Official specs from Steam
BioShock system requirements
Minimum and recommended PC specs as listed by the developer on Steam.
Minimum
| Operating System | Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) or Windows Vista |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel single-core Pentium 4 processor at 2.4GHz |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Video Card | Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 128MB RAM and Pixel Shader 3.0 (NVIDIA 6600 or better/ATI X1300 or better, excluding ATI X1550) |
| Sound Card | 100% direct X 9.0c compatible sound card |
| Hard Drive Space | 8GB |
| Note | Game requires Internet connection for activation |
Recommended
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo processor |
|---|---|
| RAM | 2GB |
| Video Card | DX 9 - Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512 MB RAM and Pixel Shader 3.0 (NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT or better), DX 10 - NVIDIA GeForce 8600 or better |
| Sound Card | SoundBlaster(r) X-Fi(tm) series (optimized foruse with Creative Labs EAX ADVANCED HD 4.0 or EAX ADVANCED HD 5.0 compatible sound cards) |
FAQ
What graphics card do I need for BioShock?
Minimum: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 128MB RAM and Pixel Shader 3.0 (NVIDIA 6600 or better/ATI X1300 or better, excluding ATI X1550). Recommended: DX 9 - Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512 MB RAM and Pixel Shader 3.0 (NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GT or better), DX 10 - NVIDIA GeForce 8600 or better.
How much RAM does BioShock need?
BioShock needs 1 GB at minimum, 2GB recommended.
How big is BioShock?
BioShock requires 8GB.
Does BioShock run on Mac or Steam Deck/Linux?
There is no native macOS version. There is no native Linux build (Proton compatibility may vary).