War Thunder graphics settings
Optimal War Thunder graphics settings according to the FPSHQ model: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 holds 60 FPS at 1080p on the Ultra preset (77–120 FPS); entry-level cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB should use Medium at 1080p (57–91 FPS). For 144 FPS at 1080p you need NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060-class performance on the Low preset (130–210 FPS). Source of the numbers: FPSHQ model estimate (not a measurement); data as of Oct 15, 2026. (model accuracy)
Which preset to choose in War Thunder: 60, 120 and 144 FPS
For each GPU class — the best combination of resolution and preset at which average FPS is not below the target. Entry and mid classes start from 1080p, high-end from 1440p, enthusiast from 4K.
| GPU class | 60 FPS | 120 FPS | 144 FPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level GeForce GTX 1060 6GB |
1080p · Medium 57–91 | — | — |
| Mid-range GeForce RTX 3060 |
1080p · Ultra 77–120 | 1080p · Medium 105–170 | 1080p · Low 130–210 |
| High-end GeForce RTX 3080 |
1440p · Ultra 82–125 | 1440p · High 97–145 | 1440p · Medium 115–175 |
| Enthusiast GeForce RTX 5080 |
4K · Ultra 87–135 | 4K · High 100–155 | 4K · Medium 120–185 |
Calculated without a CPU bottleneck (like test benches). ● — value from a real measurement. "—" — target not reachable for the class even on low.
War Thunder FPS by preset (1080p)
| Graphics card · 1080p | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | 71–115 | 57–91 | 47–76 | 41–66 |
| GeForce RTX 3060 | 130–210 | 105–170 | 90–140 | 77–120 |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | 190–300 | 165–255 | 140–220 | 120–190 |
| GeForce RTX 5080 | 245–375 | 235–360 | 225–345 | 210–320 |
DLSS, FSR and XeSS in War Thunder: DLSS, FSR, XeSS
The game supports: DLSS, FSR, XeSS. The calculation uses FPSHQ model general upscaling factors (Quality ×1.35, Balanced ×1.55, Performance ×1.85) — not a measurement in this game. Resolution 1440p, High preset. The multipliers apply to the graphics card limit: the final FPS is capped by the CPU (the reference test-bench CPU) and the game's frame cap.
| Graphics card | No upscaling | Quality | Balanced | Performance | Available on the card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | 28–43 | 38–58 | 44–66 | 52–79 | FSR, XeSS |
| GeForce RTX 3060 | 56–83 | 76–115 | 87–130 | 100–155 | DLSS, FSR, XeSS |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | 97–145 | 125–195 | 145–220 | 165–255 | DLSS, FSR, XeSS |
| GeForce RTX 5080 | 175–270 | 205–320 | 215–335 | 225–350 | DLSS, FSR, XeSS |
DLSS works only on NVIDIA RTX cards; FSR and XeSS work on cards from any vendor. Frame generation is not included.
How do I increase FPS in War Thunder?
model estimate Per the FPSHQ model, a GeForce RTX 3060 at 1080p delivers 77–120 FPS in War Thunder on Ultra, 90–140 on High, 105–170 on Medium and 130–210 on Low: dropping from Ultra to Medium gives +40% frames, to Low +74%. The fastest way to raise FPS is to lower the 3–4 heaviest settings from the list below, then enable upscaling, and only then reduce the render resolution. Source of the numbers: FPSHQ model estimate (not a measurement). (model accuracy)
- GeForce RTX 3060 · 1080p Ultra
- 87 FPS
- GeForce RTX 3060 · 1080p Medium
- 122 FPS
- FPS gain: Ultra → Medium · GeForce RTX 3060
- +40%
War Thunder is a moderately demanding Action game (load index 50 of 100). Below we cover which graphics settings affect FPS the most and how to maximize frames.
For War Thunder (Action), start from the High preset and gradually lower the heaviest options until FPS is comfortable. Begin with shadows and post-processing — they barely affect sharpness but noticeably ease GPU load.
The developers of War Thunder recommend a GPU around DirectX 11 level video card or higher and drivers: Nvidia GeForce 1060 and higher, Radeon RX 570 and higher. If yours is weaker, follow the tips above; if stronger, you can raise settings and resolution without losing smoothness.
How much FPS does DLSS give in War Thunder?
