Can I Run NBA 2K21 on My PC / Laptop?
Visual Concepts' 2020 basketball sim. Light on hardware, but tied to online features that mostly stopped working at the end of 2022.
Check if your PC can run NBA 2K21
Pick your graphics card and processor to check.
Can I run NBA 2K21 on my PC?
Use the checker above to find out in seconds. Pick your graphics card and processor and it compares them against NBA 2K21's official requirements. As a quick guide, you need at least a NVIDIA GeForce GT 450 1GB / ATI Radeon HD 7770 1GB or better graphics card, a Intel Core i3-2100 @ 3.10 GHz / AMD FX-4100 @ 3.60 GHz or better processor, and 4 GB RAM of RAM to play at 1080p.
Can I run NBA 2K21 on my laptop?
Yes, if your laptop has a dedicated graphics card around a NVIDIA GeForce GT 450 1GB / ATI Radeon HD 7770 1GB or better or better and 4 GB RAM of RAM. Laptops with only integrated graphics usually fall short. Enter your laptop's GPU in the tool above to check. Keep in mind that the laptop version of a card runs a little slower than the desktop card of the same name, and heat can lower sustained frame rates.
NBA 2K21 is one of the easiest games on this whole site to run. The official minimum asks for hardware from around 2011, a GeForce GT 450 or Radeon HD 7770, and 4 GB of RAM, so almost any PC built in the last decade clears it without trying. The thing people actually get tripped up on isn't the specs, it's that 2K shut the game's online servers down on December 31, 2022. MyTEAM, Park, Pro-Am, and ranked play no longer work at all, no matter how strong your PC is.
Drop your graphics card, processor, and RAM into the checker above and see how they stack up against the official numbers. From there, the sections below dig into what's actually left to play now that the servers are gone, how frame rate holds up on modern hardware, and what to expect running this on a laptop, Steam Deck, or older PC.
NBA 2K21 system requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor (CPU) | Intel Core i3-2100 @ 3.10 GHz / AMD FX-4100 @ 3.60 GHz or better | Intel Core i5-4430 @ 3 GHz / AMD FX-8370 @ 3.4 GHz or better |
| Graphics card (GPU) | NVIDIA GeForce GT 450 1GB / ATI Radeon HD 7770 1GB or better | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 2GB / ATI Radeon R9 270 2GB or better |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Operating system | Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8.1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8.1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit |
| DirectX | Version 11 | Version 11 |
| Storage | 110 GB available space | 110 GB available space |
Storage: 110 GB available space. An SSD helps with load times but does not change the frame rate.
NBA 2K21 FPS by graphics card
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTX 750 Ti | ~45-55 | , | , | Already well past the ancient GT 450 minimum; medium settings run smoothly. |
| GTX 1050 Ti | ~60 | , | , | Hits the game's own frame limiter in most modes without effort. |
| RX 580 | ~60 | ~60 | , | The recommended-tier GTX 770 is a low bar by now; this card clears it easily at both resolutions. |
| GTX 1060 6GB | ~60 | , | , | Locked near 60 in most modes; offline Career sequences can run higher on hardware this capable. |
| RTX 2060 | ~60 | ~60 | , | 1440p on high settings without any real strain. |
| RTX 3060 | ~60 | ~60 | ~60 | Handles 4K on high settings comfortably; the frame cap is the ceiling here, not the card. |
| RTX 4060 | ~60 | ~60 | ~60 | Complete overkill for this game; any modern midrange card lands in the same place. |
These numbers are approximate and can shift with scene, settings, and driver version, though NBA 2K21 is light enough that the gap between these cards barely shows up in practice.
