Updated Shadowlands System Requirements - SSD No Longer Mandatory

Beta Posted 2020/09/01 at 3:42 PM by perculia

old specifications

Blizzard

The text of the Systems Specifications for Shadowlands was updated a few minutes ago on our Support Site: https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/256565 2

The minimum requirements section for Storage now reads:
Solid State Drive (SSD)
100GB available space
Or
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
100GB available space (depending on the performance of the drive, player experience may be impacted on HDD)

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Comment by MuvluvHurrahComment by SubonikAs expected. Hopefully anyone who was worried can rest easy.Comment by octnoirSSD is still probably the best upgrade you can make for your PC and laptop.

For most bang for your buck, SSD is by far the best (better than RAM, CPU, Graphics Card), especially for an older machine. Grab a cheap 100GB+ SSD and only install WoW on it and other essential apps, and you're good.

Remember you don't need a 500 GB SSD, you can have an SSD and an HDD on your PC and be just fine. Your images don't need an SSD's load time, but a game you play certainly does.Comment by BashcutterIt doesn't really matter.
It's going to be mandatory anyways because your game is going to be majorly improved/Slowed without it.

If you don't have an SSD. Just invest in one. It really really does improve your gaming experience.
Put WoW on the SSD, everything else non gaming goes on HDD for storage.Comment by LeafstaggerAnyone who doesn't have an SSD in 2020 is handicapping himself. Loading times and texture pop-in is atrocious in SL, so just because you can play with a HDD doesn't mean you should.Comment by TOMRUSShould have kept SSD requirement. Even BFA is unplayable from HDD, yet alone SL...Comment by minka25Now they need to make the system requirements casual... WowComment by DaugenEven though it doesn't list the SSD anymore, it is highly recommended that you do have one for Shadowlands. Even in BFA things take ages to load in when you're playing on a hard drive and it will only get worse as time goes on.Comment by SangfoudreStill, no reason not to have a SSD when computer/laptop has enough room, a 240 GB has more than enough room for Windows + Wow + various apps and costs less than 30$/€/£.Comment by sodusJust bought one today MonkaSComment by RenataKaneAgreed -- it's one of the single biggest impact upgrades you can make to improve your game performance. I have a separate SSD game drive and have never looked back. You won't believe how fast you zone.Comment by Julio0694Just bought my SSD today. I regret nothing. It loads Dalaran in 10 seconds. And yes I admit it, I panicked and that's why I bought it.Comment by NatakutdhI just got a m.2 1TB solidstate so i am excited to feel that performance!Comment by NzallI like the original post of that blue post, Implying that someone who started playing 16 years ago will still be using their 16 year old computer. Like, the minimum hardware requirements are all parts that have been released well over half a decade ago.Comment by JigglypuffI don't understand why this was such a big deal. Did people think the game was mysteriously not going to work if it was installed on an HDD?Comment by GyrosparkIt pretty much IS mandatory though if you want a good experience. Reducing 60-90 second load times to 10-20seconds with addons With a crappy SSD, without addons you can login the loading sreen within 3-4 seconds vs 30-40 seconds.Comment by tmptfateRemovedComment by Kheridanidk how anyone can play bfa on a hdd much less shadowlands.

Even on my 10000rpm western digital velociraptor drive the game loaded super slow starting around 7.3 with models and stuff popping in minutes after the load screen. It was a necessity to switch it over to my ssd at that pointComment by ThanatasgrSSD is still probably the best upgrade you can make for your PC and laptop.

For most bang for your buck, SSD is by far the best (better than RAM, CPU, Graphics Card), especially for an older machine. Grab a cheap 100GB+ SSD and only install WoW on it and other essential apps, and you're good.

Remember you don't need a 500 GB SSD, you can have an SSD and an HDD on your PC and be just fine. Your images don't need an SSD's load time, but a game you play certainly does.Comment by FeylingLmao this game has been struggling with HDD's since Legion. If you don't get an SSD for WoW you are must really hate yourself. Even in my 1100% inflation 3rd world country I can get one for cheap and they are everywhere to get nowadays.

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