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Can I Run World of Warcraft: Shadowlands?
Whether you can run World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is dependent on what gaming rig you have and, more specifically, its constituent parts, notably the CPU, GPU, and RAM. As a first step, you’ll need to determine what these are. If you need a helping hand doing this, you can refer to our guide right here.
Armed with your PC’s specifications, cross-reference them to the minimum and recommended system requirements for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, which we’ve listed below for convenience. The game isn’t very demanding at all, so in this case, the minimum requirements represent a good target for reasonable specifications.
WePC is currently developing a tool to make the whole process of checking system requirements a lot more straightforward. It will scan any given PC and produce an extensive list of all its components for easy reference. It’s still in development, but we’ll make sure to announce it once we’ve applied the finishing touches, and it’s ready for our readers to use.
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World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Game Details
- Release Date: October 27th, 2020 (PC)
- System Requirements: Medium
- Genre: MMORPG
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
- Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
As the eighth expansion to Blizzard’s wildly popular World of Warcraft MMORPG, Shadowlands promises a whole new realm for players to explore, an overhauled leveling system, new dungeons, and raids.
“The veil between life and death is no more.
With a single act of destruction, Sylvanas Windrunner has ripped open the way to the afterlife. Azeroth’s staunchest defenders have been dragged into all-consuming darkness. An ancient force of death threatens to break its bonds and unravel reality.
Hidden realms of wonder and horror await any who would pass to the other side. The Shadowlands is home to an entire realm of the departed; it is a world between worlds whose delicate balance preserves life and death itself.
As one of Azeroth’s greatest champions, you have been granted the power to cross over in body and soul. Now you must investigate a conspiracy to unmake the cosmos, and help Warcraft legends journey back… or fulfill their ultimate destiny.”
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Minimum Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 / AMD FX 8300
- RAM: 4 GB (8GB if using integrated graphics)
- HDD: 100 GB SSD
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 / AMD Radeon RX 560 / Intel UHD 630 (45W) (DirectX 11 compatible GPU with 2GB VRAM)
- OS: Windows 7 64-bit
- DirectX: Version 11
- Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768
- Network: Broadband Internet Connection
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Recommended Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
- RAM: 8 GB
- HDD: 100 GB SSD
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / AMD Radeon RX Vega 65 (DirectX 12 compatible GPU with 8GB VRAM)
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- DirectX: DirectX 12
- Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768
- Network: Broadband Internet Connection
Optimal Hardware Suggestions
The overall system requirements for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands remain relatively tame, except for the whopping 100 GB required from no less than an SSD. This doesn’t mean the expansion won’t run without a solid-state drive, but Blizzard is keen for players to have one to experience the game as it was meant. Running Shadowlands with an HDD will work, but expect painfully slow loading times and some graphical issues as the game plays catch up in particularly intensive moments. If you’re in the market for an SSD, be sure to check out our exhaustive guide right here.
Otherwise, the only real point to watch out for is when eyeing up the recommended requirements and the need for at least an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or RX Vega 65; these aren’t current-gen GPUs, but still pack a decent punch with a price tag to match.
The minimum requirements should net a decent 30 FPS at 720p, while the recommended requirements up this to above 60 FPS at 1080p or higher.
As always, mileage will vary depending on the specifics of your build, and we highly recommend toying around with World of Warcraft’s graphical options to find a happy middle ground that suits your needs.
What Gaming PC Do We Recommend?
Fortunately, you can expect a good experience from Shadowlands without breaking the bank, and we recommend our $800 build as an excellent starting point. It features an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, AMD RX 5500 XT 8GB GDDR6 GPU, 16 GB of 3600 MHz RAM, and a roomy 500 GB SSD.
You can expect to meet the recommended requirements and more with performance hitting 60 FPS at 1080p with ease.
