How many FPS does Civilization VII get on the MacBook Air M1? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance
38FPS
1080p High
Estimate
24
1440p
12
4K
About 38 FPS at 1080p on High: Civilization VII runs natively on the MacBook Air M1 (Apple M1, 7-core GPU, 8 GB). It is playable, with little headroom. For 30 FPS, use 1440p Low (about 34 FPS).
Data reviewed October 1, 2026 · how we calculate it
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Civilization VII FPS on MacBook Air M1 by resolution and quality
Estimate| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 54FPS | 46FPS | 38FPS | 32FPS |
| 1440p | 34FPS | 29FPS | 24FPS | 20FPS |
| 4K | 17FPS | 15FPS | 12FPS | 10FPS |
Estimated average in normal gameplay with the game and macOS up to date. Green: 60+ · lime: 45+ · amber: 30+ · orange: 20+ · red: under 20.
Recommended settings
For 60 FPS
Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.
For 30 FPS
1440p · Low
≈ 34 FPS
Moving to 1440p High puts the MacBook Air M1 at about 24 FPS. This game has no MetalFX, so resolution is the setting that matters most.
The MacGameFPS verdict
Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets
Is the MacBook Air M1 enough for Civilization VII?
Just about: 38 FPS at 1080p High is playable but has no headroom. Dropping to Medium steadies it.
Playable · 1440p 24 FPS · 4K 12 FPS
MacBook Air M1 or MacBook Neo for Civilization VII?
In Civilization VII at 1080p High, the MacBook Air M1 gets 38 FPS and the MacBook Neo 40 FPS: 5% more.
MacBook Air M1 specs
- Chip
- Apple M1
- GPU cores
- 7 / 8
- Unified memory
- 8 / 16 GB
- Cooling
- Fanless
- Geekbench Metal
- 29,497
- Tier
- Entry level · 8/100
Other Macs with the M1 chip
The Apple M1 also powers the MacBook Pro M1, the Mac mini M1, and the iMac M1. In Civilization VII, the Mac mini M1 gets 46 FPS at 1080p High, 21% more than the MacBook Air M1, mainly because its fan keeps clocks up under load.
How much memory do you need?
On Apple Silicon the GPU shares memory with the system, so the RAM you picked when buying the Mac is also your video memory. Civilization VII asks for 8 GB minimum.
| Memory | 1080p High | 1440p High |
|---|---|---|
| 8 GB | 38FPS | 24FPS |
| 16 GB | 38FPS | 24FPS |
Other Macs for Civilization VII
1080p · High
MacBook Pro M1
M1 · 8 GPU
45FPSView analysis
iMac M1
M1 · 7/8 GPU
40FPSView analysis
Mac mini M1
M1 · 8 GPU
46FPSView analysis
MacBook Pro M1 Pro
M1 Pro · 14/16 GPU
84FPSView analysis
MacBook Air M2
M2 · 8/10 GPU
53FPSView analysisMac mini M2
M2 · 10 GPU
69FPSView analysis
Mac Studio M1 Max
M1 Max · 24/32 GPU
137FPSView analysisMacBook Pro M2
M2 · 10 GPU
68FPSView analysis
Civilization VII on every Mac →
Shopping for an all-round gaming Mac? Mac ranking by real FPS →
Other games on the MacBook Air M1
- Hitman World of Assassination30FPS
- Lies of P38FPS
- GRID Legends37FPS
- Rise of the Tomb Raider34FPS
- Cities: Skylines44FPS
- Civilization VI44FPS
- Crusader Kings III44FPS
- Divinity: Original Sin 244FPS
- Final Fantasy XIV44FPS
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous44FPS
Official Mac requirements
- Minimum
- macOS Sequoia · Apple M1 (8-core) · 8 GB memory · 25 GB storage
- Recommended
- macOS Sequoia · Apple M2 Pro (10-core) · 16 GB memory · 25 GB storage
Source: store.steampowered.com
FAQ
Can the 8 GB MacBook Air M1 run Civilization VII?
Yes. With 8 GB we estimate 38 FPS at 1080p High.
Can Civilization VII hit 60 FPS on the MacBook Air M1?
Not consistently. For 30 FPS, use 1440p Low (about 34 FPS).
Does the MacBook Air M1 throttle in Civilization VII?
The MacBook Air M1 has no fan. In long sessions it lowers clocks to manage heat, and our figures already account for that sustained loss, around 5% in a game this demanding.
What about 1440p and 4K?
On High, the MacBook Air M1 gets about 24 FPS at 1440p and about 12 FPS at 4K in Civilization VII. These are native figures.
Do these figures include MetalFX or ray tracing?
No. The headline figure is native resolution, no MetalFX and no ray tracing. Civilization VII has no MetalFX on Mac. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.
Is Civilization VII native on Apple Silicon?
Yes, it has a native Apple Silicon version, available on Steam. No CrossOver, Parallels or Game Porting Toolkit needed.