MTG Arena System Requirements and Performance Tips

Last updated on May 20, 2024

Ramos, Dragon Engine | Card art by Joseph Meehan

Before you’re ready to jump into the fun that is MTG Arena, you might be asking yourself if your operating system can actually handle the game. There are so many games nowadays that ask a lot of your computer, so it’s always useful to find out beforehand if your desktop/laptop can run the game you want to play.

That’s why today we’re dedicated to finding out what it takes to run Arena. We’ll also look at what kind of PC/laptop is ideal for MTGA, tips to improve the client’s performance, and compare our favorite digital card game to other games both in and outside the CG field. Let’s jump right in and break it all down for you right now!

MTG Arena Platforms

Batterskull | Card art by Igor Kieryluk

MTG Arena is available to download on Windows (directly from Wizards or the Epic Games Store), Mac OS through the Epic Games Store, and Steam.

Mobile players can use Android or iOS, whereas other platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Linux, etc are still to be announced.

MTG Arena System Requirements

What does your computer need to run MTGA? Thankfully Wizards answers this for us on their FAQ page regarding the Magic: the Gathering Arena system requirements. Let's take a look.

Windows System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5600+ or Equivalent
• Graphics Card: GeForce GTX 8800 or Equivalent
• RAM: 2 GB
• Operating System: Windows 7

Recommended Requirements

• Processor: Intel Core2 Quad Q9300 @ 2.50GHz
• Graphics Card: Geforce GTX 560
• RAM: 4 GB
• Operating System: Windows 10

As you can see, almost any decent, modern computer should be able to handle MTGA. Most new PCs you can purchase nowadays have more than enough power in them to give you a great player experience. Older systems running Windows 7 should be able to handle the client according to the minimum requirements.

To be safe, you’re better off with a more advanced and up-to-date system. We’ll look at a few options just a bit further down.

Mac OS System Requirements

MTG Arena is available on Mac OS. Here are the system requirements:

Minimum Requirements

• Processor: Intel Core i5
• Memory: 4 GB
• Graphics: 1024 MB VRAM
• Operating System: macOS X/10 (64-bit Intel)

MTG Arena Compared to Card Games

You might be wondering how MTG Arena’s specs compare to similar strategy card games like Eternal or Hearthstone. Fear not! We’ve put together a side-by-side comparison of the minimum and recommended requirements for these three games in particular. Here they are:

Minimum Requirements

Recommended Requirements

You can see that there’s quite a difference between the three when you compare MTG Arena with Eternal and Hearthstone. Arena asks more of your computer than the other two in both the minimum and recommended requirements.

Comparing to AAA Games

It seems like MTGA is a game that needs better specs than games from the same field, but what about some big, AAA gaming titles? Let’s take another look:

Minimum Requirements

Recommended Requirements

When you see these specs, MTG Arena suddenly pales in comparison. Not too surprising, but it’s interesting to notice that MTGA asks considerably more of your PC/laptop than the other leading competitors in its own playing field. When you then put it up against some big titles, though, you realize that it doesn’t really ask too much of your computer.

Conclusion? You don’t need to go all out on a rig if all you want to do is play MTG Arena. Speaking of rigs, let’s fire up those engines and get to some examples.

Computers for MTG Arena

Wurmcoil Engine | Card art by Raymond Swanland

You’ve got lots of options to run MTG Arena smoothly, whether you’re a PC fan or a laptop lover.

No matter what you go for, whether it be a high-end option or a budget one, it’s safe to say that there are a lot of computers to choose from. Ultimately, I suggest you combine the specs for what you want to do with your computer overall with the specs for playing MTG Arena. That way you hit multiple marks all at once and you won’t need to go out and buy another computer in a year or so.

That’s enough talk, though. Let’s jump into some laptops.

Laptop Options

If you don’t have a big budget but you want to get something that fits the specs, don’t worry. When you take the minimum requirements into account, there are plenty of options available starting at around $330 USD for a Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Laptop. The gaps are smaller than they used to be between computers that can handle the minimum and recommended specifications.

