S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat: PC requirements and the PC you need

About S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Call of Pripyat, part of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series from GSC Game World, is a shooter with role-playing elements, set in the dangerous Zone around Chernobyl. You play Major Alexander Degtyarev, sent to find out why a group of military helicopters came down, exploring a bleak open area full of mutants, strange anomalies and rival stalkers. It has a single player story and online multiplayer. It is rated PEGI 18. It is an older game that runs on very modest hardware, so any of our gaming PCs handles it easily.

What S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat needs

In plain words: to play at all it needs almost any graphics, even the graphics built into the processor, and to play it well the makers suggest almost any graphics, even the graphics built into the processor, with 2GB of memory.

A low-spec PC or a high-spec PC?

This is a light game: almost any of our gaming PCs will run it comfortably at high settings.

On a PC that only just meets the minimum, the game will start and play, but on low settings: simpler shadows and textures, shorter view distances and fewer frames each second, so fast moments can feel less smooth. A 1080p screen is the sensible match.

On a PC that meets or beats the recommended spec, you can turn the settings up: sharper textures, proper shadows and lighting, more detail in the distance, and a smoother picture. A stronger PC also lets you use a sharper 1440p or high-refresh screen.

Questions about S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on PC

How we match: we compare the graphics card and the memory in each PC with the makers' spec, because those decide most of how a game runs. For very new or demanding games, ask us and we will check the processor too. More help: graphics cards explained, how much RAM, which screen.