Known for its punishingly gorgeous take on post-apocalyptic Russia, Metro Exodus demands at least a solid mid-range GPU just to survive standard settings. If you want to push ray tracing or run the Enhanced Edition smoothly, high-end silicon and plenty of system RAM are non-negotiable.
If you're building fresh, a current-gen entry-to-mid-tier GPU will get the job done, leaving you plenty of headroom for your CPU, RAM, and storage.Building with used parts? Previous-gen high-end flagships are your sweet spot.
Metro Exodus was an absolute trailblazer for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Looking at it from a mid-2020s perspective, most modern rigs will chew through it without breaking a sweat. But back when the Enhanced Edition dropped in 2021, the community backlash over its brutal hardware demands was 100% justified.The official spec sheet is heavily skewed—it assumes you're pushing "High" presets with RT fully cranked, essentially designing scenarios to melt your GPU. The reality? If you know your way around the settings menu, you can absolutely squeeze a stable 60fps out of a GPU that technically falls below their official cutoff line.
While the requirements are steep, it actually holds a 'Playable' rating on the Steam Deck—so the barrier to entry drops significantly if you're willing to compromise on resolution and settings. Just keep in mind that on a gaming laptop with a weaker GPU, you might have to dip below 1080p.
The verdict is estimated based on hardware specifications, assuming a game resolution of 720p and settings at Medium or lower. A 'PLAYABLE' status does not guarantee actual gameplay performance.
PC Parts Selection Guide
Metro Exodus PC Component Selection & Build Strategy
Secure a CPU and GPU that comfortably clear the recommended specs first. You *could* cheap out on an 8GB RAM kit and a low-capacity NVMe SSD to keep costs down, but realistically, 16GB is the non-negotiable minimum for modern gaming, and 32GB is where you really want to be. Allocate your budget wisely.
CPU
CPU demands are reasonable, but avoid bottlenecking your GPU
❯A 4-core chip like the Core i3-10100F will struggle to keep up, leading to obvious bottlenecks.
❯An 8-core CPU from Intel's 11th Gen (or AMD equivalent) and newer is the safest play.
GPU
Unusually heavy GPU demands for a 2021 release
❯The Enhanced Edition massively spikes the GPU requirements.
❯A card that survived the base game might hit a hard wall here, as hardware-accelerated ray tracing is strictly mandatory.
RAM
8GB is the absolute baseline, 16GB is the sweet spot
❯You really want a 2x8GB dual-channel kit to give the system room to breathe.
❯32GB is overkill for this specific title, but it's a smart investment if you plan on playing newer AAA releases.
Storage
Technically boots off an HDD, but an NVMe SSD is a must
❯The official specs are highly forgiving—it only needs 59GB and runs on a mechanical hard drive.
❯That said, trying to run modern AAA games on a spinning disk today is a recipe for severe stuttering and agonizing load times.
Pro Advice
BUILD BALANCE
Focus your budget on a CPU and GPU that comfortably clear the recommended specs. While the official RAM and storage demands are light, you'll want at least 16GB of RAM and an NVMe SSD for a modern rig. Be warned: the Enhanced Edition bumps the hardware requirements up a full tier compared to the base game.
Don't confuse the base game with the Enhanced Edition—the latter severely hikes up the GPU requirements. Also, be aware that the official spec sheet doesn't target the standard '1080p / Medium / 60fps' baseline, so take their recommendations with a grain of salt.
The number of ● dots quantifies the performance level required from PC components on a scale of 1 to 10.
Minimum
Recommended
CPU
Core i5-4440
CPU
Core i7-4770K
GPU
GeForce GTX 1050 2GB
Radeon HD 7870
GPU
GeForce GTX 1070
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
Radeon RX Vega 56
RAM
8 GB
RAM
8 GB
Storage
59 GB HDD
Storage
59 GB HDD
Supported Tech (Upscaling & Frame Gen)
Upscaler:DLSS
The official recommended system requirements for "Metro Exodus" are stated to target a "1080p / 60 fps / HIGH" experience.bld4me selects its recommended components based on achieving stable 1080p/60fps/MID settings at native performance, without frame generation or upscaling.
