Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the most anticipated DLC releases of 2024, expected to be available to gamers later this month. It is expected to further the story of the Tarnished with a focus on endgame content that includes new bosses, minibosses, biomes, and dungeons alike making it easily one of the most ambitious expansions that FromSoftware has ever attempted especially accounting for Elden Ring's initial scale.
This makes it a title that users will want to be able to preload and be ready to play on PCs and gaming laptops ahead of its launch date (21st June 2024), and a deeper dive into its hardware requirements is warranted to allow them to have an optimal day 1 experience without compromising on visuals or frame rates alike.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree PC Hardware Requirements Explained
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Hardware requirements as published on its Steam preorder page at the time of writing.
Unsurprisingly, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree shares hardware requirements from the original title, but users might want to exercise caution when it comes to storage requirements that have potentially yet to be updated currently to account for the additional space that FromSoftware's largest DLC offering to date will undoubtedly consume.
The title comes with mid-range requirements that notably require at least 12GB of RAM and a GPU with a minimum of 3GB of VRAM in play, even as they increase to 8GB of GPU VRAM and 16GB of RAM for recommended hardware. On the CPU end, a 4-core AMD or a 6-core Intel CPU seem to be the minimum hardware requirements, but one should be able to play the title on newer 4-core Intel CPUs with relative ease given that the Intel Core i5 8400 and i7 8700K are relatively dated in terms of performance compared to their newer higher clocked and higher IPC cores.
Much like the original title, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree requires a minimum of Windows 10 in a 64-bit trim to run. The latter should not be a surprise given its RAM requirements and the former is also a reflection of the minimum OS support from Steam itself.
Playing Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree On A Gaming Laptop
Gaming laptops have increasingly become more powerful and versatile over time, but desktop gaming PCs, given their higher thermal leeway and power availability along with hardware that makes the most of them, are still not comparable 1:1 with their portable brethren. This means that most gaming laptops might be required to be beefier versions (in terms of nomenclature) of their desktop alternatives to account for lower TDP CPUs and GPUs and thermal restrictions that do limit their performance.
Picking A Gaming Laptop Up To The Task Of Handling The Tarnished's Needs
Thankfully, in part due to Elden Ring's relatively modest hardware requirements and the team at The Best War Games's experience with gaming laptops, the portable powerhouses below are handpicked to handle the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC without having gamers experience bottlenecks, hardware limitations, and/or issues caused by older hardware, eliminating the significant amounts of guesswork involved in picking a new Gaming laptop to play the new Elden Ring DLC and other games as intended by the developer:
The Best Gaming Laptops For Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop
The Balanced ROG Strix Approach
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel Core i7 13650HX
- GPU
- Nvidia Geforce RTX 4060
- RAM
- 16GB DDR5
- Storage
- 512GB PCI-E SSD
ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop brings a balanced configuration for improving both gaming and productivity performance without breaking the bank. The Core i7 13650HX and RTX 4060 combo ensure users get enough cores and horsepower to both, game and get work done with ease.
With 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD, the 2024 refresh of the ASUS G16 is considerably well-equipped to handle a variety of tasks and games for the foreseeable future.
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16", FHD 165Hz
- Brand
- Asus
- Model
- ROG Strix G16 G614JV-AS73
- Display type
- IPS
- Connectivity
- WiFi 6E, BlueTooth 5.3
- Has an excellent mid-range laptop CPU for gaming in 2024
- Comes with an impressive 165Hz display on offer
- Has a high TGP RTX 4060 GPU in play
- Has a dedicated MUX switch on offer for better GPU performance
- Leverages a tri-fan cooling system to keep thermals in check
- Slightly pricier compared to other RTX 4060-based laptops
- The FHD display might feel inferior compared to ASUS's other 2K 240Hz offerings in the same lineup
- The 512GB of SSD storage seems slightly stingy versus the competition at its current price point
While Elden Ring (and consequently, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC) has relatively modest hardware requirements, the ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop meaningfully meets or exceeds all of them. To do this, it leverages a powerful 14-core Intel Core i7 CPU, a mid-range RTX 4060 GPU, and 16GB of fast DDR5 RAM in tow.
The GPU on offer has a higher TGP than most of its competing laptop peers, offering up to 140W in addition to a dedicated MUX switch to boost performance. ASUS has also thrown in a tri-fan cooling system that leverages liquid metal under the hood to keep thermals in check to make for a laptop that performs better than similarly configured alternatives and looks and feels more premium as a result.
The G16 does have a few quirks, however: users can find a higher resolution or higher refresh rate display for the ask that ASUS currently makes for its laptop even as the 512GB of SSD storage, while enough for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, seems somewhat underwhelming when one considers how fast it can be filled up, especially for a laptop that trades close to $1500 at the time of writing.
