Borderlands 4 System Requirements Raise CPU Questions, But Experts Say Relax

Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be the most ambitious entry in Gearbox’s long-running looter-shooter series, but its recently revealed system requirements have left some players worried. Specifically, the listed CPU requirement is causing debates across forums, as it appears to rule out processors that aren’t equipped with at least eight cores. That includes some relatively new models like AMD’s Ryzen 5 9600X and the Ryzen 5 7600X, which are more than capable in most modern games but technically fall short of this requirement on paper.

The official requirements are split into two categories: minimum and recommended. At the minimum level, players will need an Intel Core i7-9700 or an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, 16GB of RAM, and a graphics card like an RTX 2070, RX 5700 XT, or Intel Arc A580. At the recommended level, the bar is much higher, with Intel’s i7-12700 or AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X alongside 32GB of RAM and GPUs like the RTX 3080 or RX 6800 XT. Storage demands are also hefty, requiring 100GB of space and mandating an SSD across the board.

At first glance, the 8-core CPU requirement might look like a major barrier. However, industry analysis suggests it’s more of a precaution than a hard technical wall. Many games developed on Unreal Engine, which Borderlands 4 is believed to be running on, rarely use all the cores available. Often, only a handful of threads are pushed to their limits, while the rest sit idle. This means processors with fewer cores can still deliver strong results, provided they have solid single-core performance and are paired with a capable graphics card.

Jacob Woodward, covering the news, noted that players shouldn’t panic. He pointed out that even high-profile games like Doom: The Dark Ages perform well on six-core CPUs, while Digital Foundry’s testing has shown that Unreal Engine titles don’t fully scale to eight threads, much less eight cores. For most gamers with a respectable setup, Borderlands 4 should run in a playable state without the need to rush out and buy a new processor.

The real bottleneck for many might be the GPU requirements, as the recommended specs call for high-end cards that are still expensive and sometimes difficult to find at reasonable prices. VRAM demands are also notable, with the minimum requirements already asking for 8GB. This suggests that while CPUs will be fine, older graphics hardware could struggle to keep up with the game’s new environments, effects, and its largest map to date.

Beyond performance debates, Borderlands 4 is already making headlines for its scale and features. Gearbox and 2K Games have described it as the biggest entry in the franchise, with a world set on Kairos that dwarfs previous locations. The series’s trademark loot chaos is also being pushed further than ever before. Borderlands 4 will have more guns than every Call of Duty game combined, a bold statement that reinforces the franchise’s focus on variety and excess.

Price has become another talking point. Publisher 2K confirmed that Borderlands 4 will launch at $70, a move consistent with many modern AAA releases but still controversial among fans. Some of the backlash intensified after Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford addressed concerns online.

“if you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.” — Randy Pitchford

The statement didn’t land well with players, leading to criticism over its dismissive tone. Some even claimed it pushed them closer to piracy rather than purchase.

Despite these concerns, Borderlands 4 remains one of the most anticipated releases on the horizon. Its combination of loot-driven gameplay, dark humor, and over-the-top combat has kept the series alive for over a decade. While the system requirements might look intimidating at first glance, most players with mid-range setups should still be able to jump into the chaos without issue. The real test will come at launch, when performance across a wide range of hardware can be measured in practice.