This is quite a tricky question to answer because it depends on several factors:
Your computer's specs
How you are used to playing
The game's lack of optimization
Your computer's specs
Obviously, this is the most significant factor in the answer. Currently, EFT is poorly optimized (to put it mildly), meaning that even those with good or excellent PCs don’t get the performance they would normally expect from better-optimized games.
One clear indicator of this issue is that players with powerful PCs notice that, despite not getting the expected performance, their CPU and GPU are only utilized at 30-50-60%.
This means that the game cannot fully leverage the computer’s hardware and therefore demands more power than it should. It’s a bit like an engine that hasn’t been properly tuned, consuming more fuel than necessary.
Also, keep in mind that, aside from poor optimization, EFT is a very complex game that requires a powerful CPU. So, if you're considering gradually upgrading your PC for EFT (like I did), I recommend starting with the CPU (unless your GPU is truly underpowered).
Everyone currently says that AMD’s latest x3D series CPUs offer the best performance.
What do you need to play well?
This brings us to the second factor: how you are used to playing.
To give you an idea, I started playing EFT around early 2020, and at that time, I had an AMD 3600, 16 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GTX 1650.
EFT ran decently—I could raid on all maps with FPS ranging from 30 to 60.
It wasn’t perfect, but it felt playable.
Then, in 2023, I finally made the upgrade I had been dreaming of and switched to an AMD 5800x3D, 64 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 3080Ti.
A completely different experience.
Seeing my FPS surpass 100 and even reach 200 was quite a thrill!
I can tell you that since upgrading, not only do I enjoy playing more, but I also play much better: I move more smoothly because everything is more fluid, I aim better, and I win more gunfights.
So, it's not just a matter of aesthetics and game feel but also a practical one—better performance leads to better results, more fun, and greater satisfaction.
Even better now that I have activated the new DLSS 4, which has greatly improved image quality and given me even more fluidity.
Requirements increase over time
Also, consider that the requirements to play EFT well are increasing over time as BSG updates the graphics, textures, effects, and releases larger and more complex maps.
I believe that today, with the specs I had two years ago, the game would run much worse than it did back then (especially since this wipe has further messed up optimization, but hopefully, it’s just a temporary issue… fingers crossed!).
So, what’s the verdict?
As I mentioned, keep in mind that the game is poorly optimized, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if other games run great on your PC, EFT will too.
To get an idea, compare your setup with mine.
Keep in mind that I haven’t spent a lot of time optimizing everything, so it’s possible that with my specs, you could achieve even better performance.
Personally, after upgrading and seeing the difference, I’d say that my specs are the minimum required to play EFT well. They provide a good experience and allow for competitive PvP gameplay.
IMPORTANT: If you want to play in PvE, remember that since the game runs locally, you will need more processing power than when playing only PvP, especially in terms of CPU. I can play PvE quite well, with FPS ranging from 70 to 160.
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