How much RAM does Call of Duty®: Black Ops II need?

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II lists 2 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.

Is a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT still enough for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?

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.

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II System Requirements

Nov 12, 2012Action

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II, released Nov 12, 2012, is an action game from Treyarch. Its recommended spec points at NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT graphics with an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400-class CPU; below we translate that into parts you can actually buy today.

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Official System Requirements

The minimum specs for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II call for NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT-class graphics, Intel Core 2 Duo E8400-class processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage.

The recommended specs for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II call for NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT-class graphics, Intel Core 2 Duo E8400-class processor and 2 GB of RAM.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo E8400	Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
RAM	2 GB	2 GB
Storage	16 GB	—

Original published requirement text

Minimum: Minimum:

OS *: Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7. Windows XP is not supported
Processor: Intel Core2 Duo E8200 2.66 GHz or AMD Phenom X3 8750 2.4 GHz
Memory: 2 GB for 32-bit OS or 4 GB for 64-bit OS
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 8800GT 512 MB or ATI Radeon HD 3870 512 MB
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Hard Drive: 16 GB
Sound: DirectX 11.0c compatible
Additional: Broadband connection required for activation and multiplayer gameplay
Note: Windows XP Operating System is not supported
Further information: Available here

Best GPU for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II

Full GPU guide →

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II'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 Call of Duty®: Black Ops II

Full CPU guide →

Call of Duty®: Black Ops II's stated processor is roughly Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 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 Call of Duty®: Black Ops II

Full build guide →

Want the whole tower speced out? Our Call of Duty®: Black Ops II 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 Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?

Can the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT run Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?: Yes. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is well ahead of Call of Duty®: Black Ops II's NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.
Can the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 run Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is well ahead of Call of Duty®: Black Ops II's Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.

FAQ

What is the cheapest GPU for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?: 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 Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?: 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 Call of Duty®: Black Ops II need?: Call of Duty®: Black Ops II lists 2 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.
Is a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT still enough for Call of Duty®: Black Ops II?: 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.