When you look for something that meets the recommended requirements, there are a ton of options, starting at around $350 USD. Virtually all are compatible with the recommended requirements for MTGA, so find the one that suits you the most! The No products found. is more than capable of running MTGA, and if you are flexible on time, laptop deals come through consistently, so it is very possible to find a better option at the same cost.

And finally, you can double down on a new rig and go all out. If that’s your jam, I’ve got you covered. The No products found. is the one to go with. It’s available for about $1,900 USD. Still a hefty sum, but more speed saves you time right?

PC Power

PCs have a higher starting point. You’re looking at a minimum of around $475 USD to get a rig that meets the recommendations for Arena. Here’s an example for you to start with, the No products found..

The sweet thing about a PC is that it immediately starts with specs that are well above what you need for Arena, so you can’t really go wrong. As long as you can manage your own monitor and peripherals, there are desktop options for exceeding the recommended specifications starting at around $280 USD with the No products found..

When it comes to brand new, top of the line or custom PCs, you’re looking at spending around $2,000-$3,000 USD. The individual components recommended for this beast of a PC can also have a starting point with an No products found..

Once you’ve got your desired model for playing Arena, you can still run into different problems. Maybe your computer is overheating when you play, or the game starts to lag after a bit. It’s time to solve that puzzle and give you a few tips that will hopefully avoid those problems altogether.

Tips to Improve MTG Arena Performance

Teferi's Puzzle Box | Card art by Donato Giancola

There’s nothing more frustrating than playing a game when suddenly your computer goes into overdrive and starts to heat up like crazy, frames drop, lagging happens, and then you’re disconnected. Arena can have these problems, so here are some tips and a few settings you can adjust to prevent them from happening.

One of the best things you can do is buy a computer that is overqualified to run the game. Your computer should be able to handle anything Arena asks of it easily and smoothly. There are some stories out there, however, that suggest that even well-equipped rigs run into problems running MTGA sometimes.

If that’s the case for you, here are some other things you can try:

Update NVIDIA Drivers

1. Open your Start menu and then search and open “Device Manager”

2. Click the arrow next to “Display adapters” to expand it

3. Select your NVIDIA GPU and then click “Update device driver”

• You can also right-click on your NVIDIA GPU and then click “Update driver”

4. A pop-up will appear asking how you want to search for drivers—click “Search automatically for updated driver software” and then wait for the search to complete

5. If there are updates, follow the prompts to complete them

• If there are no updates to do, you’ll see a “The best drivers for your device are already installed” notice and can close both windows

Change Graphics Options

1. Open the “Adjust Options” menu on the top right

2. Click “Graphics”

3. The Graphics menu will appear—select the most appropriate option from the drop-down menu next to:

• “Resolution” to change the game’s resolution

• “Quality Level” to change the game’s graphics quality

• “Custom” to select your own options and then set the graphics settings as follows:

And You’re Done!

Once you’ve followed all these tips, Arena should run a lot smoother. If you’re still running into problems, you may need to restart the client to prevent Arena from using all available RAM. Failing that, try to free up space on your computer.

If you have any problems, Draftsim has some articles you might find helpful for downloading Arena or updating the MTGA client.

This should enable you to run MTG Arena like the giant colossus that it is. #CueColossusPic

Wrap Up

Memory Jar | Card art by Donato Giancola

If you’re interested in getting more data from MTGA, make sure to check out our Arena Tutor. This nifty tool helps you with deck tracking and draft picks using our signature AI. A great asset in helping you become the best player you can be!

You can also support us directly by becoming a Patron. This helps us give you more of the great content we love getting to you, and your support means a lot to us.

With that, we’ve come to the end of this topic. Hopefully it was helpful in getting the low-down on all the best specs, rigs, and tips to play Arena in the best way possible. If you have any questions or more tips or tricks, feel free to leave a comment. See you next time and stay safe out there!

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