Hollow Knight runs on very light, older hardware, needing just an Intel Core 2 Duo and a GeForce 9800GTX with 4GB of RAM at minimum, or an Intel Core i5 and GTX 560 with 8GB of RAM for the recommended tier. This is one of the least demanding games in our entire catalog, comfortably running on budget laptops and PCs well over a decade old.
Hollow Knight is Team Cherry’s hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania set in the ruined insect kingdom of Hallownest, widely regarded as one of the genre’s defining modern titles. Its 2017 release and modest visual demands mean hardware is almost never the deciding factor in whether to play it. This guide covers exactly what you need, how it stacks up against the rest of our Souls-like cluster, and who this game is actually built for.
Here are the Hollow Knight System Requirements (Minimum)
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E5200
- RAM: 4 GB
- Video Card: GeForce 9800GTX (1GB)
- Dedicated Video RAM: 1 GB
- Pixel Shader: 4.0
- Vertex Shader: 4.0
- OS: Windows 7
- Free Disk Space: 9 GB
Hollow Knight Recommended Requirements
- CPU: Intel Core i5
- RAM: 8 GB
- Video Card: GeForce GTX 560
- Dedicated Video RAM: 1 GB
- Pixel Shader: 5.0
- Vertex Shader: 5.0
- OS: Windows 10
- Free Disk Space: 9 GB
Minimum vs Recommended At a Glance
| Spec | Minimum | Recommended |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo E5200 | Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| GPU | GeForce 9800GTX | GeForce GTX 560 |
| VRAM | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| OS | Windows 7 | Windows 10 |
| Storage | 9 GB | 9 GB |
Can My PC Run Hollow Knight?
Almost certainly, yes. A GeForce 9800GTX and a Core 2 Duo processor describe hardware from around 2008, so any PC built in the last fifteen years clears the minimum tier easily. Even the recommended specs, a Core i5 and GTX 560, describe a mid-range PC from over a decade ago. This is one of the most accessible games we’ve covered from a hardware standpoint.
Who Hollow Knight Is For
Hollow Knight is built for players who enjoy exploration-driven Metroidvanias with a strong emphasis on discovering new abilities that unlock previously inaccessible parts of the map. Its hand-drawn art style, atmospheric world design, and tight, challenging combat have led many critics and players to call it one of the best examples of the genre, sometimes described as a Metroidvania take on the Souls formula. Players who enjoy piecing together lore through environmental storytelling rather than direct exposition, and who don’t mind extensive backtracking, tend to get the most out of it.
It’s a tougher recommendation for total newcomers to the Metroidvania genre, since community consensus consistently describes the early hours as difficult and disorienting, with minimal guidance on where to go next. Several longtime genre fans specifically suggest starting with a gentler entry point like Super Metroid or Ori before Hollow Knight, since its steep learning curve and demanding boss fights can frustrate players unfamiliar with the genre’s conventions.
Get Hollow Knight For Less
If your setup handles these specs, our guide on how to get Hollow Knight free covers a legitimate way to pick it up without paying full price.
More PC System Requirements Guides
Start with our central guide: Valheim System Requirements. Within our Souls-likes & Hardcore Action-RPG cluster:
- Elden Ring Nightreign System Requirements (cluster hub)
- Dark Souls: Remastered System Requirements
- Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin System Requirements
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice System Requirements
- Lunacid System Requirements
- SWORN System Requirements
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 System Requirements
- Minecraft Dungeons Ultimate Edition System Requirements
- Lies of P System Requirements
This closes out our full 10-game Souls-likes & Hardcore Action-RPG cluster.
FAQ
What are the system requirements for Hollow Knight?
Minimum requirements are an Intel Core 2 Duo E5200, 4GB of RAM, a GeForce 9800GTX, and 9GB of storage. Recommended specs bump that to an Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 560.
Can Hollow Knight run on a laptop?
Yes. Its requirements are low enough that most laptops from the last fifteen years, including many without dedicated graphics, can run it.
Is Hollow Knight a good first Metroidvania?
Opinions are mixed. Many players recommend starting with a gentler title like Super Metroid or Ori first, since Hollow Knight’s steep difficulty and minimal guidance can overwhelm genre newcomers.
How much storage does Hollow Knight need?
9GB of free space, making it one of the smaller installs in our System Requirements catalog.
Is Hollow Knight difficult?
Yes. It’s frequently described as one of the harder Metroidvanias, with demanding boss fights and limited hand-holding, especially in its opening hours.
