Fallout 3 cover
RPGMetacritic 91

Can I Run Fallout 3?

Bethesda Game Studios · 2008

Vault-Tec engineers have worked around the clock on an interactive reproduction of Wasteland life for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own vault.

Can You Run Fallout 3?

Pick your CPU, GPU, RAM and OS — we check each one against Fallout 3’s official minimum and recommended requirements.

Your PC

You can run Fallout 3 — and then some

Your PC meets the recommended requirements. Expect a great experience.

ComponentYour PCMinimumRecommended
GPUGeForce RTX 4060
CPUCore i5-134002.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processorIntel Core 2 Duo processor
RAM16 GB1 GB2 GB
OSWindows 11

Verdict compares your components against the game’s published requirements using our GPU/CPU benchmark database. Estimates — real performance varies with drivers, settings and cooling.

Estimated FPS at 1080p

GAMERSPECS ESTIMATEEstimated using the GamerSpecs performance model. Actual FPS may vary depending on drivers, cooling, power limits, background applications, and game updates.How is this calculated? →

Fallout 3 is a demanding rpg game from 2008. On a mid-range GPU like the RTX 4060 it averages around 81 FPS at 1080p, while budget cards manage roughly 36 FPS and high-end hardware pushes about 154 FPS. Plan on a dedicated graphics card and check the recommended specs below before buying.

Budget GPU

GTX 1650 / RX 6500 XT

~32–40 FPS

Low Performance

Mid-range GPU

RTX 4060 / RX 7600

~75–90 FPS

Playable

High-end GPU

RTX 4080 / RX 7900 XTX

~140–170 FPS

Excellent

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Can I run Fallout 3 on my graphics card?

Pick your GPU for a straight yes-or-no, an FPS estimate at every resolution, and the settings to run.

Fallout 3 System Requirements

The official minimum and recommended PC specs for Fallout 3, component by component.

ComponentMinimumRecommended
Processor2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processorIntel Core 2 Duo processor
Memory1 GB (XP)/ 2 GB (Vista)2 GB System RAM
Storage7 GB Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better) Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c Controller support: Xbox 360 controller Other Requirements: Online play requires log-in to Games For Windows - Live Supported Video Card Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 200 series, Geforce 9800 series, Geforce 9600 series, Geforce 8800 series, Geforce 8600 series, Geforce 8500 series, Geforce 8400 series, Geforce 7900 series, Geforce 77 GB Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA 8800 series, ATI 3800 series) Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c Controller support: Xbox 360 controller
Show the full Steam listing

Minimum

Operating system: Windows XP/Vista Processor: 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor Memory: 1 GB (XP)/ 2 GB (Vista) Hard disk space: 7 GB Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better) Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c Controller support: Xbox 360 controller Other Requirements: Online play requires log-in to Games For Windows - Live Supported Video Card Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 200 series, Geforce 9800 series, Geforce 9600 series, Geforce 8800 series, Geforce 8600 series, Geforce 8500 series, Geforce 8400 series, Geforce 7900 series, Geforce 7

Recommended

Operating system: Windows XP/Vista Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor Memory: 2 GB System RAM Hard disk space: 7 GB Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA 8800 series, ATI 3800 series) Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c Controller support: Xbox 360 controller

Requirements sourced from the official Steam store listing.

Hardware on this page:Core 2 Duo E8400 benchmark →

Fallout 3 — FAQ

Can I run Fallout 3?+

On a mid-range GPU like an RTX 4060 you can expect around 81 FPS at 1080p in Fallout 3. Budget GPUs get about 36 FPS and high-end GPUs around 154 FPS. Use the checker on this page to test your exact CPU, GPU, RAM and OS against the official requirements.

What are the minimum system requirements for Fallout 3?+

Fallout 3 needs at least a 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor processor, 1GB of RAM, 7 GB Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better) Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c Controller support: Xbox 360 controller Other Requirements: Online play requires log-in to Games For Windows - Live Supported Video Card Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 200 series, Geforce 9800 series, Geforce 9600 series, Geforce 8800 series, Geforce 8600 series, Geforce 8500 series, Geforce 8400 series, Geforce 7900 series, Geforce 7 of storage.

Can Fallout 3 run without a graphics card?+

No — Fallout 3 is too demanding for integrated graphics. You'll need a dedicated GPU.

How much RAM does Fallout 3 need?+

Fallout 3 officially requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM, with 2GB recommended for smooth performance. 16GB is a comfortable amount for modern gaming overall.

More games to check

FPS values displayed on GamerSpecs are estimates. Actual game performance may vary depending on hardware configuration, drivers, cooling, power limits, background applications, and game updates.