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Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76 have different PC requirements. Compare the exact game’s listed processor, graphics card and video memory, RAM, free storage, and operating-system support with your PC; meeting a minimum specification is not a promise of a particular frame rate. For poor performance, start with reversible settings and driver checks before deciding that hardware needs an upgrade.
Compare the published requirements by game
The figures below are the requirements published on the linked Bethesda Support or Steam pages. They do not establish a target resolution or frame rate. In particular, the Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 support pages are unversioned and list older Windows editions, so check the current storefront listing and Windows compatibility information before buying or upgrading.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Fallout 4 (PC) | $19.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Fallout 4 Game of The Year Edition - PC | $39.55 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Fallout 1 (PC) by Interplay | $39.69 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Fallout 3 - PC Game of the Year Edition | $11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition | $40.08 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Game | Minimum | Recommended | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout 3 | Windows XP/Vista; Pentium 4-class 2.4 GHz CPU; 1 GB RAM on XP or 2 GB on Vista; 7 GB disk; DirectX 9.0c graphics with 256 MB, such as NVIDIA 6800 or ATI X850-class. | Windows XP/Vista; Core 2 Duo; 2 GB RAM; 7 GB disk; DirectX 9.0c graphics with 512 MB, such as NVIDIA 8800 or ATI 3800-class. | Steam’s Fallout 3 listing includes legacy Windows-support text and Games for Windows–Live wording; that is not confirmation of current online-service status. Steam says its client supports Windows 10 and later from January 1, 2024, so verify current compatibility rather than relying on the original OS labels. |
| Fallout: New Vegas | Windows 7/Vista/XP; dual-core 2 GHz CPU; 2 GB RAM; 10 GB storage; NVIDIA GeForce 6-series or ATI 1300XT-series graphics. | Not stated on the linked Bethesda or Steam requirements pages. | Bethesda’s requirements page and Steam’s listing do not establish current OS compatibility or a frame-rate target. |
| Fallout 4 | Windows 7/8/10 64-bit; Intel Core i5-2300 2.8 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz; 8 GB RAM; 30 GB free HDD space; GTX 550 Ti 2 GB or Radeon HD 7870 2 GB. | Windows 7/8/10 64-bit; Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 GHz or AMD FX-9590 4.7 GHz; 8 GB RAM; 30 GB free space; GTX 780 3 GB or Radeon R9 290X 4 GB. | Bethesda’s published requirements have no visible update date and list Windows 7/8/10; treat them as the published text, not a guarantee for a current Windows installation. |
| Fallout 76 | 64-bit OS; Windows 7/8/10; Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5 GHz or Ryzen 3 1300X 3.5 GHz; GTX 780 3 GB or Radeon R9 285 2 GB; 8 GB RAM; 96 GB free disk space. | 64-bit OS; Windows 7/8.1/10; Intel Core i7-4790 3.6 GHz or Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5 GHz; GTX 970 4 GB or Radeon R9 290X 4 GB; 8 GB RAM; 96 GB free disk space. | Bethesda’s page also requires internet access and a free Bethesda.net account to install. It is unversioned, lists older Windows editions, and does not specify a target resolution or FPS. |
How to judge whether your PC is a match
Check each category against the requirements for the specific game, not against another Fallout title. If one component falls below the listed minimum, the listing does not establish that the game will run acceptably; if every component meets or exceeds the recommended tier, that still does not guarantee a particular FPS.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- CPU: Compare the processor model and stated clock speed. A similar-looking model name alone is not enough to establish equivalence.
- Graphics card and video memory: Check the GPU model and dedicated video-memory amount where the listing gives one. The requirements do not supply a conversion rule for newer GPU families.
- System RAM: The published Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 entries each specify 8 GB for both minimum and recommended tiers; Fallout 3 and New Vegas list smaller historical amounts.
- Storage: Make sure the drive has the stated free space, not merely that the drive’s total capacity appears sufficient. Fallout 76 lists 96 GB, compared with Fallout 4’s 30 GB and the older games’ 7–10 GB.
- Operating system and storefront: Confirm current support for your Windows version in the active store listing. Old OS labels on legacy requirements pages are not proof of present-day compatibility.
Bethesda’s published requirements do not give a named performance benchmark or FPS result for these configurations. The low historical minimums for Fallout 3 and New Vegas should therefore not be read as a guarantee that installation, launch, or online features will work on every modern system.
#1 Best Overall
Improve Fallout 4 performance
Bethesda recommends beginning with settings and software checks. Its support guidance says lowering or disabling graphics options, including resolution, may improve performance; it does not promise that one change will fix every case.
- Launch Fallout 4 and open Options.
- Select Default to restore the launcher’s automatically detected video settings. This is a reversible starting point.
- If performance remains poor, reduce graphics quality or resolution. Change one setting at a time and check the result so you can identify which adjustment helps.
- Close unnecessary background programs and update the graphics driver following the GPU manufacturer’s instructions.
- If problems persist, compare your hardware with the published requirements. Bethesda also suggests deleting
Fallout4.ini,Fallout4Custom.ini, andFallout4Prefs.inito reset configuration files, or switching the launcher display mode to borderless/windowed. Back up configuration files before deleting them if you want to preserve custom settings.
See Bethesda’s Fallout 4 poor-performance troubleshooting steps for its full guidance.
Rank #2
- Freedom and Liberty! Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system. From a Power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of Perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of Fallout. From the blasted forests of the Commonwealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
Improve Fallout 76 performance
Bethesda notes that low FPS or lag can have several causes, including memory, the graphics card, or overall computer performance. Check the requirements and update the graphics driver before lowering visual quality.
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- Test Fullscreen mode and choose a lower preset—Low, Medium, or High—if needed. The available presets also include Ultra and Custom; changing individual options changes the preset label to Custom.
- For a more targeted adjustment, lower the fade distances for Actor, Item, Object, and Grass. Bethesda identifies these as likely to offer the best performance improvement with the least visual impact.
- If the issue remains, reduce Texture, Water, Lighting, or Shadow quality. Adjust one category at a time and compare performance.
These are troubleshooting options, not guaranteed fixes. Bethesda’s complete advice is available in its Fallout 76 low-FPS troubleshooting article.
Rank #3
When a hardware upgrade is worth considering
First distinguish a genuine hardware shortfall from a settings, driver, background-software, or configuration problem. If your CPU, GPU, RAM, or available storage does not meet the chosen game’s published minimum, hardware may be a factor; if the listed requirements are met, try the relevant troubleshooting steps before buying parts. The requirements alone do not identify a universal upgrade or establish what performance a particular PC will deliver.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Beyond the Wasteland: The world of New Vegas is more expansive than ever. Each new distinct area presents a fresh set of branching-quests, remarkable personalities and more chances to play the Savior or the Pariah to the natives of New Vegas.
- Dead Money: Lured into a trap masquerading as the Sierra Madre Casino, you are thrown into a high stakes game where you'll have to work with three other lost souls if you want to survive.
- Honest Hearts: An expedition into Utah's Zion National Park goes horribly wrong and you become embroiled in a war between tribes and put into a conflict between a New Canaanite missionary and the mysterious Burning Man.
- Old World Blues: Transported to the Big MT research crater, you are enlisted by the Think Tank to save them from their own science experiments that have gone horribly out of control.
- Lonesome Road: Ulysses, the original Courier Six, contacts you and promises to answer why he refused to deliver the Platinum Chip at the start of Fallout: New Vegas, but only if you make one last journey into the treacherous canyons of the Divide.
Rank #4
- Fallout 3: Game of The Year Edition
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