I spent my first 20 hours of No Man’s Sky running from sentinels and hoarding rusted metal, completely unaware that a single crafting component would unlock nearly every fun, custom base feature I’d seen other players share online. If you’ve ever hit a wall trying to build a teleporter, upgrade your exosuit’s advanced modules, or automate your freighter’s resource farm, you’ve probably figured out what that component is. Learning how to make a microprocessor in No Man’s Sky is one of the most impactful early-to-mid game milestones you can hit, and it’s way simpler to pull off than most new players assume. You don’t need rare endgame resources or a fully upgraded base to make your first one, either.
What You Need to Make a Microprocessor in No Man’s Sky
The microprocessor recipe is intentionally accessible for players who are just starting to dive into base building, so you won’t have to grind for ultra-rare materials to craft your first unit. You don’t need to complete any long, story-specific quest lines to unlock the microprocessor recipe, either. The full list of required items and resources is below:
- 40 Chromatic Metal (refined from any activated or standard stellar metal: copper, cadmium, emeril, or indium)
- 1 Carbon Nanotube (crafted from 50 regular Carbon, no refiner needed)
- Access to a refiner (either a personal refiner unlocked via exosuit upgrades, or a small base refiner)
- Unlocked microprocessor recipe (automatically granted when you claim the Base Computer blueprint from the Space Anomaly’s Construction Research Unit)
A lot of new players stress about tracking down cadmium or emeril for chromatic metal, but you don’t need those rarer variants. Copper is found on nearly every habitable planet, usually in large, easy-to-mine deposits marked by bright orange icons on your scanner. One medium-sized copper deposit will give you enough raw material to make 10+ microprocessors in one go, so it’s worth stocking up if you plan to do a lot of base building later.
Step-by-Step Process to Craft Your First Microprocessor
Start by making a quick trip to the Space Anomaly if you haven’t unlocked the recipe yet. Head to the Construction Research Unit near the base building terminal, spend 10 salvaged data to buy the Base Computer blueprint, and the microprocessor recipe will be added to your inventory crafting menu automatically. You don’t have to build the Base Computer right away to use the recipe, either. Once you have the recipe unlocked, gather 50 carbon from local plants or trees to craft your Carbon Nanotube directly in your inventory. Next, mine 80 units of copper, place it in your refiner, and run the refining process to turn it into 40 Chromatic Metal. You don’t need to use a refiner to combine the final components for the microprocessor — once you have both the Chromatic Metal and Carbon Nanotube in your inventory, you can craft the microprocessor directly from the technology components tab. I usually keep a stack of 5 microprocessors in my exosuit inventory at all times, because I never know when I’ll stumble on a perfect base spot and need to build a teleporter or a save point right away. If you’re playing in survival mode, make sure you’re not near aggressive sentinels when you stop to craft, because the short animation leaves you vulnerable to surprise attacks.
Practical Uses for Microprocessors in Your Playthrough
You might be tempted to only make one microprocessor for the specific build you have planned right now, but it’s worth making a few extra to have on hand. These small components are used in nearly every advanced build in the game, from base upgrades to exosuit modifications. Base building is the most common use case: teleporters, advanced storage silos, automated mining extractors, power grid controls, and decorative custom tech all require at least one microprocessor to build. They’re also required for most high-tier exosuit and multi-tool upgrades, including advanced scanners, enhanced hazard protection modules, and high-damage combat upgrades. If you’re working on upgrading your freighter, you’ll need dozens of microprocessors to build frigate command rooms, automated resource farms, and warp core upgrades. Microprocessors are the backbone of nearly every high-value crafting recipe in the game, so having a few extra in storage will keep you from hitting annoying roadblocks mid-build. I remember I spent three days running around trying to find someone selling a microprocessor before I realized I could make them myself, and that small shift made the entire game feel way more open and customizable.
Tips to Streamline Microprocessor Production Long-Term
Once you start building large bases or upgrading your freighter, you’ll need way more than 1 or 2 microprocessors at a time. A few small setup steps will let you mass produce these components in minutes, no regular grinding required. First, set up a small copper mining outpost on a planet with rich copper deposits. Add a few extractors, a solar panel and battery array for power, and linked storage silos, and you’ll have a steady supply of copper waiting for you every time you visit the planet. Second, keep a dedicated stack of 20+ carbon nanotubes in your base storage, so you don’t have to craft them every time you need to make a batch of microprocessors. Unlock the large refiner upgrade for your base if you haven’t already, because it can process 4x as much copper into chromatic metal at once, cutting down your crafting time by a lot. If you play multiplayer, you can also trade extra microprocessors with friends who are focused on exploration instead of crafting, for rare resources like activated indium or storm crystals. Setting up an automated microprocessor farm will cut your mid-game crafting time by more than 70% in most cases. Just don’t waste your rare stellar metals like emeril or indium on making chromatic metal for microprocessors — save those for selling or making warp cells, because copper works just fine and is way easier to find in bulk.
You don’t have to be a seasoned No Man’s Sky veteran to start building your own tech components. Even if you’re only 10 hours into your first playthrough, you have all the tools you need to learn how to make a microprocessor in No Man’s Sky and unlock a huge chunk of the game’s most fun features. The next time you find yourself stuck wondering why you can’t build that advanced base module you’ve been wanting, skip the overpriced NPC shops and craft one yourself. You’ll save units, learn a useful new skill, and be one step closer to building the custom base or freighter you’ve been imagining.
