PC Game Port
Can my Mac run it? How to check a PC game's requirements
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Windows games list their system requirements for PCs: an Intel or AMD processor, an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card, separate RAM and video memory. A Mac has none of those parts, so the list doesn't map across directly. This guide shows how to read each line for a Mac with Apple Silicon, using the same rules PC Game Port's Check System Requirements uses.
First, find your Mac's specs
- Chip and memory: Apple menu → About This Mac. For example "Apple M2, 16 GB".
- CPU and GPU cores: Apple menu → About This Mac → More Info → System Report. Hardware shows the CPU cores, and Graphics/Displays shows the GPU cores.
- Free space: Apple menu → System Settings → General → Storage.
Reading each line
| Requirement line | How to read it on a Mac |
|---|---|
| OS (Windows 10 64-bit) | Fine. PC Game Port presents itself to games as Windows 10, and you can pick an older version for older games. |
| Processor (Intel Core i5-8400, Ryzen 5 2600…) | Compare speed, not brand. Your Mac translates the game's Intel code as it runs, which costs some speed. |
| Memory (8 GB RAM) | Add the video card's memory and about 4 GB for macOS. See below. |
| Graphics (GTX 1060 6 GB, RX 580…) | Compare speed with your Mac's GPU. Put the "6 GB" part into the memory sum. |
| DirectX (Version 11, 12) | Tells you how the graphics are translated. DirectX 12 needs Apple's free D3DMetal, a one-time download. |
| Storage (70 GB available space) | Compare with your free space, and leave room for macOS. |
| Additional notes | Look for anti-cheat names: Vanguard, Ricochet, Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye. |
Memory: why 16 GB on a Mac isn't 16 GB on a PC
A gaming PC has two kinds of memory: RAM for the game and separate memory on the graphics card (VRAM). Apple Silicon has one pool, shared by macOS, the game and its graphics. So add them up:
Game's RAM + video card memory + about 4 GB for macOS = what your Mac needs.
| Store page says | Mac needs about | 8 GB Mac | 16 GB Mac | 24 GB Mac |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 GB RAM, 1 GB video card | 9 GB | Tight | Yes | Yes |
| 8 GB RAM, 4 GB video card | 16 GB | No | Yes, just | Yes |
| 12 GB RAM, 6 GB video card | 22 GB | No | No | Yes |
| 16 GB RAM, 8 GB video card | 28 GB | No | No | Tight |
"Tight" means the game should start, but expect low settings and some stutter as macOS makes room. Close other apps before you play.
Processor and graphics: comparing speed
There's no exact way to compare an NVIDIA card with an Apple GPU, but a rough scale works. Check System Requirements scores the processor and graphics card named on the store page and your Mac's chip on the same scale, where an Intel Core i5-8400 and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 are reference points. It then takes about a quarter off your Mac's score for the work of translating the game. Three things push your Mac's score up:
- A newer chip generation. An M4 is faster per core than an M1.
- More GPU cores. Pro and Max chips have far more than the basic chips, which have 7 to 10.
- More performance CPU cores. Efficiency cores help, but much less.
Integrated Intel graphics (Intel HD, UHD, Iris) in a game's minimum is a low bar that any Apple Silicon Mac clears.
What the result means
- Tick: your Mac meets the line, with room to spare.
- Warning: your Mac is within about 20% of the line. It should run, at low settings.
- Cross: your Mac falls short. The game may start, but expect it to be slow.
- Question mark: a part the checker doesn't know. Compare it by hand.
Check the minimum requirements first. If your Mac also meets the recommended ones, you can raise the settings.
An example
A game asks for 12 GB RAM, a 3 GB video card, DirectX 11 and 50 GB of space. On an M5 MacBook with 32 GB of memory and 570 GB free:
- Memory: 12 + 3 + 4 = 19 GB, against 32 GB. Tick.
- DirectX 11: built in. Tick.
- Storage: 50 GB against 570 GB free. Tick.
- Graphics: "3 GB video card" names no model, so it gets a question mark. Compare a typical 3 GB card from the game's era with the Mac by hand.
Requirements are only half the answer
A requirements check only looks at hardware. A game can pass every line and still refuse to start because of anti-cheat, or because it needs a disc. That's why PC Game Port gives you 14 days free, with no card, to try the actual game before you pay.