Can My PC Run Starbound?

You’ve fled your home, only to find yourself lost in space with a damaged ship. Your only option is to beam down to the planet below, repair your ship and set off to explore the universe...

Starbound PC Requirements

Minimum Requirements

CPU: Core 2 Duo
GPU: 256 MB graphics memory and directx 9.0c compatible gpu
VRAM: Not stated
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 3 GB
OS: Windows XP or later
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection

Recommended Requirements

CPU: Core i3
GPU: Discrete GPU capable of directx 9.0c
VRAM: Not stated
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 4 GB
OS: Windows XP or later
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection

✓ Independently verified against the publisher 2026-08-23Source: Steam store page

Game details

Developer: Chucklefish
Publisher: Chucklefish
Released: 22 July 2016

About Starbound

You’ve fled your home, only to find yourself lost in space with a damaged ship. Your only option is to beam down to the planet below, repair your ship and set off to explore the universe...

Official site ↗Steam ↗

What PC do I need for Starbound?

For a comfortable experience, the publisher's recommended specification asks for the following. This is their figure, not our estimate.

Graphics card: Discrete GPU capable of directx 9.0c
Processor: Core i3
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Storage: 4 GB
Operating system: Windows XP or later

Not sure how your parts compare? Run the check above or read what these tiers mean.

Can my laptop run Starbound?

The same check applies — enter the parts your laptop actually contains. Be aware that a laptop graphics chip is usually slower than the desktop card it shares a name with, because the manufacturer sets a lower power limit. A laptop advertising the Discrete GPU capable of directx 9.0c named here may therefore fall somewhat short of it in practice, and sustained performance drops further as the machine heats up. Treat a borderline laptop result as optimistic rather than assured.