Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC are a “Must Play” according to our review, and while the game and its expansion are available across major platforms, playing on a quality PC is the preferred method for many gamers.
The art direction in Elden Ring only gets better in Shadow of the Erdtree, and having the right PC that hits or surpasses system requirements can help realize the game’s full potential. Not only that, you don’t want to make the game any harder with a system that chugs along when you’re attempting to properly time your attacks.
Elden Ring’s system requirements didn’t change for Shadow of the Erdtree aside from required storage space, and it’s still recommended that your PC has at least 12GB of RAM, a semi-modern Intel or AMD processor (CPU), and a discrete graphics card (GPU). I’ve kept these recommended specs in mind when searching out the best PCs we’ve used, tested, and reviewed here on Windows Central.
The best gaming PCs for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree aren’t necessarily all pre-built systems, although that is the main focus here. We’ve also included some more portable PCs in the form of a laptop and a handheld for gamers who want to take Elden Ring with them wherever they go.
The quick list
This quick list of our favorite pre-built PCs for Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion might have the info you need to make a final decision. You can click through any of the options for a more detailed breakdown of the pros, cons, specs, and review highlights.
1. Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8)
Best overall
Lenovo’s Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8) comes with a wide range of configuration options, offering far more performance than is required for Elden Ring. It’s built into an understated case with customizable RGB lighting and a clear side panel.
2. Lenovo LOQ Tower (Gen 9)
Best value
Lenovo’s LOQ Tower is now entering its ninth generation, complete with the latest Intel CPUs. It costs far less than $1,000 but has more than enough performance to run Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree at a smooth 1080p resolution.
4. ASUS ROG G22CH (DB978)
Best compact
The ASUS ROG G22CH brings more than enough power to run Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree, but it won’t take up much space in your office. The case has RGB lighting with large vents to feed the internal fans.
Best laptop
Our favorite gaming laptop is the Alienware m16 R2 thanks to its stellar display, strong gaming performance, long battery life outside of gaming, and sleek design. If you don’t want a pre-built PC, this should be a great alternative for those on the go.
Portable pick
The ASUS ROG Ally is our favorite gaming handheld, perfect for any gamers who want to play Elden Ring everywhere they go. It costs less than all the other options on this list, making it also the go-to choice for those on a tight budget.
Read more below
Best overall PC
Lenovo has been refining its Legion Tower series for years, and its Gen 7 models have worked out a lot of kinks evident in the past. The PC is built into an understated case with plenty of customizable RGB lighting, and Lenovo uses more standard parts than ever inside. There are some proprietary pieces that might get in the way of future upgrades; if you’re an enthusiast looking for a pre-built, something like Maingear’s MG-1 might be a better choice.
Nevertheless, it’s a great option for gamers who want to buy a PC and not worry about making huge changes now or in the future. In Zachary Boddy’s Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8) review, they said, “This desktop hasn’t let me down once, and it’s perfect for those who don’t want to worry about building their own PC.”
Looking at Lenovo’s website — where you can configure a lot of hardware to your liking — even the baseline Legion Tower 7i model will crush Elden Ring system requirements. A model with a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti Super GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid-state drive (SSD) costs about $2,088. It’s not cheap, but it will allow you to game at 1440p and even dabble with 4K in practically all modern titles.
Read our in-depth Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8) review
Best value PC
Lenovo’s LOQ Tower is undergoing a transition to the new Gen 9 models for 2024, complete with a new exterior design and some updated performance hardware. Shopping around online, I found a model with a 14th Gen Intel Core i5-14400F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for about $770 with a discount at Best Buy.
This configuration will easily handle Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree at 1080p, and it shouldn’t have an issue with your other favorite titles either. Windows Central’s Zachary Boddy reviewed the LOQ Tower (Gen 8) favorably, noting, “Lenovo has essentially taken one of its business-focused IdeaCentre desktop PCs and reconfigured it for gaming with a handful of smart, reasonably-priced upgrades, resulting in one of the most accessible and obtainable pre-built gaming PCs you can buy right now.”
The compact 17L case has room inside for 3.5-inch SATA storage and speedier M.2 storage, and cooling includes front and rear fans to cycle air. It’s not the best option if you’re interested in DIY upgrades due to its size and internal layout, but it should be a top pick for anyone who wants to spend less and not have a hulking PC in their office or den.
Read our in-depth Lenovo LOQ Tower (Gen 8) review
Best enthusiast PC
I’ve had a decent amount of experience with Maingear PCs, and the most recent model I tested out was the MG-1. It’s the flagship offering from boutique builder Maingear, and it should be a great option for enthusiasts who want a PC that looks and feels like it was put together by other PC enthusiasts.
I was particularly impressed with cable management and attention to detail in my build; I don’t think I could have done a better job. Maingear’s use of standard parts wherever possible — its case is a proprietary fork but still easy to work inside — makes repairs and upgrades no problem, and it offers a wide variety of hardware and customization options (even down to the cables) at its website.
Pre-config prices start at about $1,199 for a model with an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. That easily hits Elden Ring’s recommended specs, and Maingear has plenty of upgrades available should your budget allow.
The PCs come with a strong warranty, and support is handled in-house to better serve the customer.
Best compact PC
Don’t have space for a full-size gaming tower in your office or den? Still want some high-end PC power? The ASUS ROG G22CH is a compact PC we recommend. It measures 4.5 (W) x 12.7 (H) x 11.3 (D) inches, making it about the size of a modern console. Large vents feed the internal fans, and the case has customizable RGB lighting.
You can currently find an ASUS ROG G22CH model with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for about $1,599. That’s plenty of power for Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree even at 1440p, and it’ll handle most other modern titles with ease.
