To find out whether your PC meets a game’s requirements, check its processor, graphics card, memory, Windows version, and available storage, then compare each item with the requirements published for that specific game. In Windows, Settings > System > About shows basic device details; the built-in DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) provides a fuller system and display report.
1. Find your PC’s basic specifications
Check Windows Settings
- Open Settings > System > About.
- Note the processor model and installed RAM. Also note your Windows edition and version; the game may require a particular operating system.
This page is a quick starting point, not a complete gaming compatibility report. For a fuller system summary, open the Windows System Information app.
Use DxDiag for system and graphics details
- Press Windows key + R to open Run.
- Type
dxdiagand press Enter. If Windows asks to check whether drivers are digitally signed, follow the prompt. - Review the System tab for system details and the Display tab for graphics-device and driver information. If the tool shows more than one display tab, inspect each one.
EA recommends using the DxDiag report to compare a PC with a game’s minimum requirements: EA’s DxDiag instructions. Steam also points users to DxDiag when checking system information: Steam’s driver-updating guidance.
2. Find the requirements for the exact game
Use the game publisher’s page or the store listing for the particular game you plan to play. Read both the minimum and recommended requirements if both are listed. Requirements are game-specific: Windows’ own hardware requirements do not replace the requirements set by a game or its publisher. Microsoft likewise advises checking the relevant app or hardware publisher for additional requirements: Microsoft’s Windows 11 system requirements.
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Write down the listed operating system, CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and any stated graphics API or feature requirement. Pay attention to notes attached to the list, such as a required Windows version or a particular DirectX expectation. For example, the Steam support listing for Counter-Strike 2 specifies CPU-thread and DirectX expectations; the game’s own listing is the authority for its requirements.
3. Compare each requirement separately
| Game requirement | Where to check on your PC | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Settings > System > About | Windows edition and version against the game’s stated OS requirement |
| CPU | Settings > System > About or System Information | Exact processor model and any stated core or thread requirement |
| GPU | DxDiag > Display | Graphics-device model and any listed graphics feature or API requirement |
| Memory (RAM) | Settings > System > About | Installed memory against the game’s stated minimum or recommended amount |
| Storage | Game listing and available space on the target drive | Required free space and whether the specified drive has enough available capacity |
| DirectX or other feature | DxDiag and the game’s requirement notes | The version or feature explicitly named by the game |
Assess minimum and recommended requirements as separate thresholds for each component. If your CPU meets the recommended level but your GPU falls below minimum, the stronger CPU does not erase the graphics mismatch. Compare the exact model names where possible: there is no universal conversion rule that makes one differently named CPU or GPU equivalent to another. When the models do not match, look for game-specific benchmarks or guidance from the publisher or hardware maker rather than guessing from the name.
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4. Understand what a match does—and does not—tell you
Meeting a game’s minimum requirements indicates that the PC reaches the publisher’s stated baseline; it does not guarantee a particular frame rate, resolution, graphics preset, or consistently smooth experience. Recommended requirements are a more relevant comparison if you are aiming for the higher experience described by that publisher, but their precise meaning depends on the game’s own notes.
Requirements lists are not performance guarantees. Steam notes that outdated graphics drivers can affect performance even when the graphics hardware meets the stated requirements: Steam’s software performance troubleshooting guidance.
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5. If the PC meets the requirements but the game performs poorly
- Check graphics drivers. Use the PC or graphics-card maker’s official driver guidance, and verify the exact GPU model first. Steam’s driver instructions explain how DxDiag can help identify system information.
- Check what else is running. Available memory and background software can affect performance. Steam includes both hardware and software checks in its hardware troubleshooting and software troubleshooting.
- Recheck the exact shortfall before considering an upgrade. Confirm the PC component model and the game’s requirement, then verify that any replacement part is compatible with the particular PC. A vague mismatch is not enough to choose an upgrade.
Quick compatibility checklist
- Have you checked the requirements for the exact game, not just Windows’ requirements?
- Have you compared OS, CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and every stated API or feature separately?
- Do you know whether each component meets minimum, recommended, or neither?
- Are you treating a minimum-spec match as a baseline rather than a promise of specific performance?
- If performance is poor, have you checked drivers and background activity before blaming the hardware?
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