Is my computer good enough to make games? Minimum specs

What is the official minimum for making a game on a computer?

The official minimum for Godot, a free program for making games, is 4 GB of memory and the graphics chip that already comes inside the computer. The recommendation is 8 GB of memory, a 4-core processor, and a dedicated graphics card¹.

Memory, here, means what the computer uses while it works, known in the field as RAM. Do not confuse it with storage space for files: they are two different things, and your computer's specs show both.

Source: Godot 4.7 documentation, read on October 14, 2026¹.

The program itself is small. Version 4.7.2, from August 2026, is an 86 MB file on Windows, 171 MB on Mac, and 78 MB on Linux². To build the finished game for each store, you later add the export templates, a separate download of about 1.3 GB¹.

The page itself warns that these numbers are for reference only and apply to a simple project, in 2D or 3D¹. A bigger game needs more. Even so, the example processor on the minimum list is from a very old generation: the minimum is an office computer, not a gaming PC (our take).

What runs on your computer, and what runs over the internet?

The program where the game is put together runs on your computer. The AI that writes the code depends on the internet. That split is what lets an ordinary computer keep up.

Godot uses your machine's memory and graphics, because that is where the game is built and tested. Claude Code, the AI that writes the code inside the game's folder, asks for very little: 4 GB of memory, an ordinary processor, and an internet connection, which the documentation marks as required³. The part that does the thinking lives on the company's computers, which is why the hardware requirement is so low (our take).

Two details matter here. First: without internet, the AI does not work. Second: Claude's free plan does not include Claude Code, which requires a paid plan³. What that costs is covered in how much it costs to make a game with AI.

There is also a mismatch on the Mac. Godot accepts macOS 10.13, but Claude Code requires macOS 13 or newer¹³. An older Mac that cannot get to 13 opens the game-making program, but not the coding AI.

How can I tell if my computer is good enough without installing anything?

Just open your computer's spec sheet, which is built into the system. It takes a minute.

On Windows 11: open Settings, choose System, then About. Memory shows up on the "Installed RAM" line. Another way is to press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc at the same time, open Task Manager, click Performance, and then Memory⁵.

On a Mac: open the Apple menu, go to System Settings, click General, then About. The Memory line shows how much the Mac has, and the macOS line shows the system version⁶.

With those two numbers in hand, compare them with the table at the top. If the memory is 4 GB or more and the system is Windows 10 or newer, macOS 13 or newer, or a recent Linux, the computer meets the minimum for Godot and for the AI¹³.

Laptop or desktop: which is better for making games?

Both work. What matters is the memory, the graphics, and the system, not the shape of the machine (our take).

The difference shows up in how you work. You can leave the AI working on your home computer and control it from your phone, wherever you are. For that, the computer has to stay on and the AI program has to stay open. If the laptop goes to sleep or the internet drops, the connection comes back when the machine wakes up⁴.

In practice, this is how Daniel Novi, who writes this portal, makes his games: from his phone, during breaks at work, with the computer at home switched on and working. For this way of working, a computer that stays on in a corner helps more than a laptop that goes back and forth in a backpack (our take).

Windows, Mac, or Linux: which system works for making games?

All three work for making the game and putting it on Android. Only a Mac can put the game on iPhone.

Godot has versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux¹, and so does Claude Code³. To build the Android version, Godot needs two more downloads, Java (the OpenJDK 17 version) and the Android SDK, and the documentation shows how on all three systems¹⁰.

Compiled from the Godot and Claude Code documentation, read on October 14, 2026¹³⁷¹⁰.

To put the game in the Android store, the path is the same on any system. See what Google Play requires to publish a game.

Do I really need a Mac to publish on iPhone?

Yes. Godot's documentation says the iPhone version of a game has to be built on a computer running macOS with Xcode installed⁷. Xcode is Apple's program for making iPhone apps, and it installs on macOS, the Mac's operating system⁸.

Not just any Mac will do. Apple lists, for each version of Xcode, the minimum macOS it requires. In October 2026, the newest version on the list required macOS Tahoe 26.6 or newer⁸. An older Mac that no longer gets new system versions may be left without the current Xcode, and it is worth checking this before you buy a used one (our take).

On top of the Mac, Apple charges 99 dollars a year for a developer account, or the equivalent in local currency where available (prices as of October 2026)⁹.

If you only have Windows or Linux, you are not left out: start with Android and desktop, and leave iPhone for later.

Can you make a game on a phone or tablet?

Partly. Godot has a version for Android phones and tablets, which needs at least 3 GB of memory and Android 7; the recommendation is 6 GB and Android 11¹. On iPhone and iPad, the program does not run¹.

There is also a version that opens in the browser, but it needs more memory than the installed one: at least 8 GB on a computer and 6 GB on a phone¹.

The coding AI is a different story. Claude Code runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, not on phones³. What the phone does is act as a remote control: the Claude app, on iPhone or Android, connects to the AI working on your computer, and the work keeps happening there. This feature is available on the paid Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans⁴.

In the division of labor, the phone is the remote, and the computer is the workshop (our take).

What can you do with the computer you already have?

The table below matches what you have with what you can do, based on the official pages (our math).

When is it worth replacing your computer?

Only after checking what you already have. For a simple first game, replacing your computer is rarely the first step (our take).

Replacing it makes sense in three cases: the memory is below 4 GB; the Mac cannot reach macOS 13 and you want to use the coding AI; or you already know you want the game on iPhone and you do not have a Mac.

Beyond that, what matters is the size of the game. Godot's page says that what a game needs varies a lot with the size of the project, and that programs open at the same time compete for the same memory¹. A browser with lots of tabs already eats up part of it. Before thinking about a new machine, think about a small first game.

The other side

The official minimum is a starting point, not a guarantee. Godot's own page says the numbers are for reference only and that the finished game needs more or less depending on its size. Building the Android version takes more downloads: about 1.3 GB of export templates, Java, and the Android SDK. The AI does not work without internet and is not included in the free plan. And a computer that passes the test does not make the game easy: it only removes one excuse. What is still hard is covered in can you make a game without knowing how to code?.

Your action plan

Check off what you've done. It's saved on this device, so you can pick up where you left off.

1. Check your computer's memory in Settings, System, About (Windows) or in System Settings, General, About (Mac).
2. Write down your system version and check whether it is Windows 10, macOS 13, or newer.
3. Free up at least 1.5 GB of disk space, the recommended amount for the program plus the export files.
4. Decide where your first game will launch: Android and desktop, or iPhone too, which requires a Mac.
5. Download Godot from the official website, godotengine.org, and see if it opens on your machine.
6. Write your first game idea in three sentences before you think about buying a new computer.