Fallout 3 — Settings, Requirements & Optimization
2008 · Shooter, RPG · Bethesda Game Studios · ESRB Mature · Metacritic 91

Optimize Fallout 3 for your hardware
Pick your GPU, CPU, resolution and target refresh rate, then generate a printable settings card with per-preset expectations and upscaler guidance.
Optimize Fallout 3 for your PC
This is a planning estimate derived from the game's demand tier, not a benchmark.
My Fallout 3 Settings Card
Generated at GameFigs on 2026-08-21. Game demand tier: 8/9.
Official system requirements
Publisher-published Minimum / Recommended values via RAWG. Real-world performance varies with drivers, resolution and your full build.
| Spec | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Minimum: | Recommended: |
| Processor | Operating system: Windows XP/Vista | Operating system: Windows XP/Vista |
| Memory | Processor: 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor | Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor |
| Graphics | Memory: 1 GB (XP)/ 2 GB (Vista) | Memory: 2 GB System RAM |
| Storage | Hard disk space: 7 GB | Hard disk space: 7 GB |
| DirectX | Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better) | Video: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 512MB RAM (NVIDIA 8800 series, ATI 3800 series) |
| Item 7 | Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c | Sound: DirectX®: 9.0c |
| Item 8 | Controller support: Xbox 360 controller | Controller support: Xbox 360 controller |
About Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is a legendary action RPG, which continues the Fallout franchise. Players dive into the events held 36 years after Fallout 2's ending. The game is set in the post-apocalyptic open world known as the “Capital Wasteland.” According to the storyline, by 2277, the whole familiar world finds itself devastated. The cataclysm is the consequence of the nuclear war of 2077 between USA and China. The only people left on Earth are lucky ones, who managed to stay alive on the surface, and those, who made their way to the warehouses provided by Vaul-Tech (like the main character). In the very beginning, the protagonist wakes up inside the Vault 101. His only aim is to find his father who left the warehouse some time ago. On his way, he will contact other survivors (both gangs and singles) and explore entire restoring areas of Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland. The game offers countless progress opportunities, so the gameplay is overloaded with various features including types of customization, numerous conversations with NPC’s, side quests – everything that an average player is going to face.
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Tune settings →Sources & attribution
- Game data (release year, genres, platforms, system requirements, description, cover art) via RAWG.io, retrieved 2026-08-21.
- FPS bands, presets and upscaler advice on this page are GameFigs planning estimates from the game's demand tier — not benchmark results.
How the Fallout 3 optimization card is computed
Each game is scored on a 0–9 demand tier from its published PC requirements (and a year/genre fallback when requirements are absent). Your GPU and CPU selections map to comparable-class scores. The generator compares your hardware score against the game's demand to pick a starting preset, estimate an FPS band at 1080p/1440p/4K, and recommend an upscaler (DLSS / FSR 3) and ray-tracing posture. The output is a planning guide — always verify in-game with the built-in benchmark when available.