Technologies

Will Hogwarts Legacy Run on Your Laptop?

The new Harry Potter game is getting rave reviews (and plenty of contoversy), but can your low-end PC run it?

Hogwarts Legacy, the newest game set in the Harry Potter universe, has been a smashing success (albeit prefaced by the controversy over J.K. Rowling’s comments regarding transgender people). Out now, the game is available on nearly every modern console system, and also for Windows, where you can get it via Steam or the Epic Games Store.

Because it’s a modern PC game, its system requirements are beyond the capabilities of your average work or school laptop, and call for a discrete graphics card. However, the minimum, according to publisher WB Games, is an Nvidia GeForce 960 (or Radeon RX 470), a card that was released in 2014 for desktops and 2015 for laptops.

What are the required PC system specs for Hogwarts Legacy?

The game offers four sets of recommended or required hardware, but the lowest-end ones won’t get you much more than 30 frames per second at low quality settings. Decent hardware should get you 60fps at 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution.

On PC, the game automatically evaluates your hardware and sets what it thinks are the best graphics settings, but you should still play around with them to find what works best for you.

Hogwarts Legacy PC specs

	Low	High	Ultra	Ultra 4K
CPU	Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400	Intel i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i7-10700Kor AMD Ryzen 7 5800X	Intel Core i7-10700Kor AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
RAM	16GB	16GB	32GB	32GB
GPU	Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB	Nvidia GeForce 1080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or Intel Arc A770	Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
Storage	85GB	85GB	85GB	85GB
Settings	720p / 30 fps, Low	1080p / 60 fps, High	1440p / 60fps, Ultra	2160p / 60fps, Ultra

Will Hogwarts Legacy run on a Mac?

No, it’s on consoles (PS4 and PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X) and Windows only for now. If the game gets added to a cloud service like Nvidia GeForce Now, that could be a Mac-friendly workaround.

OK, but how does it really play?

I loaded the game up on both a high-end gaming laptop and a midlevel nongaming laptop. The Razer Blade 18 has a Core i9 CPU and Nvidia’s RTX 4080 GPU, and I was hitting around 120-140fps at Ultra settings and 2,560×1,600-pixel resolution.

Then I tried a Samsung Galaxy Book Pro laptop, with Intel’s Arc graphics chip. That sounds like it would be supported based on the chart above, but the Arc chip referenced there is a higher-end, model, not the more mainstream version in the Samsung. In this case, even with every setting turned down as far as possible, I could only manage a frame rate in the low/mid-20s, which I wouldn’t consider good enough for even casual gaming.

So, will Hogwarts Legacy run on your work or school laptop without a discrete Nvidia or AMD GPU? Sadly not.

Game console reviews

See the latest CNET gaming coverage here.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im