
- Comes in other specifications
CONS
- Pricey
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9-13900H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
- RAM / Memory: 32GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
- Display: 17.3″ QHD 240Hz
You can’t go wrong with MSI when it comes to high-end gaming laptops. For Starfield, an RTX 4080 would be considered a premium since it’s not really that demanding. Still, this premium option sports a large screen (for a laptop) and an i9 processor.
Moreover, the RAM is more than enough even if you mod your Starfield folder to the point where it’s unrecognizable. And since it’s an MSI Stealth, it’s quiet and relatively light for a high-end gaming laptop.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
PROS
- Stylish chassis
- QHD display
- High refresh rate
- Beautiful RGB lighting implementation
- Good cooling system
CONS
- Previous-gen hardware
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: Intel Core i9 12900H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Display: 15.6” 240Hz IPS QHD Display
Previous-gen hardware is holding up well today given how much Nvidia botched their mid-range RTX 4000 series GPUs. For that matter, the RTX 3070 Ti from the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 is more than a match for Starfield.
It’s no slouch compared to other gaming laptops either. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 comes with a lovely high-refresh-rate QHD display. And since it’s Asus, you can rest assured that it will last since they’re the best when it comes to Windows laptop build quality. Based on surveys.
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Notebook
PROS
- Reasonable price
- QHD resolution
- AMD CPU is better for the battery
- Full-sized physical keyboard
CONS
- Previous-gen hardware
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB PCIe
- Display: 15.6” QHD IPS 165Hz
For a more budget-oriented RTX 3070 Ti, the Acer Nitro 5 is quite competitive. It has a less advanced and slower display than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 and comes with the weaker AMD Ryzen 7 6800H.
However, it’s still quite a match for Starfield and just about any modern video game. Despite the lower price tag, the Nitro series laptops from Acer are also sturdy with their metal bottom chassis and it actually comes with a complete and full-sized keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
When will Starfield be released?
On September 6, 2023. -
Is Starfield multiplayer?
No, sadly. Only singleplayer.