Thinking about playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition launched in September 2018, and its published requirements are modest by today’s standards — the recommended GPU is a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480, and the recommended CPU is a 2013-era Core i7-4770K or a first-generation Ryzen 5 1600. This is a story-driven action-adventure with optional ray-traced shadows rather than a punishing modern benchmark, so most gaming PCs built in the last several years can run it. This guide covers the official PC requirements, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations to match your target display.
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How Demanding Is Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is not a demanding game on modern hardware. It arrived in 2018, and its official requirements reflect that: a GTX 660 or GTX 1050 clears the minimum bar, while a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 8GB is the recommended card. The game does support optional ray-traced shadows (added in a post-launch update) along with DLSS upscaling on capable NVIDIA GPUs, but none of that appears in the published requirements — ray tracing here is a visual extra you can simply switch off, not a reason to buy a particular card. Because the game is a largely linear, single-player action-adventure, it is also not CPU-heavy: any modern quad-core comfortably exceeds the recommended Core i7-4770K or Ryzen 5 1600, so the GPU is almost always what decides your settings. In practice, budget and older cards handle 1080p, mid-range cards have headroom to spare at 1440p, and 4K is reachable without a flagship GPU. The official figures are listed below.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Official PC System Requirements
| Component | Minimum (official) | Recommended (official) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 64 bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | i3-3220 INTEL or AMD Equivalent | Intel Core i7 4770K, 3.40 Ghz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 3.20 Ghz |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | Nvidia GTX 660/GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon HD 7770 | Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 480, 8GB |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 40 GB available space | 40 GB available space |
Source: the official Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Steam store listing (app 750920), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.
Best GPU for Shadow of the Tomb Raider by Resolution
1080p
At 1080p the official recommended card — a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 8GB — is enough for high settings, and older cards that meet the published spec, such as the GTX 1050, GTX 1660 Super or RX 580, are still viable with a few settings trimmed. If you are buying new, you can spend far less than you might expect: an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is well beyond what this game asks for at 1080p, and current entry-level options such as the RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT will run it maxed out with plenty of margin. There is no reason to buy a high-end GPU for 1080p here.
1440p
1440p is comfortably within reach of mid-range hardware. A card in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER class has far more power than the game needs, and even a GTX 1070, GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060 can handle 1440p with settings turned up. Current mid-range picks such as the RTX 5060 Ti or Radeon RX 9060 XT give you headroom for high refresh rates and for the newer games in your library. As with the official recommended cards, aim for at least 6–8 GB of VRAM.
4K
4K is the one resolution where older cards start to feel the strain, but it still does not require a flagship. A NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is more than sufficient; a previous-generation high-end card such as the RTX 2080 or GTX 1080 Ti can also drive the game at 4K with settings adjusted, and current cards like the RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070 have plenty of headroom. DLSS support on RTX cards makes 4K easier to reach, and 8 GB of VRAM is a sensible floor at this resolution.
CPU, RAM and Storage for Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is not a CPU-bound game — it is a single-player action-adventure, not a simulation, strategy title or large-scale multiplayer shooter — so the official recommended processors, an Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, remain more than adequate, and any modern CPU clears them easily. An AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is far beyond the requirement, and something like an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D or an Intel Core i5-14600K only makes sense as part of a general-purpose gaming build, not because this game needs it. Memory matters a little more than CPU: the official minimum is 8 GB and the recommended figure is 16 GB, and 16 GB is the sensible target for any modern system. Note that the game’s requirements date from the DDR3/DDR4 era, so there is no need to buy DDR5 on its account — a kit such as Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is more than the game will ever use, though it is a reasonable long-term choice for newer titles. Storage is simple: 40 GB of available space is the official figure, and while an SSD noticeably cuts loading times, the game does not require one. A fast NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD is a good all-round choice if you are building fresh, but any drive that meets the space requirement will run the game.
