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What are the Minecraft RTX minimum and recommended PC requirements?

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Minecraft RTX Beta Temples And Totems
Minecraft RTX Beta Temples And Totems (Image credit: NVIDIA / Mojang Studios)

What are the Minecraft RTX minimum and recommended PC requirements?

Best answer: Minecraft, specifically the Bedrock Edition that can enable ray tracing, has never been particularly resource hungry, and in some ways that doesn't change with RTX turned on. Your computer can be relatively modest, with an Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent, 8GB of RAM, and Windows 10 64bit, but your GPU has to be RTX capable. This means an NVIDIA 2060 or better, which is a relatively powerful (and expensive) card. If you want the best performance, your RAM and most importantly your GPU is where you should focus your upgrades.RTX enabled: Minecraft (Windows 10 Starter Collection) ($30 at Microsoft)The recommended GPU: MSI NVIDIA 2060 Super ($400 at Amazon)

RTX at a budget

Minecraft is not known for being a difficult game to run, and in some ways enabling Minecraft RTX doesn't change this, as the game still isn't CPU intensive. If you're planning on joining the Minecraft RTX beta, you will need a solid GPU that supports RTX, and that means an NVIDIA 20 Series GPU or better. However, going for the bare minimum will lead to reduced frame rates, a lower draw distance (or how far away from the player the game will render things), and an overall less smooth experience. If you want the best, consider an upgrade, particularly in the GPU department.

According to the Minecraft RTX FAQ, the minimum requirements for Minecraft RTX include:

  • An Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent
  • An NVIDIA 2060 or greater
  • 8GB of RAM or greater
  • 10GB of storage
  • A 64bit version of Windows 10

The best ray tracing

As mentioned above, the minimum requirements to pull off Minecraft RTX come with some major compromises in overall playability, and your PC simply won't make the cut if you're not running a newer RTX-enabled GPU from NVIDIA. For these reasons, a few key upgrades to your PC can make all the difference. If it's a matter of priority, focus on your GPU above all else, as ray tracing is almost entirely GPU dependent. I suggest upgrading your RAM second, as 8GB of RAM just barely handles Minecraft RTX.

Our recommended set up for Minecraft RTX includes:

Minecraft Bedrock Edition
Now with ray tracing
Minecraft

Upgrade your Minecraft experience.

Minecraft is an inarguable and complete success. It has sold copies in the hundreds of millions, has a huge following of dedicated players, and lets you unlock your every creative desire. It's also available now with RTX ray tracing from NVIDIA, unlocking a new tier of gorgeous lighting effects and textures.

Zachary Boddy
Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.