Get Your PC Ready for Starcraft 2

The original Starcraft was a hit with PC and N64 gamers thanks to its innovative RTS structure, depth of strategy, and undeniably addictive multiplayer. Starcraft players are infamous for constantly muttering 'just one more hour' to themselves late into the night- and it's easy to see why! A battle's momentum can turn on a dime, the game's sci-fi themes make every play session feel epic, and the series offers some of the best multiplayer you can find on PCs. Considering all this, Starcraft and its expansions deserve all the credit they get. Now a sequel has finally come- those that have been playing the original since 1998 can rejoice! Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty was well worth the wait!

However, with greatness comes hardship. Those looking to add Starcraft II to their gaming library may have something of an uphill battle ahead of them. A technical marvel among RTSs, Starcraft II is looking to push your PC to the limit. The majority of gamers to have bought a PC after 2009 will likely have little to tweak in order to run the game. However, most PCs manufactured before 2006 will need several upgrades to meet the requirements for SC 2: Wings of Liberty.

Starcraft II Operating System

The first hurdle is the operating system. Starcraft II is playable on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7- not at all surprising news for most gamers. If you still happen to be running Windows ME, Windows 98, or any other such outdated operating system- you will be required to upgrade in order to establish compatibility. Considering the issues with Microsoft Vista, it would be best for prospective gamers to ignore it in favor of XP or 7.

Starcraft II RAM

Next on the list for prepping your PC for Starcraft II is the one of the most important requirements- RAM. Your PC's RAM acts as a temporary storage box for the most important data in programs and video games. The higher the RAM, the more information your PC can store for quick loading. At the absolute minimum, SC II requires 1 gigabyte RAM card to 1.5 gigabytes. Those wanting to run the game without the potential for RAM-related stutters should raise their standard up to about 2.5 gigabytes just to be safe.

Gamers without sufficient RAM are left with two choices if they want to run the game smoothly. The best option is to purchase a RAM card of 1-2 gigs, depending upon the amount your computer already has. Laptop users will be pleased to know that installation of an extra RAM card is a painless operation that requires little more than opening a slot on most models. The purchase of a RAM card will likely run up to around $30 but is well worth it when compared to the second option- the purchase of a whole new PC.

Desktop owners, on the other hand, will likely have to open their PC's tower and install it manually. This is by no means impossible with the proper guide, but it is more time-consuming. The second option? Should it be financially viable, the purchase of a higher-end PC may be necessary. Acer, Dell, and eMachine tend to be very gamer-friendly PC brands- eMachine being the least expensive by several hundred dollars.

Where To Buy eMachine:
www.emachines.com/products/stores.html

Where To Buy Acer:
us.acer.com/acer/buy.do

Where To Buy Dell:
www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/deals/popular_laptops

While at least 1.5 gigabytes of RAM is considered the minimum, 950 MB or so will likely allot enough space to play Starcraft II. Though playtime with this amount will likely give way to graphical stutters and prolonged load times. Any RAM size below 900 will likely be unplayable- just a head's up. For those on the borderline of RAM amount, one inexpensive method to meet the requirement is the use of a program like Smart RAM or Game Booster to shoulder some of the burden.

Starcraft II Monitor

The next obstacle to overcome is the monitor. While not a serious issue to fret over, you will need a monitor with some varied options for tweaking screen ratio, color scheme, and graphical effects. While any monitor of modest screen size will do, it may be necessary for some gamers to alter the visual effects to suit their needs. After all, no gamer wants to be ruthlessly fighting a virtual war on several different fronts with too dark a screen or enemies that blend together thanks to color tint.

While the minimum requirement for the processor is considered a 2.6 GHz Pentium IV- those not wanting their game's performance to be hindered should opt for the 2.4 GHz Dual Core. The difference in processing speed will make gameplay and visuals much smoother. For those that decided to pick up the recently poplar Acer Aspire Revo, you will face the issue of the missing optical drive. An external DVD drive will be your only choice for being able to load the game- same for any other PC without a disc drive.

Starcraft II Video Card

The final and, next to the RAM, greatest concern for many gamers is their video card. Many gamers can set their minds at ease- Starcraft II is likely to play on most game-oriented PCs. A PC fitted with an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, 128 MB PCIe NVIDIA, or a GeForce 6600 GT video card will be able to display SC 2 at the minimal level. For those more interested in the full graphical experience the game calls for the GeForce 8800 GTX, 512 MB NVIDIA, or the ATI Radeon HD 3870 video card.

ATI Radeon 9800 PRO:
www.amazon.com/ATI-Technologies-100-435002-Radeon-128MB/dp/B00008ZPJP/ref=sr_1_3

GeForce 6600 GT:
www.amazon.com/Axle3D-Nvidia-GeForce-128-Bit-S-Video/dp/B002QM7NMS/ref=sr_1_1

Nividia 128MB Video Card:
www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-Quadro-FX1400-128MB-Graphics/dp/B0009IAVUC/ref=sr_1_1

Any of the three minimum video cards will get the job done though- you don't necessarily have to upgrade to the more expensive model. The only other requirements worth mentioning are having 12 free gigs of space for the game installment and a Broadband Internet connection. Once each requirement has been met, get ready to enjoy Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty!

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
www.amazon.com/Starcraft-II-Wings-Liberty-Pc/dp/B000ZKA0J6/ref=sr_1_1

Source(s)
PC Gamer Magazine
PC World Magazine
Amazon.com
Blizzard Entertainment Support