Recommended PC Builds for Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1080p build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB RAM — comfortably above the official recommended spec (GTX 1060 6GB / RX 480 with a Ryzen 5 1600), so it runs the game at 1080p with everything turned up and leaves room for more demanding titles. If you only care about this game, a used GTX 1060 6GB or RX 580 with a Ryzen 5 1600-class CPU already meets the recommendation.
1440p build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — considerably more than Shadow of the Tomb Raider needs at 1440p, but a sensible all-round modern setup if you play newer releases too. For this game alone, a GTX 1070-class card is already plenty.
4K build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — more than enough for 4K in this title, and a good foundation if you also play current-generation games.
Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
Probably not on this game’s account alone, because its requirements are so low. If your PC already has something like a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 with 16 GB of RAM, you meet the official recommendation and have no reason to upgrade for this title. If you are below the minimum — an older integrated GPU, a dual-core CPU or 4 GB of memory — then a modest upgrade is genuinely worthwhile. When you do upgrade, the graphics card delivers by far the biggest jump, followed by memory if you are running 8 GB, and an SSD if you are still on a mechanical drive. If you are building for 1440p, 4K or newer games, buy accordingly, but treat Shadow of the Tomb Raider as an easy target rather than an excuse to spend big.
Can You Play Shadow of the Tomb Raider on a Laptop or Handheld?
Yes, and in most cases comfortably. Gaming laptops with a GTX 1060-class mobile GPU or better already meet the official recommended spec, and modern laptops with an RTX 4060 or RTX 5060 mobile GPU run the game at 1080p with settings maxed out. Older laptops relying on integrated graphics will struggle, but anything with a discrete GPU from the last several years is fine. On handhelds, the game’s modest requirements work in its favour: a Steam Deck, ROG Ally or similar device can run it at reduced settings and resolution, and it is a good fit for portable play, though you may want to trim shadow quality and other effects to keep things smooth. Battery life and thermals are a bigger constraint than raw performance here. Install it on internal storage if you can.
How to Boost FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider
If performance is lower than you would like, start with upscaling: the game supports DLSS on capable NVIDIA hardware, and lowering the rendering resolution works on any card, with either option giving the largest single gain for very little visual cost. Ray-traced shadows are optional and expensive — leaving them off is the easiest way to reclaim performance. Beyond that, work down through the effect-heavy settings such as shadow quality, reflections and other lighting options before dropping resolution further. Keep your GPU drivers current, close background applications, and make sure the game is installed on an SSD so loading and texture streaming stay smooth. Stability matters more than maximum visual quality — a consistent frame rate always feels better than maxed-out settings that dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my PC run Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
Check your hardware against the official specs above. The minimum is an Intel Core i3-3220 or AMD equivalent with 8 GB of RAM and a GTX 660, GTX 1050 or Radeon HD 7770; the recommended tier is a Core i7-4770K or Ryzen 5 1600 with 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 8GB. If you meet the recommended tier, you can run the game at 1080p with high settings.
Is Shadow of the Tomb Raider demanding on PC?
No, not by today’s standards. It is a 2018 action-adventure whose recommended hardware is a mid-range card from that era, and it is not CPU-heavy either. Only at 4K does it begin to ask much of older GPUs, and even there a modern mid-range card is sufficient.
What GPU do I need for Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1440p?
A card in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER class is far more than this game needs at 1440p. A GTX 1070, GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060-class card is already comfortable at that resolution, and modern mid-range options such as the RTX 5060 Ti or Radeon RX 9060 XT give you headroom for high refresh rates as well as for newer titles.
How much RAM does Shadow of the Tomb Raider need?
16 GB is the official recommended amount and 8 GB is the published minimum. 16 GB is the practical target for a modern gaming PC, but this game will run on 8 GB. There is no benefit to buying DDR5 specifically for it — the game’s requirements date from the DDR3/DDR4 era.
Do I need an SSD for Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
No — the official requirement is simply 40 GB of available storage space. An SSD does reduce loading times noticeably and is worth having, and a fast NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a good general-purpose choice, but a mechanical drive technically meets the published spec.
