Quick answer
RSI lists 16 GB of RAM as the minimum, recommends 32 GB of DDR4 RAM and requires an SSD with at least 150 GB of free storage. Meeting the minimum specifications only indicates that Star Citizen should run; it does not guarantee a particular frame rate.
Official system requirements compared
| Category | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (Latest Service Pack) | Windows 10 (Latest Service Pack) / Windows 11 |
| Processor | Quad-core CPU – Intel i7 (Haswell or later) or AMD Excavator or later | Quad-core or eight-core CPU – Intel i7 (Haswell or later) or AMD Ryzen 5 or later |
| Graphics card | DirectX 11.1-compatible graphics card with 4 GB VRAM | DirectX 12-compatible graphics card with 8 GB VRAM |
| Memory | 16 GB | 32 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 150+ GB SSD required | 150+ GB SSD required |
What do the values mean for beginners?
The official minimum is 16 GB of RAM, but RSI recommends 32 GB of DDR4 RAM for a more comfortable overall experience. CPU, GPU, memory, drivers and server conditions all affect performance, so one strong component cannot guarantee a particular result.
An SSD is explicitly required. Allow extra free space for updates, and note that Star Citizen also requires a 64-bit processor, a 64-bit operating system and the CPU instruction sets specified by RSI.
RSI does not list Star Citizen as supporting macOS or Linux. The official requirements may change as development continues.
RSI Telemetry as a rough guide
The official Telemetry Dashboard can give you a rough idea of how similar system configurations perform. RSI notes that every system is different and that actual performance depends on additional factors.