Cities: Skylines II PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X. By today's standards that sits in the older mainstream band, roughly a six-core chip from an earlier generation. This game leans heavily on the processor, because simulation work such as traffic, citizens and the economy runs on the CPU. Even a strong graphics card will not keep a large city smooth if the processor cannot keep up.
The minimum GPU is a GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) or Radeon RX 480 (8 GB), which belongs to the older entry band. The minimum RAM is 8 GB, but that is tight once a city grows, so it is worth planning for more. The recommended tier rises to an Intel Core i5-12600K or Ryzen 7 5800X, a GeForce RTX 3080 (10 GB) or Radeon RX 6800 XT (16 GB), and 16 GB of RAM. That places it in the modern upper-mainstream range.
Both tiers list 60 GB of storage, and the publisher states an SSD is not required. Loading large saves is noticeably faster on an SSD, though. Where the official listing does not specify something, we do not add details. In short, the gap between minimum and recommended is mostly about the CPU and GPU, so aim for the recommended tier if you want big cities to stay responsive.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players who want to try the game or run small to medium cities. Pair a GTX 1660 Super with a six-core Ryzen 5 4500 and 16 GB of RAM. It covers part of the recommended tier, but late-game cities with many units can still be CPU-limited, so keep expectations for mid-sized maps.
The mainstream build is the choice most players should make. Use a GeForce RTX 3080 10GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT with a Ryzen 7 5800X or Core i5-12600K and 16 GB of RAM. This matches the official recommended tier directly and handles the simulation load of mid-to-large cities with room to spare.
The high-end build is for players who want very large cities and long sessions without stutter. Consider a GeForce RTX 4080 or Radeon RX 9070 XT with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Core i9-14900K, and 32 GB of RAM for headroom. Because the game depends so much on the processor, spend on the CPU and its cache first rather than only on the graphics card.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a simulation game like this, the costliest options are usually shadows, volumetric effects, ray tracing, view distance, and the density of crowds and units. Some of these settings look purely visual but actually consume CPU time through the simulation, so when performance drops, lowering the CPU-related options such as unit draw distance, simulation detail and crowd density is often the most effective fix.
Shadows and volumetrics are the main GPU costs. If your graphics card meets the recommended tier, medium shadows with slightly reduced volumetrics is a sensible balance. On a weaker card these are the first things to lower. Ray tracing offers limited visible gain in this kind of game, so turning it off usually gives steadier results.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS render at a lower internal resolution and reconstruct the image, which reduces GPU load. Use them in a quality mode if your hardware supports them. Keep in mind that upscaling eases the graphics side only; it does not fix a CPU bottleneck, so when large cities slow down, check the simulation and unit settings first.
Laptops and handheld PCs
A laptop GPU shares a name with a desktop card, such as an RTX 3080, but it usually performs lower because of power limits (TGP) and cooling constraints. Check the specific laptop's power and thermal behaviour rather than judging by the name alone. Comparisons should be made against that laptop model's own specifications.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally have limited power and cooling. For a large simulation game, start from lower graphics presets and lean on built-in scaling or upscaling to balance the load. We have no verification data for any handheld, so this is general guidance and actual results depend on your device and settings.
Whether laptop or handheld, plug in the power adapter so the system does not hold back performance to save battery. If the machine throttles from heat, consider a lower frame cap or a smaller city so the hardware stays within a stable temperature range.
Storage and memory
The official minimum is 8 GB of RAM and the recommended is 16 GB. Given the simulation load, 16 GB is a reasonable starting point, and 32 GB gives more room for very large cities. Make sure your memory runs in dual-channel mode with the sticks in the correct slots, since simulation workloads benefit from memory bandwidth.
The official storage figure is 60 GB and an SSD is listed as not required. We still recommend an SSD, because loading large saves and cities is noticeably quicker. A mechanical hard drive will run the game, just with longer waits. Beyond the game itself, leave extra free space for patches and saves so storage shortages do not get in the way.
If your drive is small, install the game on the SSD and move less-used files to a hard drive. Overall, memory and storage are not this game's main bottleneck, but enough RAM and an SSD make the experience smoother.