Valheim
To run Valheim (2021) on PC you need at least a 2.6 GHz Quad Core or similar processor and a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970, with 8GB of RAM and 1GB of free storage. For higher settings and frame rates, the recommended specs are a i5 3GHz or Ryzen 5 3GHz and a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580 with 16GB of RAM. Check your exact PC against Valheim with our free Can I Run It tool, estimate your frame rate with the FPS Estimator, or see the best GPU for Valheim.
System Requirements
Minimum
- CPU: 2.6 GHz Quad Core or similar
- GPU: GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970
- RAM: 8
- Storage: 1
Recommended
- CPU: i5 3GHz or Ryzen 5 3GHz
- GPU: GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580
- RAM: 16
- Storage: 1
Building a PC to play Valheim at its best
Meeting the Valheim minimum requirements (a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970) is enough to launch the game, but it won't give you high frame rates at 1440p or 4K. The recommended GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580 is a solid target, and stepping up to a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080 or Radeon RX 9070 XT gives you the headroom for ultra settings, ray tracing and high-refresh play. On mid-range cards, DLSS 4 and FSR frame generation can lift Valheim's frame rate substantially, while a flagship RTX 5090 drives 4K at maximum settings.
The processor matters just as much: pairing your graphics card with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or an Intel Core Ultra, at least 16GB (ideally 32GB) of DDR5 RAM and a fast Gen5 NVMe SSD removes the stutter and long load times that can hold Valheim back. For modern textures at 4K, aim for a GPU with 12–16GB of VRAM so you never run short.
The same premium components also decide whether your rig is VR ready: if you game in virtual reality on a Meta Quest 3, Valve Index or PlayStation VR2, a strong GPU and CPU are what hold a steady 90 FPS. Check your exact setup against Valheim with the free Can I Run It tool, or see the best GPU for Valheim.
Valheim — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the minimum requirements for Valheim?
Valheim needs at least a 2.6 GHz Quad Core or similar CPU and a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970 graphics card, 8GB of RAM and 1GB of storage.
What are the recommended specs for Valheim?
For a smooth experience, Valheim recommends a i5 3GHz or Ryzen 5 3GHz and a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580 with 16GB of RAM.
How much RAM does Valheim need?
Valheim requires 8GB of RAM as a minimum, with 16GB recommended.
What GPU do you need to run Valheim?
The minimum graphics card for Valheim is a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970, while a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580 is recommended for higher settings. Check any GPU against this game with our Can I Run It tool.
