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Can Your PC Handle Mortal Kombat 1's Blood-Soaked System Requirements?

See if you'll be able to crack limbs and smash skulls when the game drops on Sept. 19.

 & Christopher Janaro Editorial Intern

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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The NetherRealm Studios-developed Mortal Kombat 1 is the latest entry in the decades-spanning fantasy fighting franchise that helped define the genre. Whether you are a long-time fan of the series or looking to jump back in, the game's timeline reset offers an opportunity to enjoy the new features and storyline. Find out if your PC is in fighting shape for the combat classic's latest installment.


Why the Mortal Kombat 1 Hype?

The upcoming game introduces a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Featuring reimagined iconic characters, Mortal Kombat 1 lets you control new spins on Johnny Cage, Kitana, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Mileena, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero, and other familiar faces. Of course, the gore-heavy fatalities make a return, too.

One standout addition is the new gameplay mechanic: Kameo Fighters. This feature introduces assist characters who provide combat help via their unique attacks.

Here's how it works: After selecting your main character, you pick a Kameo Fighter to join your ranks. From there, you're tasked with selecting the specific move they'll employ to bolster your combat prowess. It's too early to call how the Kameo Fighters will impact the game's meta, but we're eager to see how it unfolds.



Where Can You Buy Mortal Kombat 1?

Mortal Kombat 1 will be available on PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam. The standard version costs $69.99, while the Premium Edition costs $109.99 and includes the Kombat Pack, one-week early access to downloadable content characters, and 1250 Dragon Krystals (an in-game currency). The official launch is Sept. 19, but early access begins on Sept. 14, 2023.


Mortal Kombat 1 Minimum System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3100, AMD Ryzen 5 2600, or Intel Core i5-6600
  • Memory: 8GB of RAM
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 470, Intel Arc A750, Nvidia GeForce GTX 980
  • DX: Version 12
  • Available Storage: 100GB of available space

Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat 1 Recommended System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or Intel Core i5-8400
  • Memory: 8GB of RAM
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, Intel Arc A770, or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • DX: Version 12
  • Available Storage 100GB of available space

How Can You Play Mortal Kombat?

Mortal Kombat 1 offers full controller support, including fight sticks, on PC. Although it's uncertain if the fighting game will have mouse-and keyboard support, previous series iterations suggest that it's probable. An internet connection isn't required to play Mortal Kombat 1, but your PC must be connected to the internet to experience specific modes and features (multiplayer, downloading DLC).



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About Our Expert

Christopher Janaro

Christopher Janaro

Editorial Intern

My Experience

Before interning with PCMag, I worked as a photojournalist and sports photographer. Prior to that, I served in the U.S. Navy as an avionics technician and am presently using my GI Bill to attend CUNY's Craig Newmark School of Journalism as a member of the 2023 graduating cohort.

As an intern with PCMag this year, I will get hands-on experience reporting and writing on tech news and product reviews for everything from consumer electronics to gaming computers for publication. I will also draw on my past experiences to photograph for stories when necessary and hopefully test out some cool cameras. 

My Areas of Expertise

  • Tech business
  • Photography and videography 
  • Cameras
  • Adobe Creative Cloud 
  • Gaming
  • Generative AI

The Technology I Use

I went through a whole "Van Life" phase and had to trade my gaming tower for an MSI Gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor, Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, and upgraded 32GB of RAM. It can't run 8K visuals on a huge monitor, but it runs Diablo 4 beautifully at 1080p and gets the job done for now.

Camera-wise, I am a Sony fanboy through and through and an early adopter of the Sony A7 line of groundbreaking mirrorless cameras. These days, I like carrying around a Sony A7RIV as my primary camera and my older A7RII for my secondary when I'm out taking pics.

Software-wise, you'll find me doing most of my photo and video workflow in Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, and Lightroom and occasionally prompting Midjourney for AI art and illustrations (most recently for my D&D campaign) 

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