SkyTex is a visual overhaul for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, a massive one. Modder Xzandiel has this full remaster of over 32,000 vanilla textures, all upscaled to an impressive 8K resolution using advanced AI tools. Weighing in at 112 GB, this is a comprehensive texture enhancement that aims to retain the original art style while dramatically increasing visual fidelity.
Unlike mods that replace Bethesda’s designs with custom ones, SkyTex takes a purist approach. Using a combination of RealESRGAN, Topaz Gigapixel AI, and Topaz Photo AI, each texture was carefully upscaled — not redesigned. According to the modder, the objective was to enhance visual clarity and immersion without deviating from the game’s original artistic intent.
What’s inside SkyTex
- All 32,000+ original textures remastered.
- Colormaps upscaled to 4x their original resolution (up to 8K).
- Normal maps doubled to preserve lighting and depth.
- Modern BC7 compression used for sharper results.
- Fully modular: download only the parts you want.
The mod is designed for maximum compatibility, serving as a foundation to be layered with other visual mods. It’s not meant to override community-made retextures or artistic reinterpretations, but rather to complement them. SkyTex promises consistency across the entire game world, and should work beautifully in a modded load order.
Performance & requirements
To fully enjoy this 8K experience, a GPU with 16GB of VRAM or more is recommended — especially if you’re gaming at 4K or using ENB presets. The modder warns that players with lower-end GPUs might face longer loading times, stuttering, or texture pop-ins. Optional downscaled versions may be released in the future.
Installation (Manual)
Installation is done via WinRAR and involves manually placing the texture files into your Skyrim installation directory. Here’s the quick version:
- Download and install WinRAR from rarlab.com
- Download all SkyTex archive parts from the mod page
- Right-click and extract each .rar into a separate folder
- Move all extracted folders into:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data\textures
And that’s it — no load order configuration, no extra plugins. Just launch the game and enjoy a beautifully remastered Skyrim.
Whether you’re exploring Whiterun, wandering through the snowy reaches of Winterhold, or simply admiring the scenery, SkyTex brings the world of Skyrim to life in stunning detail — all while respecting the original look and feel that fans know and love.
You can download the mod here.
More info and Skyrim
Overview
- Get SkyTex: a complete 8K texture remaster for Skyrim - Download link(s) or store's listing.
- Size: 112 GB
- Channel(s): Xzandiel
- License: Free
- Categories: Skyrim