A cursory glance at a Minecraft game session will suggest that you can run the game easily on low-budget laptops. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Don’t let the modest graphics fool you. Modern Minecraft requires a lot of computational power to run the latest updates. A high-end laptop will allow you to run Minecraft seamlessly and explore the assets within it.
The minimum system requirements to run Minecraft on your laptop include 4 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i3 processor or its equivalent among other brands, at least 2 GB of free space for the game core and other files, an Intel HD 4000 or Radeon R5 220 graphics card, and a Windows 7 Operating System. The recommended requirements are higher.
The system requirements above will help you run the lowest version of Minecraft. But with recent modifications, you will need a more powerful laptop to run the game without lag. This article contains the important factors determining whether your laptop is good for Minecraft. It also provides the minimum and recommended system requirements to run Minecraft.
Factors To Consider When Choosing a Suitable Laptop for Minecraft
Choosing the right laptop to run Minecraft depends on several factors ranging from the physical qualities of the laptop to the gaming requirements of Minecraft. The following seven factors should be considered before buying a laptop to run Minecraft.
Size and Weight
Although the size and weight of your laptop have little effect on the performance of your system while running Minecraft, they are still very important factors to consider. One of the advantages of using a laptop for games over a desktop computer is that you can take the laptop with you anywhere you want.
This advantage is significantly reduced if your laptop is huge and chunky. If you plan on playing Minecraft at a coffee shop or taking it over to a friend’s place, the size and weight of your laptop should be part of the list of things to consider. You want a light, sleek, and compact laptop with all the other specs to run Minecraft.
RAM
If your laptop only has the minimum required RAM for running Minecraft, you must avoid running other programs or close some of the background apps while running it. This is to guarantee a wonderful gaming experience. If you intend to multitask on your laptop while playing Minecraft, you should opt for a laptop with a lot of RAM.
Processor
Minecraft is written in Java which is slow. It needs a powerful processor to run seamlessly. Laptops with low processing power might still run the game, but it has to be under the lowest settings. It runs at a low framerate and makes for a less enjoyable experience. Without sufficient processing power, the game might lag and become unplayable.
You can’t do much better than Intel or AMD when choosing the most suitable processor for your laptop.
Graphics Card
Minecraft might not be the most graphically demanding game, so if you run it under the right settings, you can use a laptop with an integrated graphics card to play it successfully. However, to explore the full capabilities of the game, nothing will do the job or improve the game’s settings like a dedicated graphics card.
Free Disk Space
A hard disk drive (HDD) might provide more space than a solid-state drive (SSD) of the same price, but an SSD is always better for gaming if you can afford it. SSD guarantees faster load times and a better gaming experience.
Operating System
Since Minecraft is written in Java, it is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. However, only the right versions of Windows, Linux, or Mac can run Minecraft.
Battery
It is no surprise that given the computational power required to run Minecraft, the game drains your battery. Any game that requires a lot of CPU and GPU power would need a significant power supply. Before buying a laptop to play Minecraft, check its battery’s strength. There is no point in having a high-end laptop that doesn’t last long when it runs on battery alone.
Minimum System Requirements for Minecraft
The following are the minimum system requirement for Minecraft.
- Disk Space: You need at least 2 GB of free space on your local disk drive to accommodate Minecraft’s game core and other files.
- Processor: We recommend the later generations of Intel Core i3 or its equivalent by AMD.
- RAM: You shouldn’t have less than 4 GB of RAM to run Minecraft under low settings.
- Size and Weight: Your laptop must be light and compact.
- Battery: Running Minecraft under the lowest settings shouldn’t consume as much battery as running it under more advanced settings. Your laptop battery should run Minecraft for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Operating System: The minimum operating system is Windows 7, 64-bit macOS X 10.9 Maverick, or any 64-bit Linux OS after 2014.
- Graphics Card: The minimum graphics card requirement is 4000 Intel HD or AMD Radeon R5 series.
Recommended System Requirements for Minecraft
Minecraft is not a graphically intense game, so you do not need much disk space or GPU power when playing it under the lowest settings. However, since its launch in 2009, the game has undergone several upgrades and modifications. Playing the modified versions of the game requires powerful processors, great graphics, and a lot of disk space.
The following are the recommended system requirement for Minecraft.
- Disk Space: You need at least 4 GB of free space on your local disk drive to accommodate Minecraft and all its data and files. For a faster gaming experience, you should opt for SSD instead of HDD or a combination of both.
- Processor: We recommend the later generations of Intel Core i5 or its equivalent by AMD. If you can afford a more powerful processor like Intel Core i7, you should go for it.
- RAM: You shouldn’t have less than 8 GB RAM to run the most advanced version of Minecraft without lag. Anything above 8 GB will improve performance and allow you to multitask efficiently, but 8 GB will also do the job perfectly.
- Size and Weight: Go for a sleek, compact laptop that is easy to carry.
- Battery: Although Minecraft requires a lot of processing power, make sure that your laptop battery can run Minecraft for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Operating System: The recommended operating system is Windows 10 64-bit, macOS 10.12 Sierra, or any 64-bit Linux OS after 2014.
- Graphics Card: You should opt for a dedicated graphics card by NVIDIA or AMD. The recommended graphics card is NVIDIA Geforce 700 series and above or AMD Radeon Rx 200 series and above.
Final Thoughts
The difference between playing Minecraft with the minimum system requirements and playing the game with a high-end laptop is like watching a basketball game on your television at home and watching the game live at the arena while sitting courtside.
With the recommended system requirements, you can explore all the Minecraft games and play them at their most advanced settings without lag or stutter.
