Elden Ring in test: Notebook and desktop benchmarks

There is no question that Elden Ring is one of the best role-playing games of all time, despite its minor flaws. However, From Software did not do itself any favors with the PC version at launch - as is typical for the developer. Analogous to other Souls titles, the first patches (this article is based on version 1.0.3 from mid-March) still have several problems, starting with the fact that only console buttons are displayed when using the mouse and keyboard, which can lead to a lot of confusion.

In general, the controls (especially in the menus, which are a bit better in terms of usability) are designed for the use of a gamepad, but that doesn't mean that you can't play through Elden Ring with a mouse and keyboard (the author successfully finished Dark Souls 3 with it, for example).

Apart from the not quite well-thought-out or adapted controls, Elden Ring, unfortunately, has many other technical problems and shortcomings at the moment. For example, PC players are not only confronted with a fixed FPS limit of 60 frames per second (currently it can be disabled only via mod) but also - regardless of the hardware used and the selected settings - with sometimes more or less strong jerks, which can have a very negative impact on the gameplay.

In addition, there are occasional crashes and graphics errors (e.g. hidden horse). The starting and ending of Elden Ring also take a long time in some places. Furthermore, changes to the picture mode or resolution are often not applied correctly, so you have to switch back and forth several times.

Aprops graphics menu: the title cuts a decent figure in terms of settings amount. Although a few classics like V-Sync are missing, the advanced options still contain more than 10 quality controls, some of which have a strong impact on the visuals. While minimum settings look very modest, the game looks decent from medium details.

There are also several presets available, which conveniently do not require a restart. On the maximum level, the graphics quality proves to be solid, although you can hardly see any improvements compared to Dark Souls 3. Some genre representatives are technically quite a bit further or more modern. Some buyers will be disappointed by the texture quality, among other things.

However, From Software makes up for the technical limitations - older Souls parts say hello - to a certain degree with a grandiose and very individual art style. The enemy design and the atmosphere of the world are almost unrivaled - it is simply outstanding. Not least thanks to the high vegetation density, the changing times of the day, the lush views, the varying weather conditions (rain, wind, etc.), and the destructible level elements, there is an immense amount of ambiance.

If you want to try out Souls-like or any other From Software game for the first time, we think it's best to start with Elden Ring. Although you still have to learn many things via an internet search, it is more beginner-friendly than its spiritual predecessors and has better movement handling (keyword: jumping).