Alienware m16 Gaming Laptop
A Powerful Contender With An Upgraded Display
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX CPU
- GPU
- Nvidia RTX 4080 12GB
- RAM
- 32GB
- Storage
- 1TB
- Battery
- 86Wh
The Alienware m16 (AMD) is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU with 12GB of VRAM. The gaming laptop features a 16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600) 240Hz, 3ms, 100% DCI-P3 coverage display. There are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort support as well.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 16-inch, 2560x1600 240Hz
- Speakers
- 2x2W speakers
- Weight
- 3.30kg
- Brand
- Dell
- Model
- Alienware m16
- Adaptor and Battery
- 330W
- Offers a powerful, yet efficient AMD Ryzen 9 CPU
- Comes equipped with an excellent 2K 240Hz display
- Has a powerful RTX 4080 GPU with 12GB of VRAM in tow
- Has double the RAM requirement and a larger SSD offering
- Slightly heavier than most of its 16-inch alternatives
For users looking to leverage a more powerful gaming laptop, the premium Alienware m16 Gaming Laptop comes well-equipped with a 12-core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU paired with a powerful RTX 4080 GPU that powers a 240Hz QHD display. It also offers 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, making it a great contender for users looking for an option that looks, feels, and runs the title well with a display to match its GPU prowess.
The Alienware m16 is heavier than its peers as it accounts for a beefier cooling mechanism on offer compared to most of its alternatives. Dell also throws in a decent battery (by gaming laptop standards) for its form factor, and it comes with the signature Alienware look that feels more futuristic than most of its peers.
The m16 is a powerful gaming laptop in its own right and should be able to max out Elden Ring and the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC at a respectable frame rate at launch, making it a great, if slightly pricey gaming laptop for the job.
MSI Katana 15 15.6" 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop
A Value-Centric Performer
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel® Core™ i7-13620H
- GPU
- GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 Laptop GPU
- Storage
- 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD
The MSI Katana is an excellent budget-centric high-end gaming laptop that outperforms most of the high-end laptops in its price bracket while maintaining an efficient, value-for-money approach to offer the latest and greatest in PC hardware to its audience.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS-Level 144Hz NTSC 45% Panel
- Brand
- MSI
- Model
- B13VGK-484US
- Battery
- 3-cell 53.5Whr Li-Polymer
- Camera
- 720P Webcam
- Speakers
- 2 x Speakers 2W
- Colors
- Black
- Memory
- 16GB DDR5 5200Mhz (8GB x 2)
- Ports
- USB A, USB C, HDMI, Audio Jack, Ethernet
- Network
- Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet
- Dimensions
- 14.13 x10.20 x0.98 inches
- Weight
- 4.96lb
- Form
- 15.6'
- Power
- 240W Power Adapter
- Offers some of the best price-to-performance ratios for a gaming laptop
- Leverages a powerful RTX 4070 under the hood for gaming
- Exceeds Elden Ring's hardware requirements with ease
- Comes with a balanced CPU offering that should not limit its GPU
- Has limited battery life on offer
- Has an underwhelming display compared to some of its competition
For users looking for a powerhouse sans the costs associated with picking a gaming laptop for their new Elden Ring DLC-induced run, the MSI Katana is an entry-level offering that delivers on the performance front even as it stays well below $1500. It pairs a powerful RTX 4070 GPU with a fairly recent mid-range Intel Core i7 CPU to prevent bottlenecks on both fronts.
Not only does the Katana comply with both the GPU VRAM and system RAM requirements, but it also throws in 1TB of SSD storage that should be plentiful for both Elden Ring and the Shadow of the Erdtree. It does, however, have some drawbacks, including limited battery life on offer and a FHD display that is capped at 144Hz. The latter is acceptable when it comes to gaming laptops but could place an upper cap when it comes to performance. The laptop is capable of eking out on higher resolution or higher refresh rate displays.
ASUS ROG Scar 17 X3D
Power To Match The Erdtree
- Operating System
- Windows 11
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D
- GPU
- Nvidia RTX 4090
- RAM
- 32GB
- Storage
- 2TB
The ROG Scar 17 X3D from Asus is a gaming and productivity laptop that features the first AMD mobile processor with 3D V-Cache, the Ryzen 9 7495HX3D. The laptop is also powered by an RTX 4090 mobile GPU that has a TGP of 175W. It comes with 32GB of DDR5-4800 RAM, 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD. It packs a 17.3-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS display with 240 Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The ROG Scar 17 X3D sports a 90WHr battery, and it supports 100W charging via USB Type-C, along with charging through its massive 330W AC adapter.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Battery
- 90Whr
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 17.3-Inch 2K 240Hz Display
- Camera
- 720P HD Camera
- Speakers
- 2-speaker system
- Weight
- 6.61 lbs
- Brand
- ASUS ROG
- Model
- Scar 17 X3D
- Adaptor and Battery
- 330W AC, 90WHr
- Keyboard
- Backlit Chiclet Keyboard Per-Key RGB
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Houses the fastest gaming CPU available on laptops
- Comes with Nvidia's highest-end RTX 4090 GPU
- Has plenty of RAM and SSD storage on offer
- Offers an excellent 2K 240Hz display to play Elden Ring on
- Pricey versus other RTX 4090-based gaming laptops
Users opting for a no-compromises approach to their return as Tarnished, the ASUS ROG Scar 17 X3D is built differently, offering the highest tier CPU and GPU for gaming possible. It leverages AMD's only mobile X3D CPU, the 16-core Ryzen 9 7945HX3D to stay ahead of the competition when it comes to CPU prowess, even as it throws in a powerful RTX 4090 with a 175W TGP and a dedicated MUX switch to exact as much performance as possible from its form factor.
