How much RAM does Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® need?

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® lists 12 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.

Is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 still enough for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®?

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®: Modern Warfare® System Requirements

Mar 8, 2023Action

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®, released Mar 8, 2023, is an action game from Infinity Ward, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Raven Software. Its recommended spec points at NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 graphics with an Intel Core i5-2500K-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®: Modern Warfare® call for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670-class graphics, AMD FX-6300-class processor, 8 GB of RAM and 175 GB of storage.

The recommended specs for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® call for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970-class graphics, Intel Core i5-2500K-class processor, 12 GB of RAM and 175 GB of storage.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	AMD FX-6300	Intel Core i5-2500K
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
RAM	8 GB	12 GB
Storage	175 GB	175 GB

Original published requirement text

Minimum: Minimum:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows® 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel® Core™ i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 670 / NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon™ HD 7950
DirectX: Version 12
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 175 GB available space

Recommended: Recommended:

Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows® 10 64-bit latest update
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen™ R5 1600X Processor
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 / NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon™ R9 390 / AMD Radeon™ RX 580
DirectX: Version 12
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 175 GB available space

Best GPU for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®

Full GPU guide →

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®'s stated graphics card is roughly NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 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®: Modern Warfare®

Full CPU guide →

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®'s stated processor is roughly Intel Core i5-2500K 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®: Modern Warfare®

Full build guide →

Want the whole tower speced out? Our Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 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®: Modern Warfare®?

Can the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT run Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®?: Yes. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT is well ahead of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®'s NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.
Can the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 run Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®?: Yes. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is well ahead of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®'s Intel Core i5-2500K target, so expect a comfortable 1080p experience with headroom to spare.

FAQ

What is the cheapest GPU for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®?: 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®: Modern Warfare®?: 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®: Modern Warfare® need?: Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® lists 12 GB of system memory. 16 GB is a safe modern baseline.
Is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 still enough for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®?: 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.