Cities: Skylines PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i7-930 or AMD FX-6350. Both are very old parts, roughly comparable to the entry-level, early-generation chips of their time rather than anything current. The minimum GPU is a GeForce GTS 450 (1 GB), a Radeon R7 250 (2 GB), or an Intel Iris Xe G7. On our tier scale, that places the minimum GPU near integrated-graphics territory, similar to an Intel HD Graphics 530. The minimum asks for 8 GB of RAM and 4 GB of storage, and the publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is an Intel Core i7-2700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, and the recommended GPU is a GeForce GTX 580 (1.5 GB) or a Radeon RX 560 (4 GB). On our scale, the recommended CPU sits roughly at the level of an Intel Core i5-4460, and the recommended GPU is around the GeForce GT 1030 tier. Recommended RAM rises to 16 GB, storage is still 4 GB, and an SSD is still listed as optional.
The practical gap between minimum and recommended is about how well the game copes once your city gets large and busy. This game leans heavily on the processor, so a stronger CPU usually makes a bigger difference than a stronger GPU. The publisher does not list a higher tier, so the build suggestions below are our own estimates for this game's character.
If a level is not listed for a given component, that means the publisher did not specify it.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs a GeForce GTX 1650 4GB with a Ryzen 5 3500X and 16 GB of RAM. It suits players who want a comfortable experience on a tighter budget. Large late-game cities may still need some settings turned down.
The mainstream build uses a GeForce GTX 1660 with a Ryzen 5 3600, also with 16 GB of RAM. This is the most balanced choice. The processor has enough cores for the heavy simulation, and the GPU keeps visuals at medium-to-high detail. For most players who simply want to build cities without fuss, this tier is the most practical.
The high build pairs a Radeon RX 7600 with a Ryzen 5 5600X, and 32 GB of RAM gives more headroom. This setup suits players who want to push large cities, dense populations and higher visual settings at the same time, and it leaves room for bigger saves and mods.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
Most of the load in Cities: Skylines comes from the simulation itself, so even with lower graphics settings a huge city with high unit counts and long draw distances can still struggle. Among the visual options, shadows, volumetric effects and post-processing usually cost the most GPU time. If performance is short, start there.
Crowd and traffic simulation mostly loads the processor. In a very large city, reducing crowd density or simulation detail often helps more than trimming visuals. View distance also matters, because a bigger city means more buildings and roads to draw in the distance. Lowering it moderately can make the picture steadier. Keep the basic shadow quality and interface clarity if you can, and adjust the rest to suit your hardware.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS generally render at a lower resolution and let an algorithm scale the output back up. This can ease GPU load without a large visible loss if the game and your card support it. Keep in mind that upscaling does little to relieve a processor bottleneck.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share names with desktop cards, such as GeForce GTX 1660 or RTX 3050, but they usually deliver less performance because their power limits and cooling are more conservative. When buying a laptop, check the GPU's power setting (TGP) and cooling design, since the gap between identically named parts can be significant. Long sessions can also trigger thermal throttling, and performance can slowly drop as the machine heats up.
We have no verification data for handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally with this game, so the advice here is general. These devices are designed around efficiency, so in large cities it is sensible to use lower graphics presets, smaller populations and a lower display resolution. Whether a given handheld runs the game smoothly depends on the settings you choose, and we do not provide a handheld rating for this title.
Storage and memory
The official minimum RAM is 8 GB and the recommendation is 16 GB. For mid-to-late game cities, 16 GB is comfortable. If you also keep a browser or other programs open, 32 GB gives extra room. Use a dual-channel configuration by filling the correct slots with matched sticks, since the extra bandwidth helps with a heavy simulation like this.
The official storage figure is 4 GB, but the installed game, saves, mods and updates will take more room over time, so leave plenty of free space. An SSD is not required, but it noticeably shortens save loading and map loading times and makes them more consistent. If your budget allows, install the game on an SSD. Keep enough free disk space at all times so updates and saves do not fail.