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WoW: Cataclysm specs released

Blizzard lays out its demands.

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Image credit: Eurogamer
Fred Dutton avatar
News by Fred Dutton Contributor
Updated on

The minimum system requirements to run World of Warcraft: Cataclysm have been posted for all to see.

According to Blizzard, the MMO's developer, your PC should pack the following, at the very least :

Windows XP 32bit (SP3), Windows XP 64bit (SP2), Windows Vista 32bit (SP1), Windows Vista 64bit (SP1):

  • Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500
  • 1GB or more of RAM
  • NVIDIA® GeForce® FX or ATI Radeon™ 9500 video card or better
  • DirectX-compatible sound card or motherboard sound capability
  • 25 GB free hard drive space
  • A keyboard and mouse are required. Input devices other than a mouse and keyboard are not supported
  • You must have an active broadband Internet connection to play

Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.4, or newer:

  • Intel Core Duo processor
  • 2 GB RAM
  • 25 GB free hard drive space
  • A keyboard and mouse are required. Input devices other than a mouse and keyboard are not supported
  • You must have an active broadband Internet connection to play

However, to get the best out of the game, Blizzard reckons your machine will need to be capable of a bit more than that. Here are its recommended specs:

Windows XP 32bit (SP3), Windows XP 64bit (SP2), Windows Vista 32bit (SP1), Windows Vista 64bit (SP1) Windows 7:

  • Dual-core processor, such as the Intel Pentium D or AMD Athlon 64 X2
  • 2 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista users)
  • 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 256 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600 or ATI Radeon™
  • 2600 or better DirectX-compatible sound card or motherboard sound capability
  • Broadband Internet connection
  • Multi-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended

Mac® OS X 10.6.4 or newer:

  • Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor
  • NVIDIA® GeForce® 9600M GT or ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 or better
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 3D graphics processor with Vertex and Pixel Shader capability with 128 MB VRAM such as an ATI Radeon X1600 or NVIDIA 7600 class card or better
  • Multi-button mouse with scroll wheel recommended

The World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion is open for questing from 7th December on Mac and PC. In the meantime, take a look at the ridiculously epic launch trailer below to whet your appetites.

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