Fallout 3 system requirements

Fallout 3 System Requirements - full specs, system checker and the gaming PC setup you need.

Fallout 3 tile
Full minimum and recommended system requirements for Fallout 3
Fallout 3 Minimum Specs Fallout 3 Recommended Specs Amazon link
CPU Intel Pentium 4 2.40GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 Upgrade CPU
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce 6800 NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX Upgrade GPU
RAM 1 GB 2 GB RAM deals
File Size 7 GB 7 GB SSD deals
OS Windows XP Windows Vista
Can I run Fallout 3?
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Fallout 3 FPS - What frame rate will you get?

Fallout 3 benchmarks
CPU GPU RAM FPS
AMD Ryzen 5 8400F AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB 83
Intel Core i9-13900H Intel Iris Xe 16 GB 48
Intel Core i9-13900H Intel Iris Xe 16 GB 80
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U AMD Radeon(TM) 535 24 GB 49
AMD Ryzen 5 5500U AMD Radeon(TM) 535 24 GB 43
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Can I run Fallout 3?

The Fallout 3 system requirements include a minimum RAM requirement of 1 GB, but 2 GB of RAM is recommended. An Intel Pentium 4 2.40GHz CPU is required at a minimum to run Fallout 3, but the developers recommend a CPU greater or equal to an Intel Core 2 Duo U7600. The cheapest graphics card you can play it on is an NVIDIA GeForce 6800, but a GPU equivalent to an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX is recommended. The Fallout 3 PC requirements also state that you need at least 7 GB free storage space.

Bethesda and Steam make it clear that 'Fallout 3 is not optimised for Windows 7 and later', and users have reported crashes to desktop running the game. However Fallout 3 Windows 10 is still possible by adjusting some of the following settings:

  • Enter the properties for the Fallout 3 application and enable 'Run this program as an administrator'
  • In addition, under properties try running the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP SP3.

Fallout 3 Performance Guide

Fallout 3 is an old game now so you shouldn't run into any performance issues unless you're trying to run the game on a very low end PC. Here are some tips for improving FPS.

  • You can reduce the graphics further than the game allows as standard through mods. There are mods for reducing view distance, removing dust particles, and a low resolution texture mod which can be downloaded from the internet.
  • Ensure you have the latest NVIDIA/AMD drivers for your graphics card.
  • Run the game in fullscreen mode, not windowed, otherwise you will see an loss in FPS.

Looking for the latest Fallout game? Check the Fallout 4 system requirements.

Alternatively, if you're looking to take your Bethesda experience into space, see if you can run the Starfield system requirements. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with the Elder Scrolls Oblivion requirements for the remastered edition.

Fallout 3 system requirements graph

What is Fallout 3?

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. Included is an expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters.

Fallout 3 info
Player Count 27 Players (Last 24 Hours)
Review Score 91 / 100
Developer Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher Bethesda Softworks
Categories FPS, RPG
Fallout 3 PC price today $9.99
Can I run Fallout 3?
Test My PC

Take our quick test to check if your PC can run the game. Our trusted tool has delivered over a million results to
PC gamers.

Or manually enter your PC specs
Please select a valid processor from the dropdown list.
Please select a valid graphics card from the dropdown list.