Determining whether your system meets or exceeds the minimum requirements is not easy, as different generations of processors and GPUs are not always directly comparable. This gets more complicated when you factor in the two types of processors found in laptops, which also aren’t easily compared to their desktop counterparts.
Between the minimum and recommended hardware requirements of the games, there will sometimes be sacrifices to be made if you want to play on the lowest game settings. Conversely, recommended computer specs that match or exceed them will deliver smoother frame rates, support for higher resolutions, and a more fun gaming experience.
Basic rule to remember, if the processors of the main unit and graphics are newer than the minimum configurations required by the game, you will be able to run the game on your computer. On the other hand, you will have to find and compare the chips with each other, which is not always obvious at first sight for the uninitiated.
Find game configurations
Head to the game publishers’ websites for minimum and recommended specs – or the back of the game box if you have it.
Next, head to your Windows system. Open Task Manager, then select the Performance tab. From the left menu, select Processor, Memory, and Graphics Card. For each item, the description will appear in the right section. This will allow you to compare the information with that of the game.
Also check the amount of free storage on your 0 or C drive. Games usually take up a lot of space. Very fast, SSD type storage is clearly preferable to that of hard disks with rotating platters.
If your system meets or exceeds the requirements – minimum or recommended – then the game should run smoothly on your computer.
Other possible pitfalls
Pilots (drivers) of your system which are not up to date can prevent the installation of the game, especially those which manage the graphics card. Updating them should fix the problem.
Bugs in the game might complicate the installation. Visit the developer’s site for known issues.
Finally, a software or virus problem that monopolizes too much computer power would require to be resolved before any installation.
