Should I Upgrade My PC for Battlefield 2042? (2023)

With Battlefield 2042, a new first-person shooter game was released in November 2021, which continues the successful Battlefield series and raises it to a new level. Especially graphically, Battlefield 2042 sets new standards and demands a lot from the hardware.

So do you need to worry and to upgrade your PC? Or in other words: Can My System run Battlefield 2042?

According to the publisher Electronic Arts, a modern PC is enough to start the game. An upgrade of hardware components is required for a frame rate above 144 FPS. The recommended system requirements exceed most current system configurations.

These are the recommended system requirements of Battlefield 2042:

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 4790 / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or better
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • OS: 64-bit Windows 10
  • VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, 8 GB
  • PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
  • VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
  • FREE DISK SPACE: 100 GB
  • DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 8192 MB

Based on this information and the first practical reports on Reddit and from our direct environment, we can now go into detail. Which components should you upgrade?

Note: This article was written in English. Translations into other languages may not provide the same linguistic quality. We apologize for grammatical and semantic errors.

Should I Upgrade My RAM for Battlefield 2042?

According to the publisher Electronic Arts, 16GB RAM is recommended. Analyses show that a clock speed of at least 2400 MHz (at least DDR4) should be available for smooth gaming. Games that require 32GB of RAM have already been announced for 2022.

Unfortunately, it’s not only the size that matters for RAM. The internal clock speed is essential. It ensures that the CPU can store and read the necessary elements for the frame calculation in time.

The maximum rate for DDR4 RAM is 2400 MHz, provided that no overclocking has taken place. However, overclocking usually shortens the hardware component’s lifespan, so we recommend its successor, DDR5 RAM, for faster components.

DDR5 RAM is designed for a rate of up to 3600 MHz in the standard.

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Should I Upgrade My CPU for Battlefield 2042?

The publisher Electronic Arts recommends an Intel Core i7 4790 or an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X chipset. Analyses show that even faster chipsets enable a more stable frame rate in interaction with the CPU and GPU.

Even if the GPU takes over more and more functions and thus relieves the CPU, there are always certain computing processes that have to be taken over by the processor.

What you see in gaming is only half the truth.

Your graphics card can be as fast as you want, but if the CPU doesn’t deliver the frames fast enough, there will be delays that you may not consciously notice, which will affect your performance.

With the 7th generation processors, you have a solid base for any FPS game.

Future games will need even more RAM or VRAM for more complex graphics. Furthermore, if the development continues in the direction of virtual reality (VR), then the graphics card demands will naturally increase.

Should I Upgrade My GPU for Battlefield 2042?

The publisher Electronic Arts recommends an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or an AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card with at least 8GB VRAM. Analyses show that faster graphic cards enable higher system settings and a more stable frame rate.

Besides the higher performance of newer graphics cards, other factors speak for upgrading at some point. For example, newer features like DLSS, Nvidia Reflex, or ray tracing are simply not supported by older graphics card generations.

Additionally, the latest graphics card drivers tend to optimize the newest graphics card models rather than the older series.

If you haven’t heard of NVIDIA Reflex, here’s the corresponding post from us for Battlefield 2042:

What else Should I Upgrade for Battlefield 2042?

New peripherals like wireless mice, gaming headsets, or gaming mousepads can support and increase performance. 144 FPS using a 144Hz monitor is the standard for first-person shooters for smooth gameplay. 

The above components can severely limit you and negatively affect your performance. For example, FPS drops, micro-stuttering, too little FPS, or high input lag are all clearly measurable and can be fixed by purchasing more modern hardware.

However, gamers often overlook the potential to increase their performance by upgrading other gaming gear components.

Technology is one part. You, as a gamer, are the other part.

Let’s take the right mouse or mouse pad as an example. The central skill of an FPS gamer is aiming. Here, pixel-precise movements and extremely high reaction speeds are important. If the technology limits you at this point, then you can’t improve in these areas.

Think of it like this: If your car can’t go fast, how can you train to race at a high level?

If your mouse is not precise, fast, and comfortable to use for hours, how can you improve your aiming?

If you’re due to replace a broken peripheral anyway or want to see what FPS Pro gamers are currently playing with, check out our list of the “Gold Standard” here.

Where Can I Check My PC for Playing Battlefield 2042?

If you are unsure whether your system is sufficient for Battlefield 2042, start our free Gaming Verifier Tool and compare your specifications with the manufacturer’s recommended requirements and the reasonable components for ambitious gamers (competitive).

Of course, you can find other tools on the Internet that will automatically read your system. But for that, you will always have to install an analysis program, which can be problematic and, in the worst case, may contain malware.

We do not install any uncertified programs on our gaming systems so that we do not run the risk of colliding with anti-cheat technology.

You can easily read out your hardware information yourself:

Hit the Windows key and typesystem info” and hit Enter or select the top “System Information” search result.

We hope this gives you a good indication of where bottlenecks may occur in your system when you want to play Battlefield 2042.

Final Thoughts – Upgrade for Battlefield 2042

Are you a fan of the Battlefield series and want to enjoy the game to the fullest? 

Then you will have to open your wallet. 

The recommended system requirements refer to smooth gameplay with 60FPS at high graphics settings.

If you’re a casual gamer trying out the game and your system starts to stutter, it might help to replace the weakest component. 

With the Gaming Verifier, we have provided you with a way to identify this component.

If you play competitive games, you usually need the latest maximum hardware to get optimal performance anyway. Battlefield is hungry for CPU, GPU, and RAM.

You will only achieve a sufficiently high frame rate of 144+ if you update all three components. 

Consider it a good investment for the future. Many already announced games will require similar resources (or even more) as Battlefield 2042.

If you have a question about the post or pro gaming in general, write us: contact@raiseyourskillz.com.

GL & HF! Flashback out.