Genshin Impact is an open-world action role-playing game that was released in 2020 by miHoYo. It quickly became hugely popular, with over $100 million in revenue within its first two weeks on the market. One of the most common questions asked about Genshin Impact is whether it requires a lot of RAM (random access memory) to run smoothly. RAM is a type of computer memory that allows quick access to information that the game needs while it’s running. Having enough RAM is important for games like Genshin Impact that have large open worlds and detailed graphics. This article will examine Genshin Impact’s RAM requirements and provide recommendations for the amount of RAM needed to enjoy the game lag-free on different platforms.
Minimum and Recommended System Requirements
Genshin Impact’s developer miHoYo has provided minimum and recommended system requirements for running the game smoothly. These requirements give an indication of how much RAM the game needs:
PC
– Minimum RAM: 8 GB
– Recommended RAM: 16 GB
iOS
– Requires at least an iPhone 8 Plus which has 3 GB RAM
Android
– Requires at least 3 GB RAM
PlayStation 4
– The PS4 has 8 GB of RAM
So the official minimum RAM requirement for Genshin Impact is 8 GB on PC and 3 GB on mobile devices. However, 16 GB of RAM is recommended for PC to allow for smooth gameplay especially when running at higher resolutions. The PS4’s 8 GB of RAM is sufficient to run the game well.
Factors That Determine Genshin Impact’s RAM Usage
There are a few key factors that influence how much RAM Genshin Impact uses on a particular system:
World size and details
Genshin Impact has a large open world map with several highly detailed regions to explore. Loading all the assets and terrain of these large areas requires a significant amount of RAM.
Resolution and graphics settings
Higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K will use more RAM as more information needs to be stored in memory. Higher graphics settings like ultra textures also require more RAM to pre-load the higher quality assets.
Number of applications and browser tabs open
Having many other programs like web browsers running in the background takes up some RAM. This leaves less available for the game.
Smoothness of gameplay
If gameplay becomes laggy, choppy or has long load times, this is a sign the game is running out of RAM and assets are having to be loaded from slower storage instead. More RAM is needed for a smoother experience.
So in summary, the more detailed graphics, higher resolutions, and larger game worlds used, the more RAM Genshin Impact will require to run well.
Benchmarked RAM Usage
Some benchmarks from popular hardware review sites give an indication of how much RAM Genshin Impact uses at different settings:
Minimum Settings 1080p
– RAM used: 4-6 GB
Medium Settings 1080p
– RAM used: 6-8 GB
High Settings 1440p
– RAM used: 8-10 GB
Max Settings 4K
– RAM used: 12-16 GB
So RAM usage ranges from around 4 GB at minimum settings at 1080p to 16 GB at max settings in 4K.
RAM Recommendations for Smooth Gameplay
Based on the system requirements, benchmarks and factors that affect Genshin Impact’s RAM usage, here are some recommendations for the amount of RAM needed for smooth gameplay:
1080p minimum to medium settings
– 8 GB RAM should be enough for smooth gameplay at lower resolutions with average graphics. Make sure to close other applications.
1080p high to max settings
– 12-16 GB RAM is recommended if you want to max out settings at 1080p resolution. This allows holding details and textures in memory.
1440p resolution
– At least 12 GB RAM is recommended and 16 GB is better for higher graphics. 1440p has around 1.8 times as many pixels as 1080p.
4K resolution
– 16 GB of RAM is recommended as a minimum for 4K resolution as this has 4 times as many pixels as 1080p. 32 GB RAM would allow maximum smoothness and ability to run other programs alongside the game.
So in summary, 8 GB RAM is viable for 1080p medium settings, but 16 GB or more is recommended for higher resolutions and maxing the graphics out. Overall, Genshin Impact can run smoothly even with lower amounts of RAM, but more RAM will provide a better, faster experience.
Tweaking Settings to Reduce RAM Usage
For those wanting to reduce Genshin Impact’s RAM usage, here are some settings you can tweak:
Lower the resolution
Using a lower resolution like 720p or 900p significantly reduces the load on RAM. But this negatively impacts visual quality.
Reduce texture quality
Lowering texture quality to low or medium decreases the amount of detailed texture data that needs to be loaded into RAM.
Lower graphics quality
Effects like shadows, reflections, bloom and ambient occlusion can be disabled or put on low to reduce RAM usage.
Disable anti-aliasing
Anti-aliasing smooths edges but requires more RAM so disabling it or using lower FXAA may help.
Lower render scaling
This will render the 3D scene at a lower resolution than your display target, then upscale it which reduces VRAM/RAM needs.
Close background apps
Closing any web browsers, discord, or other apps running in the background will allow Genshin Impact to use more RAM.
So in situations where RAM is limited, these tweaks can help reduce Genshin Impact’s RAM requirements and allow it to run on systems with only 8 GB RAM.
Adding More RAM to Run Genshin Impact Smoothly
If your computer has less than 8 GB RAM, the best way to increase Genshin Impact’s performance is simply to add more RAM.
Here are some guidelines around adding RAM:
- Check how many RAM slots your motherboard has and how much is currently used. Look in your motherboard manual or use a tool like CPU-Z.
- Buy new RAM sticks that are the same DDR type, speed, and latency as your current RAM for compatibility.
- Have matching RAM capacity in each slot for dual channel performance. So 2x 4GB or 2x 8GB for example.
- For Genshin Impact, 16 GB total RAM is recommended, so 2x 8GB sticks.
- Install the new RAM by slotting into the motherboard and ensuring clicks into place.
Upgrading to 16 GB total RAM from 8 GB can make a big difference in games like Genshin Impact. Just make sure your motherboard and operating system supports that much memory.
Conclusion
In summary, while Genshin Impact can technically run on systems with only 8 GB of RAM, 16+ GB is highly recommended for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions and graphics settings. Factors like your target resolution, desired graphics quality, multitasking needs, and smoothness preference should determine how much RAM you need. Starting with 16 GB RAM is ideal for most gamers and will allow room to upgrade further down the track. Carefully tweaking in-game settings can also help reduce RAM usage if your system is limited. Overall, having enough RAM is key to enjoying Genshin Impact’s gorgeous open world lag-free.
