Minecraft raises officially recommended PC specs

After more than 17 years, Minecraft has officially raised the minimum and recommended PC specifications for Java Edition, requiring more RAM and newer hardware. Mojang is persistent Minecraft has accumulated years of technical changes, graphical improvements and new features over nearly two decades of continued support.

As simplified as Minecraft may be, it has often been perceived as a particularly undemanding game due to its block-based graphics and long history of running on modest computers ever since its launch in 2009. However, Minecraft's Java Edition has become more technically complex over the years as the world generation has expanded, simulation requirements have grown, new mobs have been added, and the engine continues to be modernized. This original version has grown so much that, compared to Bedrock Edition, Java is considered more resource-intensive but also more mod-friendly. Mojang has now updated the Java Edition hardware requirements with target resolutions, frame rates and graphics presets.

Mojang reveals Minecraft's updated PC requirements

Minecraft PC System Requirements

Minimum

• Windows 10 64-bit, Windows on ARM, macOS 12+ or Linux 64-bit

• 8 GB of RAM with a discrete GPU

• 12 GB of RAM when using integrated graphics

• A processor with at least four physical cores

• Intel Core i3-10100

• AMD Ryzen 3 3100

• Qualcomm Snapdragon X

• Apple M1

• A Vulkan 1.3 compatible GPU with at least 2GB of VRAM

Recommended

• Windows 11 64-bit, macOS 14 or later, or 64-bit Linux

• 16 GB of RAM

• Intel Core i5-12400

• AMD Ryzen 5 5600

• Apple M2 Pro

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060

• AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT

• Intel Arc A580

• Apple M2 Pro graphics

• 6GB of VRAM

As of July 21, 2026, Mojang uploaded a blog post with details Minecrafts new system requirements, targeting 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second using the Fancy graphics preset for its “Recommended” configuration, while the “Minimum” spec targets 1080p at 30 FPS on fast settings. To reach the recommended spec, gamers on PC need 16 GB of system memory and a processor comparable to an Intel Core i5-12400 or AMD Ryzen 5 5600, with a GPU equal to an RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT. While modest by today's AAA gaming standards, Minecrafts revised PC requirements are a fairly significant step up from its previous specs, but that's not terribly surprising after 17 years of service and changes.

The minimum standard is still pretty reasonable, requiring a basic quad-core processor and at least 8GB of memory if you're using a discrete GPU, but it increases the RAM total overall compared to previous hardware specs. Mojang states that PCs below the revised minimum requirements can still run Java Edition, but the studio no longer guarantees proper performance or visual quality, noting that fans may experience slow frame rates and longer load times. As Minecraft just launched Vibrant Visuals, some of these changes are starting to make sense.

Minecrafts new system requirements are also partly due to Mojang's ongoing transition from OpenGL to Vulkan rendering in favor of new graphics. Java Edition has used OpenGL since its inception, but the studio says the legacy graphics API has become increasingly difficult to maintain and modernize, while Vulkan can increase graphics capabilities and strengthen Minecrafts graphic basis. Consequently, fans will notice that the new minimum requirements require Vulkan 1.3 compatibility by default, and some GPUs over 10 years old may not properly support the API.

Most players currently running Minecraft on Java without a problem probably won't notice an immediate difference, but should a problem arise, Bedrock remains as an option. The bigger concern for fans with older hardware is likely to be long-term compatibility as Mojang expands Vulkan usage over Minecraftpossibly locking out some users who don't have a GPU that can use the renderer. However, the biggest benefit of the new hardware specs may be that fans now have actual resolution and frame rate targets to help buyers understand what PC they need to run the game. Minecraft may still look like the accessible block-building game that launched more than 17 years ago, but its new PC requirements show that the technology supporting those blocks has become significantly more demanding.

Released

November 18, 2011

ESRB

E10+ for all 10+ due to fantasy violence