How much RAM does BioShock® 2 need?

BioShock® 2 lists 3 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.

Is a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT still enough for BioShock® 2?

It matches the game's stated target, so it will run, but it is an older part. A current card in the budget tier above gives you driver support and better efficiency for a similar outlay.

BioShock® 2 System Requirements

Feb 9, 2010Action

BioShock® 2, released Feb 9, 2010, is an action game from 2K Marin, 2K China, Digital Extremes, 2K Australia. Its recommended spec points at NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT graphics with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+-class CPU; below we translate that into parts you can actually buy today.

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Official System Requirements

The minimum specs for BioShock® 2 call for 2 GB of RAM and 11 GB of storage.

The recommended specs for BioShock® 2 call for NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT-class graphics, AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+-class processor and 3 GB of RAM.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz	AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
GPU	NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
RAM	2 GB	3 GB
Storage	11 GB	—

Original published requirement text

Minimum: Minimum:

OS *: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better
Memory: 2GB
Graphics: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c
Hard Drive: 11GB
Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card or onboard sound

Recommended: Recommended:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz
Memory: 3GB
Graphics: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better
Other Requirements: Initial installation requires one-time internet connection; software installations required including Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Microsoft DirectX.

Best GPU for BioShock® 2

Full GPU guide →

BioShock® 2's stated graphics card is roughly NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT level. The current sweet spot is the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT, with cheaper and faster options either side.

Budget

Intel Arc B570

~$220

score 21010 GB VRAMBattlemage

Intel Arc B570 is the cheapest current card that clears this game's recommended bar with 10GB VRAM. Fine for 1080p.

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Other options at this level

Intel Arc B580 · 12GB~$250Buy
AMD Radeon RX 7600 · 8GB~$260Buy
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 · 8GB~$290Buy
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 · 8GB~$310Buy

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Recommended

AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT

~$350

score 24016 GB VRAMRDNA 4

AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT adds headroom with 16GB VRAM - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.

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Other options at this level

AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT · 16GB~$320Buy
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti · 8GB~$370Buy
AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT · 12GB~$400Find
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 · 12GB~$520Buy

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Performance

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti

~$430

score 27516 GB VRAMBlackwell

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti leaves plenty of margin with 16GB VRAM for higher resolutions and frame rates.

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Other options at this level

AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT · 16GB~$480Buy
AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE · 16GB~$550Find
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 · 12GB~$560Buy
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super · 12GB~$590Buy

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Best CPU for BioShock® 2

Full CPU guide →

BioShock® 2's stated processor is roughly AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ level. The current sweet spot is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500, with cheaper and faster options either side.

Budget

Intel Core i3-14100F

~$110

score 130Raptor Lake Refresh

Intel Core i3-14100F is the cheapest current chip that clears this game's recommended bar. Fine for 1080p.

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Other options at this level

Intel Core i3-13100F ~$100Buy
Intel Core i5-12400F ~$130Buy

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Recommended

AMD Ryzen 5 5500

~$80

score 140Zen 3

AMD Ryzen 5 5500 adds headroom - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.

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Other options at this level

AMD Ryzen 5 5600 ~$110Buy
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X ~$130Buy
Intel Core i5-13400F ~$180Find

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Performance

AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT

~$125

score 170Zen 3

AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT leaves plenty of margin for higher resolutions and frame rates.

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Other options at this level

AMD Ryzen 7 5700X ~$160Buy
Intel Core i5-14400F ~$190Buy
Intel Core i5-13500 ~$210Buy

Prices are approximate, not live Amazon prices — the link opens the current listing on your regional Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Recommended PC build for BioShock® 2

Full build guide →

Want the whole tower speced out? Our BioShock® 2 build guide pairs these CPU and GPU picks with RAM, motherboard, SSD, PSU and case at budget, recommended and performance tiers, with an approximate total.

Can these parts run BioShock® 2?

Can the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT run BioShock® 2?: Yes. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is well ahead of BioShock® 2's NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.
Can the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 run BioShock® 2?: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is well ahead of BioShock® 2's AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.

FAQ

What is the cheapest GPU for BioShock® 2?: Intel Arc B570 - Intel Arc B570 is the cheapest current card that clears this game's recommended bar with 10GB VRAM. Fine for 1080p.
Which CPU should I get for BioShock® 2?: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 - AMD Ryzen 5 5500 adds headroom - a safe pick for 1080p high or 1440p depending on the game.
How much RAM does BioShock® 2 need?: BioShock® 2 lists 3 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.
Is a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT still enough for BioShock® 2?: It matches the game's stated target, so it will run, but it is an older part. A current card in the budget tier above gives you driver support and better efficiency for a similar outlay.