Software Requirements for Laptops

Official minimum, recommended, and optimal specs for 138+ applications. Each page links directly into the FilterKilter tool — pre-filtered to laptops that meet those requirements.

Creative & Design

Video editing, photo editing, 3D modelling, and audio production. These apps tend to need the most powerful laptops.

Adobe PhotoshopAdobe Adobe IllustratorAdobe Adobe Premiere ProAdobe Adobe After EffectsAdobe FigmaFigma BlenderBlender Foundation Adobe Lightroom ClassicAdobe DaVinci ResolveBlackmagic Design OBS StudioOBS Project VLC Media PlayerVideoLAN Adobe InDesignAdobe Adobe AuditionAdobe Ableton LiveAbleton

Gaming

PC games from indie titles to AAA releases. Requirements range from lightweight to GPU-intensive.

SteamValve ValorantRiot Games FortniteEpic Games MinecraftMojang Studios League of LegendsRiot Games Cyberpunk 2077CD Projekt Red GTA VRockstar Games Apex LegendsElectronic Arts 7 Days to DieThe Fun Pimps Age of Empires II: Definitive EditionWorld's Edge / Xbox Game Studios Arena Breakout: InfiniteTencent Games ARK: Survival AscendedStudio Wildcard Baldur's Gate 3Larian Studios Black DesertPearl Abyss Call of Duty: Modern Warfare IIIActivision Civilization VIFiraxis Games / 2K Counter-Strike 2Valve Crusader Kings IIIParadox Development Studio DayZBohemia Interactive Dead by DaylightBehaviour Interactive DeadlockValve Death Stranding 2: On the BeachKojima Productions Delta ForceTiMi Studio Group Diablo IVBlizzard Entertainment Dota 2Valve EA SPORTS FC 25EA Sports Elden RingFromSoftware / Bandai Namco Euro Truck Simulator 2SCS Software FactorioWube Software Farming Simulator 25GIANTS Software Hearts of Iron IVParadox Development Studio Helldivers 2Arrowhead Game Studios Hogwarts LegacyAvalanche Software / WB Games Hunt: Showdown 1896Crytek Kingdom Come: Deliverance IIWarhorse Studios Marvel RivalsNetEase Games NBA 2K252K Games Overwatch 2Blizzard Entertainment PalworldPocketpair Path of ExileGrinding Gear Games PhasmophobiaKinetic Games Project ZomboidThe Indie Stone PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDSKRAFTON Rainbow Six SiegeUbisoft Ready or NotVOID Interactive Red Dead Redemption 2Rockstar Games Resident Evil 4 RemakeCapcom RimWorldLudeon Studios Rocket LeaguePsyonix / Epic Games RustFacepunch Studios SatisfactoryCoffee Stain Studios Schedule ITVGS The Sims 4Maxis / EA The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special EditionBethesda Game Studios Slay the Spire 2Mega Crit Sons of the ForestEndnight Games Stardew ValleyConcernedApe StarfieldBethesda Game Studios StellarisParadox Development Studio TerrariaRe-Logic Total War: Warhammer IIICreative Assembly / SEGA ValheimIron Gate AB War ThunderGaijin Entertainment WarframeDigital Extremes The Witcher 3: Wild HuntCD Projekt Red

Developer & Engineering

IDEs, containers, CAD tools, and engineering software. Often CPU and RAM heavy.

Business & Productivity

Office suites, communication tools, CRMs, and project management apps.

Education & Research

Academic software, statistical tools, and learning management systems.

IBM SPSS StatisticsIBM R / RStudioPosit ZoteroDigital Scholar Anaconda (Python)Anaconda Inc.MendeleyElsevier Canvas LMSInstructure Respondus LockDown BrowserRespondus GrammarlyGrammarly Inc.

Publisher baselines are sourced from first-party documentation. FilterKilter normalizes model-based requirements and labels unpublished performance tiers as planning targets. Learn about our methodology →