Can these graphics cards run NBA 2K21?
| Graphics card | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GTX 1050 Ti | Playable | Clears the minimum. 1080p low to medium, better with upscaling. |
| GTX 1650 | Playable | Minimum covered. 1080p low to medium is the target. |
| RX 570 | Playable | Meets minimum. Low to medium at 1080p, tune for a steady rate. |
| RX 580 | Runs well | Past the recommended tier. High settings at 1080p, 1440p on the table. |
| GTX 1060 6GB | Runs well | Above recommended. 1080p high is easy, and 1440p works too. |
| GTX 1650 Super | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| GTX 1660 | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| GTX 1660 Super | Runs well | Beats the recommended spec. Comfortable high 1080p, playable 1440p. |
| RTX 3050 | Runs well | Over the recommended bar. Smooth high 1080p, 1440p realistic. |
| GTX 1660 Ti | Runs well | Exceeds recommended. 1080p high is comfortable, 1440p fine. |
| RX 6600 | Runs well | Beats the recommended spec. Comfortable high 1080p, playable 1440p. |
| RTX 2060 | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| RTX 4050 | Runs well | Above recommended. 1080p high is easy, and 1440p works too. |
| Arc A750 | Runs well | Above recommended. 1080p high is easy, and 1440p works too. |
| RTX 3060 | Runs well | Past the recommended tier. High settings at 1080p, 1440p on the table. |
| RX 6600 XT | Runs well | Beats the recommended spec. Comfortable high 1080p, playable 1440p. |
| RX 7600 | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| RX 6700 XT | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| RTX 4060 | Runs well | Beats the recommended spec. Comfortable high 1080p, playable 1440p. |
| RTX 3060 Ti | Runs well | Past the recommended tier. High settings at 1080p, 1440p on the table. |
| RTX 3070 | Runs well | Recommended tier or better. High 1080p, with room for 1440p. |
| RTX 4070 | Runs well | Strong fit. High settings at 1080p, 1440p within reach. |
Almost any PC built in the last decade runs this
NBA 2K21's official minimum is a GeForce GT 450 or Radeon HD 7770, paired with a Core i3-2100 or FX-4100 and 4 GB of RAM. Those are 2011-era parts. The recommended spec, a GTX 770 or R9 270 with an i5-4430 and 8 GB of RAM, is only slightly newer and just as easy for a modern PC to beat. If your computer can browse the web and run a video call, it can almost certainly run this game.
That means the checker above is mostly a formality for anyone with a PC bought in the last several years. The real questions people search for around NBA 2K21 aren't about specs at all: whether the game still works online, what's left to play, and why it needs 110 GB of storage despite looking dated by today's standards.
The bigger issue: the servers shut down in 2022
2K discontinued NBA 2K21's online services on December 31, 2022, across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. Ranked games, MyTEAM, Park, Pro-Am, and anything tied to earning or spending VC online stopped working that day, and the game left digital storefronts on January 1, 2023. If you don't already own a copy, you generally can't buy a new one.
What still works: offline modes. MyCareer's story missions, Play Now against the CPU, Franchise mode, and practice all run fine without a connection. If you're wondering whether NBA 2K21 is worth picking up now, that offline content is what you're getting, not the online side most people played it for back in 2020.
Why the frame rate barely moves between cards
NBA 2K's engine has historically locked certain modes near 60 fps regardless of hardware, a holdover from motion capture and physics that were tuned to that number since around 2K15. Career-mode cutscenes and menus can run higher on a fast PC, but you won't see the kind of scaling with a 144Hz monitor that you'd get in a shooter or an open-world game. A GTX 1060 and an RTX 4060 land in roughly the same place here.
This is good news if your PC is older: you aren't leaving performance on the table by running this on modest hardware. It's also why there isn't much point chasing a stronger card specifically for this game.
Storage size and buying it used
The 110 GB install is large for how simple the graphics are, mostly commentary audio, roster data, and cutscenes rather than heavy textures. An SSD shortens load screens between games and menus but won't raise your frame rate; a spinning hard drive works fine if space is tight elsewhere.
Because the Steam listing was pulled in January 2023, you can only play this if you already own it in your library, have an unused key from before delisting, or pick up a physical console copy. Redeeming a brand-new key at this point isn't guaranteed to work, since 2K has already ended official support.
Can I run NBA 2K21? Your questions answered
Windows 7, 8.1, or 10 64-bit, a Core i3-2100 or FX-4100 processor, a GeForce GT 450 or Radeon HD 7770 graphics card, 4 GB of RAM, DirectX 11, and 110 GB of free storage.
