What you need to run it
Moonlight runs on a second PC. You need one output device and one way to get the video across. That is the whole shopping list.
Two PCs
Moonlight runs on a machine that is not the one running your game, and that separation is the point. It is the setup the guides are written for and the one we help with.
- CPU with AVX2 support (required). Every Ryzen and every Intel Core from 4th gen on has it; some Pentium and Celeron chips do not
- Windows, up to date
- The current driver for whatever GPU you have, NVIDIA, AMD or Intel
- The system clock in sync
- A stable internet connection for sign-in
Color needs
LightweightRequired: CPU with AVX2 support
- 4 core, 8 thread CPU from the last 5 to 8 years
- No graphics card needed
- 8 GB RAM
There is no model to run, so Color asks the least of the machine it runs on. CPUs older than about eight years may struggle.
AI needs
GPU optionalRequired: CPU with AVX2 support
- i7-7700K or Ryzen 5
- NVIDIA GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon 680M
- 8 GB RAM
- Ryzen 7 or 12th gen i7
- NVIDIA RTX 4060 or AMD RX 7600
- 16 GB RAM
- Intel Core i5-12400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600
- About 8 to 10 ms inference time on 320 models
- Intel Core i5-14600K or AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- About 3 to 5 ms inference time on 320 models
On minimum specs, AI runs lighter, faster models such as the 320 ones. They keep the inference time low, but the trade-off is detection accuracy: they pick out targets less reliably than the larger models that stronger hardware can run.
A graphics card is not required: without one, AI runs on the processor with OpenVINO. With one it runs ONNX with DirectML, or TensorRT on NVIDIA GTX 16 series and newer, so better hardware buys you frames per second rather than deciding whether it runs at all.
No second PC yet?
The FIREBAT mini PC is an AMD APU box that handles AI comfortably. Optional, but it is what we point people at.
Pick one output device
This is what actually moves your mouse. You only need one of them.
Arduino Due
Best performance and the simplest setup.
- Needs two micro USB cables
- Short cables, 0.5 ft or 1 ft, work best for serial
Moonlink included free with a Color or AI subscription.
Arduino Leonardo
Cheaper board, a couple of extra parts.
- CP2102 USB converter, around $6, or a CH340 at around $8
- Male to female jumper wires, around $7
Moonlink included free with a Color or AI subscription.
MAKCU
Popular ready-made board, no assembly.
- Amazon is convenient in the US
- Their Discord is usually cheaper
Ferrum
Sold through their own Discord server.
Titan Two
The console input device we support. Hard to find, but it works.
- Xbox: works on its own
- PS5: needs a PS5mate alongside the Titan Two
Console also runs through a MAKCU controller adapter.
Pick one way to send video
Your gaming PC has to show the second PC what is on screen. Over the network, or through a capture card.
Over the network
Send the video from your gaming PC to the second one over ethernet. Pick one of these.
Network switch
TP-Link TL-SG105E. The most reliable and the fastest.
A 1 GbE switch can bottleneck depending on your setup. A 2.5 GbE switch gives the best throughput.
Two USB to ethernet adapters
No switch, no IP setup, both PCs keep their normal internet.
- One adapter per PC, plus one ethernet cable between them
- Existing WiFi or ethernet on both machines is untouched
Direct cable, PC to PC
One ethernet cable from PC1 to PC2. No extra hardware at all.
- Both PCs need a free ethernet port
- Works best when the gaming PC is on WiFi for internet
Capture card
SafestSend the video out over HDMI into a capture card on the second PC.
Elgato 4K Pro
Internal PCIe card. The one we recommend.
AVerMedia GC573
Internal PCIe card, equally good.
Elgato 4K X
External over USB, for a machine with no free PCIe slot.
Got your parts?
Grab a license and the setup guides will walk you through the rest. Most people are running in 5 to 10 minutes.