With a renewed wave of excitement for thanks to the next-gen update (and a TV series), we’re also giving it a revisit to figure out the best GPU for Fallout 4. First thing’s first, the game has been out for closing in on a decade now, so you can get away with lots of older hardware if you simply want to run it. There’s no need to pick out the best graphics card out there, but anyone looking for a new GPU should definitely future-proof their system to some degree.
Our selection of GPUs reflects the modern market and we have a wide range of options to talk you through today. AMD, Nvidia, and even Intel cards are worth considering. As an older title, you can afford great 4K visuals without buying a flagship, so even a modest budget can go far here – our best settings for Fallout 4 guide will help you out there. Let’s jump straight into our top picks.
- Best GPU for Fallout 4
Zotac Gaming RTX 4060 Ti OC Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- Best GPU for Fallout 4 in 4K
AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
- GPU: Navi 32
- Stream Processors: 3,840
- VRAM: 16 GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256-bit
- Bandwidth: 624.1 GB/sec
- Base clock speed: 1,295 MHz
- Best Intel GPU for Fallout 4
Acer Predator BiFrost Intel Arc A770 OC
- GPU: DG2-512
- GPU cores: 4,096
- VRAM: 16GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256-bit
- Base clock speed: 2100 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 2400 MHz
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Best budget GPU for Fallout 4MSI Gaming RTX 3060
- GPU: GA106
- VRAM: 12 GB
- Bandwidth: 360.0 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Base Clock Speed: 1320 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 1777 MHz
What GPU do you need for Fallout 4?
Fallout 4 first came out way back in 2015, so you can imagine that it’s no longer a demanding game given the kind of hardware available these days. Simply looking at the Fallout 4 system requirements will only help you so much, as it lists generations-old components. Looking at the recommended specs, we can find a GTX 780 or Radeon R9 290X – both outdated GPUs with 3GB and 4GB memory respectively. Instead, we’re going to focus on much more modern hardware.
Given its age, you definitely don’t need something like the RTX 4080 Super, or even close to that. However, if you’re aiming for 1440p or 4K, then maybe you want to think about a great GPU which is up to the task in other games too. Just for Fallout 4 though, realistically any decent gaming PC from (close to) the past decade could work well.
- GPU: AD106
- CUDA cores: 4,352
- VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
- Bandwidth: 288.0 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 128-bit
- Bast clock speed: 2310 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 2550 MHz
The RTX 4060 Ti is seen as an affordable GPU which offers great performance at 1080p and 1440p. For Fallout 4, a graphics card like this will go a long way, providing more than enough power – with excellent efficiency to boot.
- Good value for money in a modern GPU
- 8GB and 16GB options available
- Will easily handle Fallout 4 and newer games
- 8GB variant could be limiting at high resolutions
We had a good look at this GPU in our RTX 4060 Ti review and found that it is a great performer for 1080p and 1440p in a wide range of modern games. So, for something older like Fallout 4, you won’t have any performance woes. Above is the 8GB variant, but you can also opt for the 16GB VRAM model which will help out if you want to stretch to something like 4K or boost productivity workflows.
“As far as the gaming performance goes, the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti excels across the board in 1080p and 1440p with some impressive figures, especially for the sub-$400 price point”
RTX 4060 Ti review, PCGuide
Unfortunately due to the age of FO4, native DLSS or ray tracing support isn’t there to make full use of the 4060 Ti’s feature list, but there is always the modding route. Either way, this Nvidia GPU will crush Fallout 4 without much hassle. It is part of the 40-series generation on Ada Lovelace architecture and will remain a strong option for some time to come.
What users says
To get a wide range of opinions, we always like to have a closer look at the Amazon user reviews. At the time of writing, it holds a 4.6 star rating against 42 customer ratings, with plenty of praise. One user calls it a ‘productivity powerhouse’ and many recommend it as a great mid-range option.
- GPU: Navi 32
- Stream Processors: 3,840
- VRAM: 16 GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256-bit
- Bandwidth: 624.1 GB/sec
- Base clock speed: 1,295 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 2,430 MHz
Despite not being a GPU chiefly designed for 4K when it comes to modern titles, this is a great value option if you want solid 4K performance in an older game such as Fallout 4. It’s our go-to option from Team Red at the moment in many regards.
- Excellent price to performance
- Future-proof 16GB VRAM
- Falls behind in productivity
- Sub-par 4K performance in modern games
In our RX 7800 XT review, we back up AMD’s claim of this GPU being the “ultimate upgrade for 1440p gaming”. However, given the high amount of memory combined with the lenient system requirements of Fallout 4, the 7800 XT will even perform well in 4K here. If you want a ‘true’ 4K card for modern games, then we’d be targeting something like flagships RTX 4090 or RX 7900 XTX, but value for money is always something to consider.
“Since its launch, the RX 7800 XT has been an incredibly aggressively priced and powerful video card with strong ray tracing prowess compared to the previous generation RX 6800 XT”
RX 7800 XT review, PCGuide
Compared to Nvidia alternatives, the RX 7800 XT does fall behind in terms of something like ray tracing performance or upscaling technology, but this isn’t relevant to Fallout 4 at the moment outside of fan-made mods. As such, we chose to recommend a GPU with excellent raw performance (rasterization) at an attainable price.
