Age of Empires II (Retired)

Age of Empires II (Retired)

By Luigi R. Updated: March 2026

To run Age of Empires II (Retired) (2013) on PC you need at least a 1.2GHZ CPU processor and a Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU, with 1GB of RAM and 2GB of free storage. For higher settings and frame rates, the recommended specs are a Intel Core i5 and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 16GB of RAM. Check your exact PC against Age of Empires II (Retired) with our free Can I Run It tool, estimate your frame rate with the FPS Estimator, or see the best GPU for Age of Empires II (Retired).

System Requirements

Minimum
  • CPU: 1.2GHZ CPU
  • GPU: Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU
  • RAM: 1
  • Storage: 2
Recommended
  • CPU: Intel Core i5
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
  • RAM: 16
  • Storage: 50

Building a PC to play Age of Empires II (Retired) at its best

Meeting the Age of Empires II (Retired) minimum requirements (a Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU) is enough to launch the game, but it won't give you high frame rates at 1440p or 4K. The recommended NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 is a solid target, and stepping up to a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080 or Radeon RX 9070 XT gives you the headroom for ultra settings, ray tracing and high-refresh play. On mid-range cards, DLSS 4 and FSR frame generation can lift Age of Empires II (Retired)'s frame rate substantially, while a flagship RTX 5090 drives 4K at maximum settings.

The processor matters just as much: pairing your graphics card with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D or an Intel Core Ultra, at least 16GB (ideally 32GB) of DDR5 RAM and a fast Gen5 NVMe SSD removes the stutter and long load times that can hold Age of Empires II (Retired) back. For modern textures at 4K, aim for a GPU with 12–16GB of VRAM so you never run short.

The same premium components also decide whether your rig is VR ready: if you game in virtual reality on a Meta Quest 3, Valve Index or PlayStation VR2, a strong GPU and CPU are what hold a steady 90 FPS. Check your exact setup against Age of Empires II (Retired) with the free Can I Run It tool, or see the best GPU for Age of Empires II (Retired).

Age of Empires II (Retired) — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the minimum requirements for Age of Empires II (Retired)?
Age of Empires II (Retired) needs at least a 1.2GHZ CPU CPU and a Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU graphics card, 1GB of RAM and 2GB of storage.

What are the recommended specs for Age of Empires II (Retired)?
For a smooth experience, Age of Empires II (Retired) recommends a Intel Core i5 and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 16GB of RAM.

How much RAM does Age of Empires II (Retired) need?
Age of Empires II (Retired) requires 1GB of RAM as a minimum, with 16GB recommended.

What GPU do you need to run Age of Empires II (Retired)?
The minimum graphics card for Age of Empires II (Retired) is a Direct X 9.0c Capable GPU, while a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 is recommended for higher settings. Check any GPU against this game with our Can I Run It tool.