How it works

How Does CanIRun.gg Work?

We detect your hardware, compare it against game requirements, and give you a grade — all in your browser, in seconds. No downloads, no accounts, no data collected.

Step 1

Instant Hardware Detection

Your browser already knows your hardware. We just ask it the right questions.

WebGL

GPU Detection

We create a hidden WebGL canvas and query the WEBGL_debug_renderer_info extension. This returns your exact GPU model — no downloads, no plugins.

"ANGLE (NVIDIA, GeForce RTX 3060 Direct3D11...)"

Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and most Chromium browsers.

Navigator API

CPU & RAM

navigator.hardwareConcurrency returns your CPU's logical core count. navigator.deviceMemory reports available RAM (capped at 8GB in Chromium).

Firefox and Safari don't support deviceMemory. Use the manual dropdown to set RAM.

Manual Override

Select Your Exact Hardware

Browser detection has limits. That's why every spec has a dropdown — select your exact GPU, CPU, and RAM from our database of 114 GPUs and 69 CPUs for precise results.

Step 2

How We Grade Games

A simple ratio-based comparison weighted by component importance.

Your GPU score ÷ Game's recommended GPU score = Ratio
GPU 70%
RAM 30%

The A/B/C/D/F Tier System

S
Overkill Ratio ≥ 2.0x — Your PC destroys this game. Max everything.
A
Excellent Ratio ≥ 1.3x — Runs great at high/ultra settings.
B
Good Ratio ≥ 1.0x — Meets recommended specs. Solid experience.
C
Playable Ratio ≥ 0.75x — Between minimum and recommended. Medium settings.
D
Risky Ratio ≥ 0.5x — Below minimum specs. May struggle at low settings.
F
Cannot Run Ratio < 0.5x — Hardware too weak. Don't buy this game for this PC.
Understanding

Minimum vs Recommended Requirements

Game developers publish two sets of requirements. Here's what they actually mean.

Minimum Requirements

The absolute lowest hardware to launch and play the game. Expect low settings, 30 FPS or less, and possible stuttering. The game "runs" but the experience may not be great.

Typical example: GTX 1060, 8 GB RAM, i5-6600

Recommended Requirements

The hardware the developer targets for a good experience — usually 60 FPS at medium-high settings, 1080p. This is what CanIRun.gg primarily compares against for grading.

Typical example: RTX 2060, 16 GB RAM, i7-8700
Modes

3 Ways to Check Compatibility

Whether you're on a desktop, laptop, or handheld — we've got you covered.

Desktop PC

Hardware is auto-detected via your browser. GPU, CPU cores, and RAM are identified instantly. Override any value with our manual dropdowns.

Try it now →

Gaming Laptop

Select your laptop model from our database of 29 gaming laptops. We know the exact GPU, CPU, and RAM specs for each model.

Browse laptops →

Gaming Handheld

Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go — select your handheld and see which games it can handle. All 18 major handhelds included.

Browse handhelds →
Data

Our Data

Real numbers from real sources, updated automatically.

987+ Steam Games Popular, trending, and anticipated titles
114 GPUs NVIDIA, AMD, Intel — desktop and mobile
69 CPUs Intel Core and AMD Ryzen families
29 Laptops Major gaming laptop models
18 Handhelds Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and more
Steam Store API

Game metadata, system requirements, screenshots, pricing

Steam Player Stats

Concurrent player counts for trending rankings

Hardware Benchmarks

Performance scores based on public specifications

detect-gpu library

WebGL renderer string to GPU identification

Data updated daily at 6:00 AM UTC via automated pipeline.

Privacy

Free, Private, No Downloads

We built CanIRun.gg with privacy as a core principle.

✓
100% Free

No subscriptions, no premium tiers, no hidden costs. Ever.

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No Downloads Required

Everything runs in your browser. No software to install, no extensions needed.

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No Data Collected

We don't track you, don't use cookies, and don't collect analytics. Zero.

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Runs Locally

Hardware detection happens in your browser. The only server call is matching your GPU name to a score — no personal identifiers sent.

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localStorage Only

Your hardware selections are saved in localStorage on your device. We never see them.

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No Account Required

No sign-ups, no emails, no login walls. Just open the page and check.

Read our full privacy policy →
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this really free?

Yes, 100% free. No subscriptions, no premium tiers, no hidden costs. CanIRun.gg is a free tool built by a solo developer.

Do I need to download anything?

No. CanIRun.gg runs entirely in your browser. It uses WebGL and Navigator APIs to detect your hardware. No software installs, no browser extensions.

How accurate is the hardware detection?

Very accurate for GPUs — WebGL reads the exact GPU model from your browser's rendering engine. CPU detection is limited to logical core count, and RAM may be capped at 8GB in some browsers. You can always override any value manually using our dropdowns.

What games do you support?

CanIRun.gg currently tracks 987+ Steam games, including the most popular, trending, and anticipated titles. The database grows daily via our automated data pipeline.

How do you check if my PC can run a game?

We detect your GPU, CPU cores, and RAM via browser APIs. Your GPU is matched to a performance score in our database. That score is compared against each game's minimum and recommended hardware requirements to produce a grade from S (overkill) to F (can't run).

Can I check for laptops and handhelds?

Yes! We have 29 gaming laptops and 18 gaming handhelds in our database. Select your device model and instantly see compatibility with 987+ games. Check our laptops and handhelds pages.

Ready to check?

Go to the homepage, detect your hardware, and see which games your PC can run.

Check my PC →