A Core i5-4430 or FX-8370 processor, a GTX 770 or R9 270 graphics card, and 8 GB of RAM. Both tiers are old enough now that most current PCs clear the recommended spec without effort.
4 GB clears the official minimum and the game runs on it, but 8 GB is the safer floor if you want smooth alt-tabbing and background apps running alongside it. Once you're at 16 GB, RAM stops being something you need to think about at all.
No, it isn't required. An SSD shortens loading between menus and games, but a hard drive runs the game fine if you're short on SSD space.
Most of that is commentary lines, roster and player data, and pre-rendered cutscenes rather than high-resolution textures, which is why the install feels large compared to how the game actually looks and runs.
No. 2K shut them down on December 31, 2022, on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. Ranked play, MyTEAM, Park, Pro-Am, and anything using VC online no longer function.
Yes. The story missions and offline progression in MyCareer still work without a connection. It's the online park and pro-am portions of that mode that stopped working.
No, it left Steam's store listing on January 1, 2023, along with other digital storefronts. You can only play it if you already own a copy or have an unredeemed key from before then.
No. Even when its servers were active, NBA 2K21 didn't support cross-play or cross-save with other entries like NBA 2K22 or 2K23.
No. With official support and servers ended, 2K isn't releasing further patches, roster updates, or fixes for it.
Yes, the PC version has an active modding community for rosters, courts, and jerseys, though mods are unofficial and installing them can occasionally break with a fresh install.
Yes, Xbox and most Xinput-compatible controllers work out of the box. DualSense and other non-Xinput pads may need a tool like Steam Input or DS4Windows to map correctly.
DirectX 11. It installs automatically with the game if you don't already have it.
Neither, really. Both the CPU and GPU requirements are so far behind current hardware that virtually nothing you own today will bottleneck this game.
No. It predates the widespread use of ray tracing in sports titles and has no such setting.
It supports common resolutions up to 4K in the display settings, along with borderless and fullscreen windowed modes.
No, the opposite. Newer entries ask for more RAM, VRAM, and a modern multi-core CPU. NBA 2K21 targets hardware from around 2011 to 2014.
Easily. With the RTX 3050 you are past NBA 2K21's recommended tier, which means high settings at 1080p and a genuine shot at 1440p.
It clears the bar. The GTX 1650 matches NBA 2K21's minimum, so 1080p on low to medium is realistic once you tune a few settings. Comfortably hits 60 fps at 1080p high; the frame cap limits it more than the card does.
Yes, with room to spare. NBA 2K21 recommends less than the GTX 1060 6GB offers, so expect smooth 1080p high and a playable 1440p. Locked near 60 fps in most modes at 1080p high, with headroom to spare.
Yes, with room to spare. NBA 2K21 recommends less than the RX 580 offers, so expect smooth 1080p high and a playable 1440p. About 60 fps at 1080p and 1440p on high settings, far past the recommended R9 270.
You are well set. The RTX 4060 exceeds NBA 2K21's recommended card, so 1080p high is easy and 1440p is realistic. Total overkill; 60 fps at any resolution up to 4K with room left over.
Yes, comfortably. The RTX 3060 sits at or above NBA 2K21's recommended card, so 1080p on high is smooth and 1440p is well within reach. Handles 4K on high settings at roughly 60 fps; nothing about this game challenges it.
Yes. The RTX 2060 has headroom over NBA 2K21's recommended card, so you can push 1080p high and move to 1440p when you want. 60 fps at 1440p high without any strain.
Comfortably, yes. The GTX 1660 clears NBA 2K21's recommended bar, which puts high 1080p and 1440p both in reach.
Yes, comfortably. The GTX 1660 Super sits at or above NBA 2K21's recommended card, so 1080p on high is smooth and 1440p is well within reach.
For sure. The RX 6600 outpaces NBA 2K21's recommended card, leaving you high 1080p now and 1440p whenever you like.
The GTX 1660 Ti is a strong fit for NBA 2K21. It lands at or above the recommended spec, so high 1080p is comfortable and 1440p works.
