Mass Effect 2 (2010 Edition): PC requirements and the PC you need

About Mass Effect 2 (2010 Edition)

Mass Effect 2 is the second part of BioWare's much-loved science-fiction RPG trilogy. As Commander Shepard, you assemble a team of specialists from across the galaxy for a dangerous mission against the Collectors, with loyalty missions, tough choices and third-person combat. Decisions from the first game can carry over. It is single player. It is rated PEGI 18. This is the original 2010 release with low requirements, so any of our gaming PCs plays it perfectly.

What Mass Effect 2 (2010 Edition) needs

In plain words: to play at all it needs almost any graphics, even the graphics built into the processor, and to play it well the makers suggest almost any graphics, even the graphics built into the processor, with 2GB of memory.

A low-spec PC or a high-spec PC?

This is a light game: almost any of our gaming PCs will run it comfortably at high settings.

On a PC that only just meets the minimum, the game will start and play, but on low settings: simpler shadows and textures, shorter view distances and fewer frames each second, so fast moments can feel less smooth. A 1080p screen is the sensible match.

On a PC that meets or beats the recommended spec, you can turn the settings up: sharper textures, proper shadows and lighting, more detail in the distance, and a smoother picture. A stronger PC also lets you use a sharper 1440p or high-refresh screen.

Questions about Mass Effect 2 (2010 Edition) on PC

How we match: we compare the graphics card and the memory in each PC with the makers' spec, because those decide most of how a game runs. For very new or demanding games, ask us and we will check the processor too. More help: graphics cards explained, how much RAM, which screen.