We all know how epic Blizzard’s interstellar strategy game StarCraft is, so it’s no surprise you’re intrigued by the second installment of the franchise. However, what many aren’t so clued up on are the StarCraft 2 system requirements.
Before you fork out your hard-earned cash for this game, it’s crucial that you establish a setup capable of running it, otherwise, that’s wasted money and wasted time.
Here’s what you need to know before committing to the purchase of StarCraft 2!
Minimum StarCraft 2 System Requirements (For Windows)
If you’re hoping that your Microsoft computer and StarCraft 2 will be just compatible enough to play nice, here’s what you’ll need from your system.
Operating system
First thing’s first; you need a compatible OS. Any Windows operating system from 7 onwards will work just fine.
CPU
If you want to take to the stars and do battle with the Zerg (et al.), your Windows computer must have a suitable processor. The baseline CPUs for running StarCraft 2 are…
- Camp Intel: Intel Core 2 Duo
- Camp AMD: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+
GPU
You’ll also need a capable graphics unit in order to run the highly intricate StarCraft gameplay.
- Camp NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT
- Camp AMD: ATI (AMD) Radeon HD 2600 XT
- Camp Intel: Intel HD Graphics 3000 or beyond
RAM
You’ll only need 2 GB RAM spare to play StarCraft 2 — hooray!
Storage
You’ll need a minimum of 30 GB free storage space in your system to wage war across distant galaxies, but a bit of headroom wouldn’t hurt here.
Resolution
1024×768 is the minimum resolution required to play StarCraft 2.
Optimal StarCraft 2 System Requirements (For Windows)
If you want to enjoy StarCraft 2 at its absolute best, here’s what you’re going to need.
Operating System
For maximum performance, your system should run on Windows 10 (64-bit) or better.
CPU
On the processor front, at the very least, you’ll need…
- Camp Intel: Intel Core i5
- Camp AMD: AMD FX series
GPU
While you still don’t need all that much graphics processing power here, a low-end discrete unit will be best. Consider the following your baselines:
- Camp NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650
- Camp AMD: AMD Radeon HD 7790
RAM
4 GB of RAM will set you up for a seamless StarCraft adventure!
Storage
For optimal gameplay, you don’t need any more than the 30 GB of hard drive space mentioned earlier.
Resolution
That minimum 1024×768 resolution is all you’ll need for StarCraft 2 excellence.
Minimum StarCraft 2 System Requirements (Mac)
StarCraft 2 is of course equally enjoyable on a mac, but you’ll need the following system requirements as a baseline to run the game.
Operating System
OS X10.12 (latest iteration) is the most basic mac operating system capable of running StarCraft 2.
CPU
Similar to the minimum Windows requirements, to play StarCraft 2 on your mac, you’ll need an Intel Core 2 Duo or better.
GPU
To handle the video graphics on the game you’ll need…
- Camp NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M
- Camp AMD: ATI Radeon HD 4670
RAM
4 GB of RAM will see you through just fine.
Storage
30 GB of hard drive space is enough to support StarCraft 2.
Resolution
Once again, all you’ll need on the resolution front is 1024×768.
Optimal StarCraft 2 System Requirements (Mac)
If you’re looking to max out your gaming experience on a mac, here’s what you’ll need.
Operating System
macOS 10.15 (latest iteration) will facilitate optimal StarCraft 2 functionality.
CPU
An Intel Core i5 CPU or better is perfect!
GPU
In the graphics department, you’re looking at…
- Camp NVIDIA: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M
- Camp AMD: AMD Radeon R9 M290X
RAM
8 GB of RAM will allow you to run StarCraft 2 at its full potential.
Storage
30 GB is all you’ll need.
Resolution
Nothing new here — 1024×768 is A-okay!
Final Thoughts
There you have it — StarCraft 2 isn’t exactly a demanding game, but you can expect it to kick the fans into overdrive if you’re using an older system. To avoid that, we’d recommend setting up a system that can support optimal gameplay.