What users say
Looking at the customer reviews on Amazon paints the RX 7800 XT in a positive light, again with many praising the performance compared to the price. We didn’t want to go too overkill when searching for a great graphics card for Fallout 4, so this AMD card represents one of the most powerful options in this list without compromising much on price.
Intel graphics weren’t even in the conversation back when Fallout 4 first released, but now they offer a couple of great discrete graphics card options. At the moment, we’d have to go for the Arc A770 which is a great performer that doesn’t break the bank.
- Great performance in Fallout 4 at all resolutions
- Aggressively priced
- 16GB of VRAM in a budget GPU
- Driver support is worse than rivals
- Limited performance without ReBAR
Intel is relatively new to the discrete GPU market and the Arc A770 is currently one of their best offerings, belonging to their Alchemist generation. On a tighter budget, this graphics card offers excellent performance and our Arc A770 review commends its 1080p and even 1440p performance. The latter will definitely be achievable in titles such as Fallout 4.
“There is a lot that’s worth praising, such as the low power draw and the frame rates taken as a whole when compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti”
Arc A770 review, PCGuide
Intel’s GPU driver support is only getting better, making the A770 a more appealing option as time goes by. One thing we do need to remind you of though is that support for ReBAR is fully recommended if you want this Intel GPU working to its full potential. Intel has laid out some system requirements for the Arc A-Series which are a must-see for any potential buyer.
What users say
Moving on to customer reviews now and the Intel Arc A770 is unsurprisingly complimented on its great value for money. In the right system, this GPU works incredibly well and is more than suitable for those seeking smooth performance in Fallout 4. It is often on sale and currently holds a 4.1 stars with 145 ratings.
- GPU: GA106
- VRAM: 12 GB
- Bandwidth: 360.0 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Base Clock Speed: 1320 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 1777 MHz
- CUDA cores: 3584
Looking back to the last generation is a good way of saving money, and few graphics cards embody top-tier value for money more than the RTX 3060. It’s still a relevant GPU to this day and always a strong choice on a limited budget. For Fallout 4, this is an easy choice.
- Affordable price tag
- 12GB of VRAM
- Still a strong option in 2024
- Older architecture
- Not as future-proof as RTX 40 series
There’s a good reason why the RTX 3060 remains in the top ranks of Steam’s hardware survey, and it’s staying power is pretty much unrivalled as of late. Yes, it’s no longer part of the latest generation of Nvidia graphics cards, but that isn’t required if you’re shopping for a GPU to play Fallout 4. One recent benchmark video using a 12GB RTX 3060 like the one featured here shows that it can work well at basically any resolution.
Solid, reliable performance paired with excellent value for money means that the RTX 3060 remains relevant, even with the existence of the RTX 4060 – which doesn’t provide much raw performance uplift at all, and drops down to 8GB VRAM. Since Fallout 4 does not currently feature native DLSS 3 support, a 30-series option like this is perfectly suitable.
What users say
You’ll find plenty to read about regarding the RTX 3060 if you look at the user reviews on Amazon. It is highly popular even now, with many users discussing its excellent gaming performance compared to its modest price tag. One reviewer says they “couldn’t justify spending a fortune on a GPU when this one does it all very well” – and we fully agree for something like FO4.
Things to consider before you buy the best GPU for Fallout 4
Before you buy a GPU, there are a number of things you’ll want to consider. Here are a few key pointers:
Resolution
Gaming performance is drastically different depending on what in-game resolution you’ll be playing at. Since Fallout 4 is now considered an easy game to run, you have some leeway when it comes to playing at high resolutions. Most newer GPUs should be easily be able to run FO4 at higher resolutions such as 1440p or 4K, but it’s always good to have a graphics card best suited for it. That means plenty of VRAM, ideally 12GB or above for future proofing in newer games.
Price
There’s no need to go all out on an expensive graphics card if Fallout 4 is your target, so this opens up a whole list of budget-friendly options. Alternatively, you do also have to consider the other games you’ll be playing – so budget yourself accordingly. Last-gen options will always provide strong value for money, but even current-gen GPUs are looking pretty good as the next generation (RTX 50 series, RX 8000 series, Intel Battlemage) isn’t too far away.
Power requirement
Knowing how much power your GPU requires is important, regardless of what you opt for. Of course, more powerful GPUs will require plenty of power to back them up and you’ll want a PSU that meets its requirements. If you’re upgrading your system, then then pay attention to the GPUs TDP and recommended PSU wattage.
Final word
Realistically, there are a ton of options to go for when searching for a GPU that offers smooth FPS and stable performance in Fallout 4. That’s just the result of the game being a number of years old and it works to your benefit if you’ve got a limited budget. In similar fashion, you can check out our best GPU for Fallout 76 guide if you want to take your adventure online.
As such, something like the best GPU for $300 will be more than enough for most users, but you also have to think about other games you play or productivity workloads. Many of our top picks have been thoroughly tested by our expert team, and if you want to learn more about that process, see our ‘how we test GPUs‘ page.
