A huge portion of Starfield's playtime is spent inside a ship, so it makes sense that finding the perfect vessel would be high on most players list of things to do in the game. Luckily, Starfield features a massive variety of ships, many of which can be purchased at the game's starports. And though its true that there is no real need to spend credits to get a good ship, the fact remains that many of the best must be bought.

Though in many ways, the traits that make a great ship are somewhat subjective, there are certain aspects that remain universal across all play styles. For example, it is nearly impossible to get through Starfield without entering combat with other ships. This means that any decent ship will have powerful weapons. This list will give players five examples of the absolute best ships that credits can buy.

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5 Shieldbreaker

Shieldbreaker will be available for most players at the New Atlantis spaceport from the moment they first enter the game, but don't expect to be picking it up immediately. Players will have to shell out a significant amount of credits to get their hands on this beast of a ship. Shieldbreaker is a B-Class ship, has an incredibly powerful hull for its size, and packs a storage capacity of 2200. A great all-around ship that can carry a huge amount while handling itself in a fight.

4 Crimson Wight II

The Crimson Wight, or its upgraded variations (denoted with the Roman numerals II or III), should be found at The Key, the Crimson Fleet's stronghold in the Kryx system. This ship is the absolute best that the Crimson Fleet has to offer. Though it is extremely weighty, it makes up for it with its massive C-class engines, reactor, and Grav Drive.

What makes the Wight special, aside from its ability to terrorize any enemy ship that gets close, is that it comes pre-installed with a shielded cargo hold. This will allow players to have a much better chance of passing Starfield's contraband check whenever entering a settled system. With its size, players will be able to add considerably more shielded cargo holds without much problem. Unlike the rest of the ships on this list, the Wight is a criminal's dream.

Another interesting feature of the Wight is its EM weapon system. Do not be fooled by the 1 in the power colum. EM weapons have a completely different power measure. These weapons are capable of completely bypassing a ship's shields, and stopping it dead in its tracks, making it vulnerable to docking.

3 Watchdog III

The Watchdog, especially the Watchdog III variant, is an incredibly mobile fighter that packs a major punch with its missiles. Though it's been found in Akila City on some occasions, It's also been seen in Neon. With a large reactor that provides more than enough power for such a small ship, those adept at ship-based combat find that the Watchdog is the dog-fighter's best friend.

Honorable Mention: Crimson Ghost III

The Ghost is essentially the Crimson Fleet's version of the watchdog. While both ships are great, the addition of shielded cargo makes the Ghost worth mentioning for players looking to live on the darker side of the universe. However, to buy this ship, players must either join or infiltrate the Crimson Fleet. It costs approx 170,000 credits.

2 Renegade

The Renegade, even at its base level, is one of the most well-rounded ships in Starfield. While it is possible to find the Renegade in its highest form at spaceports, once the player owns the base version, they can improve it on their own using Starfield's upgrade system. The base version will cost players just over 300,000 credits, and if players are lucky enough to find the Renegade III, that will cost them approximately 450,000 credits.

This ship has an absolutely massive cargo hold, with the base version coming in at 3970. Despite its massive size, the Renegade can handle high speed fairly well. However, where the Renegade truly shines is in its ability to fend off attackers in large numbers. The Renegade is perfect for end-game situations where players are fighting high-level ships while carrying a large amount of resources.

Unfortunately, there is no 100% reliable method of knowing where the Renegade will be located. Some have seen it in Paradiso, where this model was found. Others have seen it at the Red Mile on Porrima III. Luckily, it is usually found at one of the main starports, which includes New Atlantis, Akila City, Cydonia, Neon, or Paradiso.

1 Abyss Trekker

Considered by many to be the best fighter in the game, the Abyss Trekker carries some serious firepower. However, this ship has an extremely limited amount of cargo space, so players should have a plan in place before switching to this ship for the first time.

Usually found in Paradiso, this C-class monster has an extremely powerful hull, which, along with its high-power shield, makes it practically unstoppable. It's massive price tag will be a deterrent to some, but any player looking to make mince meat of the Crimson Fleet, Ecliptic, Va'ruun, or as many Spacers as they can find, will need to look no further than the Abyss Trekker.

Starfield is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.