Stronghold 4 PC System Requirements: 16GB RAM Minimum

Short answer: to play Stronghold 4 you need Windows 10 or 11, an Intel Core i5-4670, 16 GB of RAM, a GTX 1060 (3 GB) and 33 GB of storage. For the recommended settings, Firefly asks for an i5-7600 and an RTX 2060 (6 GB), still with 16 GB of RAM. An SSD is recommended.

The surprise: 16 GB of RAM is the minimum, not just the recommended amount.

Stronghold 4 PC system requirements

These are the official requirements from the game's Steam page:

	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system	Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)	Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
Processor	Intel Core i5-4670 or AMD equivalent	Intel Core i5-7600 or AMD equivalent
Memory	16 GB RAM	16 GB RAM
Graphics card	NVIDIA GTX 1060 (3 GB)	NVIDIA RTX 2060 (6 GB)
DirectX	Version 12	Version 12
Storage	33 GB (SSD recommended)	33 GB (SSD recommended)
Network	Broadband	Broadband

Firefly does not list AMD graphics cards or AMD processors by name. Close AMD equivalents: a Ryzen 3 1200 / Ryzen 5 1400 for the minimum processor, a Ryzen 5 1600 for the recommended one, an RX 570 / RX 580 for the minimum graphics card and an RX 5600 XT / RX 6600 for the recommended one (FpsGen estimates, based on gaming performance).

Stronghold 4: an army besieges a stone castle wall with fire and siege weapons — Big sieges with hundreds of units: the part of the game that pushes your PC the most. Image: Firefly Studios (Steam).

Stronghold 4 at a glance


Release date	December 7, 2026
Platform	PC (Steam)
Developer / publisher	Firefly Studios
Story	A prequel to the original Stronghold, set in medieval England
Campaign	22 missions, following Penryn of Wethel
Skirmish	8 CPU lords at launch
Demo	Free demo on Steam

The game brings back the castle-sim roots of the series, with weather that matters (snow slows crop growth, heavy rain shortens archery range), larger maps than ever, castle traps, moats and tunnelers.

What the requirements mean for your PC

16 GB of RAM, even for the minimum

This is the line to check first. Most games still accept 8 GB as a minimum, but Stronghold 4 does not: large maps, huge armies and a full castle economy use a lot of memory. With 8 GB, expect stutter in big sieges, or the game may not run well at all. If you are on 8 GB, two more sticks are the cheapest upgrade you can make: read Is 16GB RAM Enough for Gaming?.

The processor and graphics card are easy

An i5-4670 is a 4-core processor from 2013 and a GTX 1060 3GB is from 2016, so most gaming PCs meet the minimum. For the recommended settings, any RTX 2060, RTX 3060, RTX 4060, RX 6600 or better is enough.

In big sieges, your processor matters most

Like every real-time strategy game, Stronghold 4 has to simulate hundreds of soldiers, peasants and projectiles at once. In large battles the processor usually limits your FPS before the graphics card does. Check yours with our Bottleneck Calculator.

Use an SSD

Firefly recommends an SSD for both minimum and recommended settings. On a hard drive, expect long loading times and possible stutter when the map loads new areas.

Stronghold 4: a stone castle in the snow surrounded by forest — Weather now changes the game: snow slows your farms. Image: Firefly Studios (Steam).

Test your PC with the free demo

There is a free Stronghold 4 demo on Steam. It is the best way to know how the game runs on your PC before December 7. Turn on an FPS counter (see How to Show FPS in Any PC Game) and play a big battle: if it stays smooth, the full game should too.

How to check your PC

Find your RAM, processor and graphics card in one click with Check My PC.
Compare your graphics card with the GTX 1060 or the RTX 2060 on Compare Hardware, for example RTX 4060 vs RTX 3060.
See what FPS your PC gets in other games with the FPS Estimator.

Stronghold 4 gameplay: a large siege between castles with explosions and the game interface — A siege in skirmish mode, with the classic Stronghold interface. Image: Firefly Studios (Steam).

FAQ

Can I run Stronghold 4 with 8 GB of RAM?

The official minimum is 16 GB, so 8 GB is below the requirements. Try the free demo first: it may start, but big battles will likely stutter.

What graphics card do I need for Stronghold 4?

At least a GTX 1060 3GB (or an AMD card like the RX 570 / RX 580). An RTX 2060 or better is recommended.

Is Stronghold 4 on Windows 10?

Yes. The official requirements list Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit.

How big is Stronghold 4?

33 GB, and an SSD is recommended.

When does Stronghold 4 come out?

December 7, 2026, on PC (Steam).

Sources: Steam store page (official requirements, release date, features, demo). AMD equivalents and graphics card tiers are FpsGen estimates. Last checked November 1, 2026.

John N.

Editor

Gaming writer at FpsGen. Guides and reviews are built on official sources, patch notes and real player data.