StarCraft: Brood War
Can your GPU run this game?
Estimated FPS across quality settings and resolutions
Search for your GPU above to see a full FPS breakdown at every quality and resolution.
StarCraft: Brood War FPS by GPU
Estimated framerates for 14 reference GPUs · pick a resolution and quality
Full benchmark grid · 14 GPUs × 4 qualities × 3 resolutions
1080p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 937 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 988 fps | 803 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 999 fps | 871 fps | 707 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 847 fps | 688 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 800 fps | 650 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 999 fps | 912 fps | 729 fps | 593 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 999 fps | 824 fps | 659 fps | 535 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 882 fps | 706 fps | 565 fps | 459 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 640 fps | 512 fps | 409 fps | 333 fps |
1440p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 946 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 889 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 865 fps | 703 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 926 fps | 741 fps | 602 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 816 fps | 653 fps | 531 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 993 fps | 794 fps | 635 fps | 516 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 938 fps | 750 fps | 600 fps | 488 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 855 fps | 684 fps | 547 fps | 444 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 772 fps | 618 fps | 494 fps | 401 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 662 fps | 529 fps | 424 fps | 344 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 480 fps | 384 fps | 307 fps | 249 fps |
4K performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 988 fps | 791 fps | 642 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 918 fps | 734 fps | 596 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 824 fps | 659 fps | 535 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 971 fps | 776 fps | 621 fps | 505 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 912 fps | 729 fps | 584 fps | 474 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 721 fps | 576 fps | 461 fps | 375 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 618 fps | 494 fps | 395 fps | 321 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 544 fps | 435 fps | 348 fps | 283 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 529 fps | 424 fps | 339 fps | 275 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 500 fps | 400 fps | 320 fps | 260 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 456 fps | 365 fps | 292 fps | 237 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 412 fps | 329 fps | 264 fps | 214 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 353 fps | 282 fps | 226 fps | 184 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 256 fps | 205 fps | 164 fps | 133 fps |
Where to buy
StarCraft: Brood War
affiliate
Minimum Hardware
SVGA video card that supports DirectDraw at 640x480 resolution, 256 colors
* Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Genres
About
StarCraft: Brood War, released in 1998, is a seminal title in the real-time strategy genre that continues to captivate players. Set in a distant future, players command one of three factions—the Terrans, Zerg, or Protoss—to gather resources, build armies, and outmaneuver opponents. Its notable blend of strategic depth and fast-paced gameplay has earned it a lasting legacy in the gaming community.
In terms of PC performance, StarCraft: Brood War is highly accessible, requiring only an entry-level GPU with a minimum score of around 300. Even older hardware can handle this classic title with ease, allowing for smooth gameplay at high FPS across various graphics settings. For those looking to achieve optimal performance, any budget-friendly GPU from the last decade will easily run the game, ensuring fluid benchmarks that won’t tax modern systems.
Given its impressive rating of 90/100 and its influence on the RTS genre, StarCraft: Brood War is a must-play for strategy enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The game’s timeless mechanics and competitive nature continue to resonate, making it a worthy addition to any PC gamer’s library.
Performance profile
Released in December 1998, StarCraft: Brood War predates modern GPU acceleration as we know it today. It runs effortlessly on virtually any current hardware, including integrated graphics and entry-level laptops — framerate is limited by the engine, not the GPU.
As a strategy title, StarCraft: Brood War is typically CPU-bound rather than GPU-bound — single-thread CPU performance dictates framerate during large-scale battles, end-game saves and late-game AI turns. A fast modern 6-core will help more than a GPU upgrade.
Extremely light — StarCraft: Brood War runs at 60 FPS 1080p on any integrated GPU (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Graphics) or a decade-old discrete card like the GTX 1050. A current-gen RTX 4060 pushes 4K Ultra without effort.
