System requirements

Almost all computer software requires some features to be present on a computer system before it can be used with the computer. These necessary features are known as system requirements, and are often used as a guideline as opposed to an absolute rule. Often two sets of system requirements are given for an item of software: a minimum set of requirements (which must be satisfied for the software to be usable at all) and a recommended set of requirements (for maximum performance).

System requirements for software tend to increase over time, and have done so to a large extent over the last decade.

For instance, while StarCraft (1994) needed:

Windows 95 or NT or superior

Pentium processor at 90MHz or higher

16MB RAM

80MB available in the hard disk

CD-ROM, 2x or higher

DirectX 3.0 or higher

and Spider-Man (2002) needed:

3D Hardware Accelerator

Windows 98/2000/NT/XP

Pentium III processor at 500MHz or higher

128MB RAM

1.5GB available in the hard disk

DirectX 8.1

Doom 3 needs:

3D Hardware Accelerator - 64MB of memory minimum

Windows 2000/XP

Pentium IV 1.5 GHz or Athlon XP 1500+ processor or higher

384MB RAM

8x Speed CD-ROM

2.2GB free hard disk space

DirectX 9.0b compatible 16-bit sound card

DirectX 9.0b

Not only computer games need these features, but any substantial programss such as Encarta, DVD players (on the computer), file managers and the like.

System requirements

System requirements

See also