Don't confuse the base game with the Enhanced Edition—the latter severely hikes up the GPU requirements. Also, be aware that the official spec sheet doesn't target the standard '1080p / Medium / 60fps' baseline, so take their recommendations with a grain of salt.
The number of ● dots quantifies the performance level required from PC components on a scale of 1 to 10.
Minimum
Recommended
CPU
4 Cores + HT
CPU
8 Cores
GPU
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
GPU
GeForce RTX 2070
GeForce RTX 3060 8GB
Radeon RX 6700 XT
RAM
8 GB
RAM
8 GB
Storage
59 GB HDD
Storage
59 GB HDD
Requirement Context
1080p / 45 fps
Requirement Context
1080p / 60 fps
Supported Tech (Upscaling & Frame Gen)
Upscaler:DLSS
GPU Selection & FPS Analysis
Metro Exodus GPU Benchmark & FPS Guide
Because the Enhanced Edition is notoriously GPU-heavy, allocate your budget toward a card that can actually sustain a native 60fps at 1080p on Medium settings. Ray tracing will absolutely tank your frames, so you'll want a GPU with plenty of headroom.
Target Mapping
Pushing past 1080p restricts your options to serious, high-power GPUs. Given the game's sluggish, immersive movement mechanics, frame drops will quickly induce motion sickness. Don't risk it—get a GPU that guarantees a rock-solid 60fps+.
ENTRY
ENTRY 45fps
1080p
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB OFFICIAL
GeForce GTX 780 Ti
GeForce GTX 980
GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
STANDARD
STANDARD 60fps
1080p
GeForce RTX 2070 OFFICIAL
GeForce RTX 3060 8GB OFFICIAL
Radeon RX 6700 XT OFFICIAL
Radeon R9 Fury X
QHD
QHD 60fps
1440p
Radeon RX 6600 XT USED
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
Radeon RX 6650 XT USED
Arc A750 USED
HIGH_REFRESH
HIGH_REFRESH 144fps
1080p
Arc B580 12GB NEW
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB USED
Radeon RX 6750 XT USED
GeForce RTX 3070 USED
ULTIMATE
ULTIMATE 60fps
4K
GeForce RTX 3080 10GB USED
GeForce RTX 4070 USED
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB USED
Radeon RX 6800 XT USED
ENTRY
ENTRY 45fps
1080p
Arc Graphics 140V (8 Xe2) NEW
Radeon RX 5500M USED
Radeon RX 6500 XT USED
STANDARD
STANDARD 60fps
1080p
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Laptop) USED
Radeon RX 5600M USED
GeForce RTX 2060 (Laptop) USED
QHD
QHD 60fps
1440p
Radeon RX 7600M XT USED
GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (Laptop) USED
GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop) USED
Radeon RX 6800M USED
HIGH_REFRESH
HIGH_REFRESH 144fps
1080p
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (Laptop) USED
Radeon RX 7800M NEW
Technical Evidence
You'll want to aim a tier higher than the official CPU and GPU recommendations. While the devs don't list exact CPU models for every tier, grabbing an 8-core chip from Intel's 11th Gen (or AMD equivalent) and newer is your safest bet to avoid bottlenecking.
GPU Benchmarks
Official Minimum
Official Recommended
bld4me Choice
Arc B570 10GB bld4me NEW
GeForce RTX 2070 Official Recommended
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB Official Minimum
GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER bld4me USED
CPU Benchmarks
Official Minimum
Official Recommended
bld4me Choice
Ryzen 5 9600X bld4me NEW
Ryzen 5 5600 bld4me USED
This is a comparison graph of the manufacturer's minimum required specs, recommended specs, and bld4me-recommended parts (new and used). Higher values indicate smoother performance. bld4me's recommended parts are selected based on independent research, balancing comfortable gameplay with cost-performance for the game title.
GPU Matrix
Anything above the recommended specs should effortlessly push a stable 60fps at 1080p on Medium. If your rig is barely scraping the recommended floor, you can still hit 60fps, but be prepared to aggressively tweak your settings.
