Skyrim Special Edition is Windows-only on Steam, and its listed needs are small. If you play on a weak laptop or a Steam Deck, here is what the official store page and recent reports say. Checked on October 9, 2026. Things can change after any patch.
Key takeaways
- Steam lists 8 GB RAM and 12 GB of storage for both minimum and recommended specs.
- The listed OS is 64-bit Windows 7, 8.1 or 10. Steam does not list Mac or Linux.
- An update on August 20, 2026 fixed a Steam Deck crash when the on-screen keyboard opened.
- Valve's Deck rating has changed over time, so check it on the store page yourself.
PC requirements on Steam
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel i5-750 or AMD Phenom II X4-945 | Intel i5-2400 or AMD FX-8320 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Graphics | GTX 470 1 GB or HD 7870 2 GB | GTX 780 3 GB or R9 290 4 GB |
| Storage | 12 GB | 12 GB |
Those are 2011-era parts, so most PCs from the last several years meet them. Steam does not list Windows 11 on the page, and we did not find an official statement on it.
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Steam Deck
Steam Deck HQ reported in December 2025 that Valve had marked the game Unsupported, though the author found it ran at nearly 60 FPS on default settings. GamingOnLinux then reported that the August 2026 update 1.7.99 fixed a crash when the on-screen keyboard was used, and said the rating moved to Verified. Our own lookup of Steam's compatibility data on October 9 returned an unsupported value, so we cannot confirm the current badge. Open the game's Steam page on your Deck to see it.
Tips for weak hardware
- Start with the game's default settings and lower them one at a time.
- Close other programs while playing, since only 8 GB RAM is listed.
- Keep the game on an SSD if you can. It is 12 GB.
- Update your graphics driver.
Next steps
Compare versions and prices in our editions and requirements guide, or check mod safety in mods and Creations. See the Skyrim hub for more.