The PC’s size means the fans get loud under load, but they keep the system’s performance from taking a hit. Windows Central’s Rebecca Spear reviewed the ASUS ROG G22CH favorably, saying, “Its powerful CPU and GPU can handle any intensive gaming tasks you throw at it while producing high FPS and smooth gameplay. The fans run a bit loud, which also helps keep the system running efficiently.”
Read our in-depth ASUS ROG G22CH (DB978) review
Best laptop
Alienware’s m16 R2 is our favorite gaming laptop so far in 2024, all thanks to a sleek design (smaller than its predecessor), strong performance, and long battery life when you aren’t pushing the hardware when gaming. If you want to run Elden Ring flawlessly while on the move, this is the way to go.
In Rebecca Spear’s Alienware m16 R2 review, she remarked, “Its performance and how long the battery can last when running average office programs thoroughly impressed me. For this reason, the laptop will serve you well if you need to use it for work, school, and video games.” Indeed, it can offer a stellar 1440p gaming experience even with the baseline config.
Shopping at Dell, you can get a model with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for about $1,300. There are lots of other config options if you need more power, but this will handle Elden Ring.
All Alienware m16 R2 models have a 16-inch display with 2560×1600 (QHD+) resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, 100% sRGB color, NVIDIA G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus to help extend battery life.
Read our in-depth Alienware m16 R2 review
Portable pick
Pre-built PCs and laptops are great if you want a lot of power, but nothing beats a quality gaming handheld when it comes to portability. Our current favorite in 2024 is the ASUS ROG Ally thanks to its wide compatibility with more games thanks to Windows 11 and an awesome display. In our ASUS ROG Ally review, Rebecca Spear said, “It gives me plenty of freedom to get the Ally doing exactly what I want and access any gaming service I want.”
The touchscreen measures 7 inches with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it has a 1080p resolution that’s extra crisp for the small size. It has decent color and contrast (hitting 95% sRGB in our testing), and its variable refresh rate further improves the smooth look.
Although the ROG Ally doesn’t have a discrete GPU, the AMD Ryzen Z1 and Z1 Extreme chips available in the handheld can run Elden Ring. You might have to lower the resolution to improve framerates, but that’s not out of the ordinary for many games. I play demanding games on my handheld all the time with lowered settings, and I don’t really notice a difference once I’m immersed.
Battery life tops out at around four hours, and some models have had issues with microSD cards getting too hot due to slot positioning. If you’d like to avoid these issues, the new ROG Ally X is on the way with a larger battery, twice as much storage space, and more.
Returning to the original ROG Ally, you can get the more expensive option with AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU for about $650. Don’t want to spend as much? The standard AMD Ryzen Z1 option costs about $500.
Read our in-depth ASUS ROG Ally review
Choosing the best PC for your Elden Ring adventure
Gamers shopping for a high-end pre-built gaming PC that can easily handle Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion should check out Lenovo’s Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8). It was favorably reviewed by our own Zachary Boddy, receiving a Windows Central Best Award in the process. It’s a stylish and modern PC with capable performance hardware inside, and Lenovo offers a wide range of configuration options to help you get exactly what you need.
If you’re more of an enthusiast who prefers a system that feels like it was made at home, Maingear’s MG-1 is a top pick. Cable management is stellar, the use of non-proprietary hardware makes for easy DIY upgrades and repairs in the future, and Maingear has great customer support and a strong warranty. There are a bunch of pre-configured models available, but Maingear lets you get very granular with customization, right down to cabling.
If you’d rather pick up something on the cheap, Lenovo’s LOQ Tower (Gen 9) will do the trick for far less than $1,000. And if you’d like to go even cheaper, the ASUS ROG Ally is a perfect option for any gamers who want to take Elden Ring everywhere.
What are Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree system requirements?
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For how beautiful Elden Ring can be, its system requirements aren’t that steep. That also applies to Shadow of the Erdtree, which only bumped the required storage space from 60GB to 80GB.
Minimum PC system requirements notably include 12GB of RAM, but otherwise, most gaming PCs built in the past five years should have no problems hitting these specs:
- OS: Windows 10
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB VRAM) / AMD Radeon RX 580 (4GB VRAM) / Intel Arc A380 (6GB VRAM)
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 60GB available space (base game)| 80GB (with Shadow of the Erdtree DLC)
- DirectX: Version 12 (Feature level 12.0)
Elden Ring’s recommended specs aren’t much more demanding, and all of the PCs listed in this collection will deliver a smooth experience. Even the ASUS ROG Ally, which lacks a discrete GPU, will get the job done thanks to smart optimizations. Here are Elden Ring’s recommended specs:
- OS: Windows 10, Windows 11
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB VRAM) / AMD Radeon RX VEGA 56 (8GB VRAM) / Intel Arc A750 (8GB VRAM)
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 60GB available space (base game)| 80GB (with Shadow of the Erdtree DLC)
- DirectX: Version 12 (Feature level 12.0)
What about upgrading your own PC for Elden Ring?
If you’re currently sitting on a PC that can’t manage the Elden Ring experience that you’re expecting, you might want to look into upgrading some individual components.
Our collection of the best graphics cards on the market has a lot of hardware that’s overkill for the game, but something like the NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti remains a solid choice for 1080p gaming. In games like Elden Ring, you should be able to enjoy at 1440p without much issue. You can usually find the RTX 4060 Ti for around $400 (or less in some cases). The NVIDIA RTX 4060 is also a great choice, and it can usually be found for around $300.
Pairing the right CPU with the RTX 4060 or RTX 4060 Ti comes down to your budget and current system setup. On Intel’s side, the Core i5-13600K is a top choice, but it uses the LGA 1700 socket. If you have a PC with the AM5 socket, something like AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600X is a great option. Still using AM4? The Ryzen 5 5600X is a killer alternative, and it usually only costs somewhere around $140.