The Scar 17 X3D also has 2TB of fast NVMe storage and 32GB of DDR5 RAM on offer, in addition to an excellent 240Hz 2K display that can make use of the extra performance on tap. It does trade at a premium versus other RTX 4090 laptops that can be found at prices often closer to $3000 than the $3700 ASUS currently asks for its juggernaut that delivers on its promise and then some in 2024.
Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- CPU
- Intel Core i5 13420H
- GPU
- Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050 Laptop
- Storage
- 512GB SSD
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 15.6", 1920x1080p
- Brand
- Acer
The entry-level Acer Nitro V gaming laptop is powered by a capable 13th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU with a budget-friendly RTX 4050 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.
The laptop is a well-balanced machine for users on a budget for both gaming and work in 2024 even as it clocks well under $1000 unlike most of its peers.
- RAM
- 8GB DDR5
- Model
- ANV15-51-51H9
- Display type
- IPS
- Offers a balanced CPU to pair with a capable entry-level Nvidia GPU
- Has adequate storage for Elden Ring and its expansion
- Has above-average cooling on offer for its internals
- Needs a RAM upgrade to be up-to-spec for Elden Ring
- The RTX 4050 GPU might be a limiting factor for some future titles
Users looking to play Elden Ring on a budget do have to make a few compromises along the way, especially if a gaming laptop is the weapon of choice. The Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop commands a price tag of under $800 while offering a relatively new RTX 4050 GPU and a capable mid-range Intel Core i5 CPU as a balanced, value-centric combination.
It has a large 512GB SSD on offer and runs 8GB of DDR5 RAM. While the Laptop's VRAM offering of 6GB on the RTX 4050 is just about enough, it would need a RAM upgrade to get the ball rolling to meet Elden Ring's minimum/recommended specs of 12GB/16GB respectively.
With that being said, the laptop clocks in well under $800 even when accounting for a RAM upgrade, making it a great choice for users on a budget. While the RTX 4050 can be a limiting factor in the future, for now, it gets the job done well and allows users to play without enduring any performance issues on the 144Hz display that the Nitro V offers.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 (RTX 4060)
A Capable Compact Performer
- CPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
- GPU
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 90W
- RAM
- 16GB LPDDR5X
- Storage
- 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD
The 2024 model of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with an AI-infused 8-Core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU in addition to Nvidia's mid-range RTX 4060 GPU. With 16GB of LPDDR5X memory on offer and a large 1TB PCI-E 4.0 SSD.
It offers a high PPI 14-inch 3K OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a backlit chiclet keyboard while clocking in at just under 1.5 kg.
- Battery
- 73WHr 4-Cell Battery
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 14-Inch 3K OLED Display 120Hz
- Speakers
- 4 integrated speakers
- Weight
- 1.50 Kg
- Brand
- ASUS
- Model
- GA403UV-G14.R94060
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Camera
- 1080P IR Camera With Windows Hello
- Colors
- Platinum White
- Network
- Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3
- Power
- 180W AC Adapter
- Comes with an excellent 3K 120Hz OLED Display
- Offers a capable 8-core Ryzen 9 8000 series CPU
- Comes with a powerful RTX 4060 GPU in tow
- Offers plenty of fast SSD Storage
- The RTX 4060 GPU has lower TGP than most of its competition
- The 16GB of RAM it offers is soldered and not upgradeable
One of the defining features of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14's 2024 iteration is its gorgeous 3K OLED display that sports a refresh rate of 120Hz. The G14 comes with a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 8000 series CPU that offers a dedicated NPU for future AI workloads, a capable Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and 1TB of SSD storage while retaining a compact form factor that made its predecessors so popular in the last.
At 1.5kg it also happens to be one of the most portable options out there when it comes to gaming on the go, even as it offers one of the highest PPI displays on the market that can do a high refresh rate out of the box, making it The Best War Games's pick for the best compact gaming laptop to play Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree once it launches later this month.
The G14 has important drawbacks that might not break the laptop's promise but should be considered before making a purchase. It comes with a lower TGP RTX 4060 GPU to account for its limited thermal capacity and does not sport user-upgradable RAM for power users, limiting the laptop to the 16GB of LPDDR5X configuration it ships with.
Elden Ring
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- February 25, 2022
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. And BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.
George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- How Long To Beat
- 58 Hours
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree releases June 21, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
FAQ
Q: How Much RAM Does Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Require?
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree requires 12GB of RAM but recommends 16GB of RAM for optimal performance. This is in addition to the minimum 6GB and recommended 8GB of GPU VRAM required by the title to run smoothly.
Q: When Does Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Release?
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree releases June 21, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.