Skyrim: Special Edition takes the original title from Bethesda and turns everything up to 11 with fancy new graphical effects, 64-bit support, and other handy features that make it an RPG that demands mods to be installed. To enjoy this massive adventure at a stable frame rate or to dive into the modding scene (with the best Skyrim: Special Edition mods for PC), you'll need a good PC to handle it. We've rounded up some of the best pre-built PCs for playing Skyrim: Special Edition.
Sleek tower
Staff pick
Dell Alienware Aurora R12
The Dell Alienware Aurora R12 is a capable gaming rig that can be kitted out with 11th Gen Intel processors, starting with a Core i5-11400F CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER GPU, 1TB HDD, and 8GB of RAM. You can configure the PC to have up to an Intel Core i9-11900KF, NVIDIA RTX 3090, and 128GB of RAM, making quite the powerful system.
Budget gaming PC
CyberPowerPC Gamer Master
This CyberPowerPC desktop is a little more affordable, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 CPU, which is actually more than capable of running Skyrim: Special Edition and a few mods. In order to game away, the AMD Radeon RX 570 GPU is good enough for even more demanding games, and the 8GB of RAM is a good place to start that can be upgraded later. CyberPowerPC also includes a 240GB SSD and 1TB HDD for the OS and all your games.
From $650 at Best Buy $676 at Walmart
Gaming laptop
Razer Blade 15 Base Edition
Don't want to be tethered to the desk? Go around with a gaming notebook that can play Skyrim: Special Edition! Our favorite gaming laptop is the excellent Razer Blade 15, which is the best of the best with powerful hardware and excellent display options. The model we selected has an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU, and 16GB of RAM. But you can improve the specifications if you have more funds to spare.
High-end gaming PC
HP OMEN 30L
HP's OMEN 30L is a very capable gaming PC. The most affordable configuration has an Intel Core i7-10700K CPU, NVIDIA RTX 2060 SUPER GPU, and 16GB of RAM. You can configure it up to an Intel Core i9-10900K, NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti, and 64GB of RAM, depending on how well you want the game to run. It's one of the best gaming desktop PC choices available today and more than capable for Skyrim: Special Edition.
Build it your way
NZXT Starter PC Series
NZXT makes some killer cases and PC components, but did you know the company also runs a service called BLD that lets you pick and choose a system build and have everything put together for you? Just in case you didn't want to spend time learning how to build a PC, NZXT has some pretty good prices for pre-built offerings.
If we're to choose a PC for Skyrim
Skyrim as a vanilla experience isn't the most demanding game. All you need is an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 or ATI Radeon 4890 GPU, and 4GB RAM. These PCs easily meet those requirements and will allow you to even mod the game a little with new companions and perhaps a texture pack. If you need a single recommendation, go with the Dell Alienware Aurora R12.
Not only does this Dell PC look like a solid gaming PC, but it's also got everything packed inside that you'll need, including at least an Intel Core i5-11400F CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER GPU. It's possible to even upgrade the PC at a later date with a more capable CPU and best graphics card if you want to play other, more demanding games or mod Skyrim with more impressive visuals.
Should you have plans to game on the go, the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition can be kitted out with impressive components. Our favorite model has an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU, and 16GB of RAM. Just be prepared to part with some serious cash for more powerful configurations.
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