Quake Live cover

Quake Live: PC requirements and the PC you need

Action

Will my computer play it?

Cover artwork © the game's publisher.

About Quake Live

Quake Live is id Software's online version of the classic arena shooter Quake III Arena. It is all about fast, skilful first-person deathmatch, with more than 100 arenas, a dozen or so ways to play, and your career statistics are tracked as you play. It is mainly played online against other players, with some practice against computer opponents, and it supports Steam Workshop mods. It is an older game with very low requirements, so any of our gaming PCs plays it perfectly.

What Quake Live needs

In plain words: to play at all it needs not stated by the makers, and to play it well the makers suggest not stated by the makers, with 2GB of memory.

PartMinimumRecommended
Graphics cardNVIDIA GeForce 4 MX or better, ATI Radeon 8500 or better, Intel i915 chipset or better 1024x600 resolutionNVIDIA GeForce 7 Series or better, ATI Radeon X1800 series or better 1920x1080 resolution
Processor2 GHz Intel Processor or better2 GHz Intel Quad Core Processor or better
Memory (RAM)1 GB RAM2 GB RAM
Storage1 GB available space2 GB available space

From the Steam store page, checked 29 October 2026. The makers sometimes change these; their page is always right.

Will my computer play Quake Live?

On most computers we find the graphics card for you. Add your processor and memory, and we will tell you if it plays, and what to upgrade if not.

Where do I find these on my computer?
  1. Processor and memory: on Windows 10 or 11, right-click the Start button and choose System. Look for Processor (type the part like "i5-4460" or "Ryzen 5 3600") and Installed RAM.
  2. Graphics card: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click Performance, then GPU. The name is at the top right. If there are two, use the one that is not "Intel UHD" or "Radeon Graphics".

On most computers this page finds the graphics card for you. What you type is used to work out the answer and then forgotten: we keep nothing.

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

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.

Our PCs that meet the recommended spec

These should play Quake Live well. Cheapest first.

Sandbox Robin 3400G 1060 refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Robin 3400G 1060 refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 3400G + GTX 1060

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 3400G (4 cores, 8 threads, built-in Radeon graphics) (tested)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
500GB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD (tested) + 1TB 3.5-inch hard drive (tested) + 1TB hard drive
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£579

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Sandbox Typhoon 1060X refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Typhoon 1060X refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 4500 + GTX 1060

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 4500 (6 cores, 12 threads)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
256GB SSD + 1TB 3.5-inch hard drive (tested) + 1TB hard drive
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£599

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Sandbox Jingle 3400G 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Jingle 3400G 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 3400G + GTX 1660 Super

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 3400G (4 cores, 8 threads, built-in Radeon graphics) (tested)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
500GB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD (tested)
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£659

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Sandbox Holly 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Holly 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 4500 + GTX 1660 Super

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 4500 (6 cores, 12 threads)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
500GB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD (tested)
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£689

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Sandbox Sleigh 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Sleigh 1660S refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 3600X + GTX 1660 Super

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X (6 cores, 12 threads)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
500GB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD (tested)
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£689

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Sandbox Typhoon 1060X Pro refurbished gaming PC

Refurbished1080p gaming

Sandbox Typhoon 1060X Pro refurbished gaming PC

Ryzen 5 4500 + GTX 1060

Made for 1080p screens: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft and Rocket League play well. The newest big games may need lower settings.

Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 4500 (6 cores, 12 threads)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Memory
16GB DDR4 memory
Storage
256GB SSD + 4TB 3.5-inch hard drive + 4TB hard drive
Windows
Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)

£699

Built to order

Games this PC plays

Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.

Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester

Questions about Quake Live on PC

What graphics card do I need for Quake Live?

The makers say the minimum is NVIDIA GeForce 4 MX or better, ATI Radeon 8500 or better, Intel i915 chipset or better 1024x600 resolution, and they recommend NVIDIA GeForce 7 Series or better, ATI Radeon X1800 series or better 1920x1080 resolution. In plain words: not stated by the makers for a good experience.

How much memory (RAM) does Quake Live need?

At least 1GB, and 2GB is recommended. 16GB is the sensible amount for a gaming PC today.

Is Quake Live multiplayer?

Yes. You can play it single player or multiplayer.

Can a gaming PC from Sandbox Computers run Quake Live?

Yes. 109 of our PCs meet the recommended spec, from £579. They are built and tested in Worcester.

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.

Get the gaming newsletter

New games and the PC they need, the most searched-for games, big updates, and our best gaming PC deals. About once a month.

We use the email service Brevo to send it. We never sell your address. See our privacy page.