Games for Windows Downloads: System Requirements
Published: November 10, 2003
To use the Microsoft Games for Windows downloads, you need:
Processor | Personal or multimedia computer with a 350-megahertz (MHz) or higher processor | Personal or multimedia computer with a 500-megahertz (MHz) or higher processor |
Operating System | Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional | Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional |
Memory | | • | 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM | | • | 16 megabytes (MB) or more of VRAM is required for some features |
| | • | 128 megabytes (MB) or higher of RAM | | • | 16 megabytes (MB) or more of VRAM* |
|
Hard Disk | 300 MB of available hard-disk space | 300 MB of available hard-disk space |
Drive or Drives | CD-ROM or DVD drive | CD-ROM or DVD drive |
Display | | • | VGA or higher resolution monitor | | • | 256-color video card | | • | 3-D graphics acceleration | | • | Video adapter must be compatible with Windows XP** |
| | • | Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution monitor | | • | 256-color video card | | • | 3-D graphics acceleration | | • | Video adapter must be compatible with Windows XP** |
|
Audio | Windows XP–compatible sound card and speakers or headphones | Windows XP–compatible sound card and speakers or headphones |
Mouse | Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device | Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device |
Other Devices | Internet connection may be required for some features | Internet connection may be required for some features |
*Note We recommend the following graphics accelerators:
| • | Matrox G400 and G450 |
| • | SiS300 |
| • | Trident BladeXP 128 |
| • | 3Dlabs Permedia 3 |
| • | Video cards using the ATI Radeon and Rage 128 chipsets |
| • | Video cards using the NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 and GeForce chipsets |
If you are using a video adapter containing the ATI or NVIDIA chipsets, we recommend you download and install the latest video card software drivers from the manufacturer's Web site.
**Note You can confirm that your video adapter is compatible with Windows XP by reviewing the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) page at the Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs Web site. Type the video adapter manufacturer name in the Search box, and then select Display from the list of hardware types.