No trouble at all. The RTX 3060 Ti meets or beats what NBA 2K21 recommends, so 1080p high runs well and 1440p is realistic.
For sure. The RTX 4050 outpaces NBA 2K21's recommended card, leaving you high 1080p now and 1440p whenever you like.
Yes, on modest settings. The GTX 1050 Ti meets what NBA 2K21 needs at minimum, so 1080p low to medium is the sweet spot. Sits at the game's roughly 60 fps ceiling at 1080p high without effort.
Yes. On the RTX 4070, NBA 2K21 runs at high settings in 1080p and scales up to 1440p without much fuss. No real difference from an RTX 4060 here since the game's own cap is the limiting factor, not the card.
The Steam release has no Mac build at all. On a MacBook your paths are Windows through Boot Camp or a virtual machine, or picking up NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition on Apple Arcade instead, though that's a different, mobile-style game rather than the PC release this page covers.
Yes. Steam rates it Playable on Deck, and given how low the official requirements are, all three handhelds run the offline modes smoothly at their native resolution.
Yes, in most cases. The minimum GPU is a decade-old Radeon HD 7770, so any integrated graphics from roughly the last five to seven years, like Intel Iris Xe or AMD's Radeon 680M or 780M, clears it comfortably at 1080p on lower settings.
It isn't built to run natively on ChromeOS. You'd need cloud streaming, or a Linux or Windows layer capable enough to run Steam, and most Chromebooks simply aren't configured for that.
Yes, without a doubt. NBA 2K21's requirements sit years behind current budget hardware, so any PC bought in the last several years handles it with no drama.
Yes. The official minimum CPU is a Core i3-2100 from 2011, so any i3 or Ryzen 3 made in the last several years is well ahead of what's required.
Yes, comfortably. The minimum GPU only has 1 GB of VRAM, so graphics memory is never the bottleneck for this game.
This is usually one of a few things: an outdated GPU driver, a DirectX or Visual C++ redistributable that silently failed to install, or the game trying and failing to reach 2K's now-defunct servers on startup. Updating your driver and reinstalling the redistributables clears up most launch problems.
No native Linux client exists for NBA 2K21, but it runs through Steam Play (Proton), where it holds a Playable rating on Steam Deck. Expect to lean on the on-screen keyboard for some menus and remap controls manually, since it was not tuned for Deck out of the box. Given how low the official requirements are, most Linux distros running Proton should handle the offline modes without trouble.
Yes. It runs through backward compatibility, though Series X/S also got its own next-gen optimized build at launch. Keep in mind the PC version you're checking here matches the last-gen build, not that next-gen visual upgrade.
Yes, and like Xbox, the PS5 got a separate next-gen optimized version at launch. The PC release corresponds to the PS4, last-gen build.
Yes, as the Mamba Forever Edition, a lower-fidelity port built for the hardware. Its online features shut down on the same December 2022 date as every other platform.
No, it isn't listed on GeForce Now or other major cloud gaming services, likely because 2K pulled it from sale before those catalogs would have picked it up.
Yes, and easily. A midrange card from any of the past few GPU generations handles 4K on high settings, simply because this game was built around hardware from over a decade ago.
Anything at or above the recommended GTX 770 or R9 270 hits 60 fps at 1080p without effort, and most modes are capped near that number anyway, no matter how much stronger your card gets.
Yes. The game doesn't have a demanding ultra tier the way newer titles do; a GTX 1060-class card or better runs it maxed out at 1080p without dropping frames.
The game may still try to reach 2K's authentication and VC servers on startup, which is a leftover check rather than something required to play offline modes. It shouldn't block you from reaching Play Now or offline MyCareer, just occasionally show a failed connection message.
No, and it wouldn't matter now since the multiplayer servers are down. When they were active, NBA 2K21 didn't support cross-platform play between PC and consoles.
Yes. It launched during the Windows 10 era but runs fine on Windows 11 with no compatibility mode needed.
Yes, offline local co-op and versus play on the same PC or console still work; only online multiplayer needs the servers that are now gone.
Playable, not Verified. It runs well but needs the on-screen keyboard for some menus and a manual control layout tweak rather than working perfectly out of the box.