Date First Published: 26th January 2024
Topic: Computer Systems
Subtopic: Computer Hardware
Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions
Difficulty: EasyDifficulty Level: 3/10
Learn about what system requirements are in this article.
System requirements refer to a list of specifications a device must have in order to run software or hardware needed to perform tasks. For example, manufacturers will provide the consumer with a set of system requirements needed to run the software. These requirements are usually at a higher level than the minimum requirements and represent the ideal specifications to have a fully usable and compatible experience with the software.
Examples of system requirements for a software program are:
Examples of system requirements for a hardware device are:
Software requirements define the software that needs to be installed on computers to allow a program to run. These requirements are not usually included in the software package and need to be separately installed before the software is installed. For example, web applications may require a specific web browser for it to function properly and browser updates may lead to incompatibilities with web apps and cause unexpected issues. Operating systems are another main software requirement as software may not be compatible with older versions of operating systems. For example, most software designed for Windows XP does not work on Windows 98.
Hardware requirements define the physical computer resources needed to run a software program or operating system. For example, all software has a minimum amount of memory, storage space, and processor speed in order for it to run. In order to be used efficiently, all computer software needs certain hardware components.
If a computer does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for an operating system or software, this can cause it to run slow, malfunction, or crash. This is why it is recommended to check that a computer meets the hardware requirements before installing and not install an operating system or software on unsupported hardware. Hardware compatibility issues often happen when upgrading an old computer to a newer operating system.
In some cases, users can upgrade a computer to help meet the hardware requirements. For example, upgrading RAM, processor, and the hard drive may help a computer to meet the hardware requirements of a newer operating system. If that does not work, users can consider purchasing a new computer.
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