Can I run Prison Architect?

Prison Architect (2015) is an indie, simulation and strategy game and a very light game for a PC. It even runs on integrated graphics, so most laptops and office PCs can play it.

Very light2015IndieSimulationStrategyPC (Windows)

Check your PC

Choose the graphics card, processor and memory closest to yours. Not sure? On Windows press Win + R, type dxdiag and look at "Processor", "Memory" and the Display tab.

Graphics cardProcessorMemory (RAM)

Full check (laptops, consoles, more parts) →See the requirements

Prison Architect system requirements

	Minimum
OS	Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Processor	Intel Core2 Duo 2.4Ghz or Higher / AMD 3Ghz or Higher
Memory	6 GB RAM
Graphics	Nvidia 8600 / Radeon equivalent (2009 era)
Storage	400 MB HD space

The game's Steam page lists only the minimum requirements.

Source: the official Prison Architect Steam page, checked October 2026.

Which PC runs Prison Architect?

To play it you need at least a GeForce GTX 750 Ti class graphics card, an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 class processor and 6 GB of RAM.

Graphics card: minimum

GeForce GTX 750 Ti
GeForce GTX 960
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

Processor: minimum

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Intel Core i3-6100
AMD FX-8350

How common PCs do: GTX 1650 + Core i5-8400 + 16 GB: 100%, high settings; RTX 3060 + Ryzen 5 5600 + 16 GB: 100%, high settings; Laptop with integrated graphics + 8 GB: 40%, below the minimum, not playable well.

Parts with the same speed (and newer, faster ones) work too. Laptop versions of a graphics card are usually a little slower.

Upgrade picks for Prison Architect

Parts from our product guides that reach the recommended specs.

Graphics card for the recommended settingsIntel Arc B580

Budget / 1080p-1440p

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Graphics card for the recommended settingsAMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB

Mid-range / 1440p

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Graphics card for the recommended settingsAMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB

Mainstream / 1080p

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Processor for the recommended settingsAMD Ryzen 5 5500F

1080p budget gaming rigs

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Processor for the recommended settingsIntel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is a desktop processor from Intel. See the full specifications and the current price on

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Prison Architect: questions

What are the minimum system requirements for Prison Architect?

Minimum: OS Windows 10 Home 64 Bit; processor Intel Core2 Duo 2.4Ghz or Higher / AMD 3Ghz or Higher; 6 GB RAM; graphics Nvidia 8600 / Radeon equivalent (2009 era); 400 MB HD space.

What graphics card do I need for Prison Architect?

At least a GeForce GTX 750 Ti, GeForce GTX 960, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or a card of the same speed for the minimum settings.

Can a GTX 1650 run Prison Architect?

Yes. The GTX 1650 reaches the minimum graphics and the recommended graphics too. A whole PC with a GTX 1650, a Core i5-8400 and 16 GB of RAM gets 100% in our checker (high settings).

Can Prison Architect run without a graphics card (integrated graphics)?

Not well. The minimum is a dedicated graphics card (GeForce GTX 750 Ti class); with integrated graphics our checker gives 40% (below the minimum, not playable well).

Is 8 GB of RAM enough for Prison Architect?

Yes. 8 GB meets the minimum memory for Prison Architect.

How much storage does Prison Architect need?

Prison Architect needs 400 MB HD space of free space.

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Ask ROC, our gaming assistant (the chat button), "can my PC run Prison Architect?" and tell it your parts, or upload your dxdiag file.