Per the FPSHQ model, a GeForce RTX 3060 at 1440p High delivers 56–83 FPS in War Thunder without upscaling, 76–115 FPS with DLSS Quality (+35%) and 100–155 FPS in Performance mode (+83%). Upscaling factors are generic model coefficients, not a measurement in this game; frame generation is not included. The game supports: DLSS, FSR, XeSS.
Officially confirmed by the vendors: DLSS Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Super Resolution, DLSS Ray Reconstruction, FSR Upscaling (FSR 4), FSR Frame Generation (ML), AMD FSR 3, XeSS 2. DLSS, FSR and XeSS in War Thunder — details
What to do outside the game
- Update your GPU drivers to the latest version.
- Close background apps (browser, Discord overlay).
- Turn on Windows Game Mode and the High performance power plan; keep a laptop plugged in — on battery the GPU runs at a reduced power limit.
- If FPS fluctuates, cap it slightly below your monitor's refresh rate (in-game or in the driver panel) — frame pacing gets smoother and the GPU stops running flat out.
- If nothing helps — lower the render resolution.
Steps are general practice; the numbers above come from the FPSHQ model (GeForce RTX 3060), not a measurement on your PC.
What to lower first in War Thunder
If FPS is below your target, go down this list from the top: first come the settings that load the GPU the most in most games.
- Volumetric effects (fog, clouds, light) big FPS impact
Volumetric fog and clouds are computed every frame; dropping them from max to medium usually gives a solid gain with little visual difference. - Shadow quality and distance big FPS impact
Shadow map resolution and draw distance are among the most expensive raster settings, especially in open worlds. Medium is a sensible compromise. - Reflections (SSR) noticeable impact
High-quality screen-space reflections noticeably load the GPU; on medium the difference shows mostly on water and glossy surfaces. - Ambient occlusion noticeable impact
Adds depth to the scene. Heavy variants (HBAO+, RTAO) can be swapped for simpler SSAO. - Draw distance and level of detail noticeable impact
Affects both the GPU and the CPU (more objects per frame). If you are CPU-bound, start here and with crowd/foliage density. - Anti-aliasing noticeable impact
MSAA and supersampling are very heavy; TAA or the upscaler's anti-aliasing (DLAA/FSR Native AA) give a comparable image for less. - Texture quality depends on VRAM
Barely affects FPS as long as VRAM is sufficient; when VRAM runs out you get stutters and texture pop-in. GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM — you can max out textures, it costs almost no FPS. - Post-processing (motion blur, depth of field, film grain) almost no impact
Cheap in FPS and mostly a matter of taste; motion blur is often turned off for clarity. - Anisotropic filtering almost no impact
Almost free on modern GPUs — keep it at 8x–16x.
These are general rules for most games: the exact impact of each setting depends on the engine and the scene. FPS numbers on this page are FPSHQ unified model estimates for whole presets.
FPS measurements and aggregated data in War Thunder
There are no real measurements for War Thunder in our database yet — the values on this page are model estimates. Submit your benchmark: it will be included after moderation.
Which CPU you need for War Thunder
At high FPS the CPU becomes the limit. In the FPSHQ model the CPU ceiling depends on its Gaming Score and on the game's demand (War Thunder: 50/100).
| Target | Gaming Score | Popular CPU example |
|---|---|---|
| 60 FPS | ≥ 1,898 | FX-8350 |
| 120 FPS | ≥ 3,795 | Core i5-9500 |
| 144 FPS | ≥ 4,554 | Ryzen 5 6600H |
Gaming Score is the CPU gaming index in the FPSHQ catalog. The minimum is set so that the model's CPU ceiling does not drop below the target.
War Thunder system requirements
- Min. GPU
- DirectX 11 level video card: AMD Radeon 77XX / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660. The minimum supported resolution for the game is 720p.
- Rec. GPU
- DirectX 11 level video card or higher and drivers: Nvidia GeForce 1060 and higher, Radeon RX 570 and higher
- Min. RAM
- 4 GB
- Rec. RAM
- 16 GB
More on War Thunder
What graphics settings should I use in War Thunder on the GeForce RTX 3060?
On the GeForce RTX 3060 in War Thunder the optimal choice is 1080p with the Ultra preset — the FPSHQ model gives 77–120 FPS. For more frames lower shadows and volumetric effects or enable upscaling.