GPU
720p
1080p
1440p
4K
bld4me NEW
Arc B570 10GB
LOW: 303fps,
MED: 228fps,
HIG: 175fps,
ULT: 123fps
LOW: 152fps,
MED: 114fps,
HIG: 88fps,
ULT: 61fps
LOW: 89fps,
MED: 67fps,
HIG: 51fps,
ULT: 36fps
LOW: 43fps,
MED: 33fps,
HIG: 25fps,
ULT: 18fps
Official Recommended
GeForce RTX 2070
LOW: 249fps,
MED: 186fps,
HIG: 143fps,
ULT: 101fps
LOW: 124fps,
MED: 93fps,
HIG: 72fps,
ULT: 50fps
LOW: 73fps,
MED: 55fps,
HIG: 42fps,
ULT: 30fps
LOW: 36fps,
MED: 27fps,
HIG: 20fps,
ULT: 14fps
Official Minimum
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
LOW: 217fps,
MED: 163fps,
HIG: 125fps,
ULT: 88fps
LOW: 108fps,
MED: 81fps,
HIG: 63fps,
ULT: 44fps
LOW: 64fps,
MED: 48fps,
HIG: 37fps,
ULT: 26fps
LOW: 31fps,
MED: 23fps,
HIG: 18fps,
ULT: 13fps
bld4me USED
GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
LOW: 173fps,
MED: 130fps,
HIG: 100fps,
ULT: 70fps
LOW: 87fps,
MED: 65fps,
HIG: 50fps,
ULT: 35fps
LOW: 51fps,
MED: 38fps,
HIG: 29fps,
ULT: 21fps
LOW: 25fps,
MED: 19fps,
HIG: 14fps,
ULT: 10fps
The FPS values above are estimated based purely on the GPU's native performance without any upscaler. These are merely estimates and do not guarantee actual performance.
Estimated FPS Database
Metro Exodusseo_benchmark_table_suffix
Estimated FPS on this site is calculated based on the official recommended requirements of each game, assuming only the GPU is changed. Actual frame rates may vary depending on the environment, such as the combined CPU, memory, and storage.
Metro Exodus
117 SKUS
Share Metro Exodus benchmarks for
GPU
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720PHD
1080PFHD
1440PQHD
4KUHD
Grade S
SUPREME"For those who refuse to compromise"
The ultimate GPU. Delivers premium 4K gaming at max settings.
LOW: 15fps, MED: 11fps, HIG: Not playable, ULT: Not playable
GeForce GTX 780
LOW: 104fps, MED: 78fps, HIG: 60fps, ULT: 42fps
LOW: 52fps, MED: 39fps, HIG: 30fps, ULT: 21fps
LOW: 31fps, MED: 23fps, HIG: 18fps, ULT: 12fps
LOW: 15fps, MED: 11fps, HIG: Not playable, ULT: Not playable
GeForce GTX 970
LOW: 101fps, MED: 76fps, HIG: 58fps, ULT: 41fps
LOW: 51fps, MED: 38fps, HIG: 29fps, ULT: 20fps
LOW: 30fps, MED: 22fps, HIG: 17fps, ULT: 12fps
LOW: 14fps, MED: 11fps, HIG: Not playable, ULT: Not playable
Radeon RX 5300
LOW: 90fps, MED: 67fps, HIG: 52fps, ULT: 36fps
LOW: 45fps, MED: 34fps, HIG: 26fps, ULT: 18fps
LOW: 26fps, MED: 20fps, HIG: 15fps, ULT: 11fps
LOW: 13fps, MED: Not playable, HIG: Not playable, ULT: Not playable
Ranking Criteria Explained
S
SUPREME"For those who refuse to compromise"
The ultimate GPU. Delivers premium 4K gaming at max settings.
A
ADVANCED"If you crave that next level of smoothness"
A step-up GPU for chasing high refresh rates and stunning visuals.
B
BALANCED"bld4me's recommendation. The smart, well-balanced choice"
The smart pick—perfect balance of power and efficiency.
C
COMPETENT"Play at 1080p/Medium"
Ensures standard playability, delivering 30 to just under 60 FPS at 1080p/Medium settings.
The Bottom Line
The Game's Verdict: Recommended Specs & Grade
Metro Exodus packs an absurdly heavy GPU requirement for a 2019 release. We all remember the community meltdown when the Enhanced Edition dropped—"But my rig ran the base game fine!"—and while modern hardware finally gives it some breathing room, the mandatory hardware ray tracing means you still can't aggressively skimp on your GPU.
That said, any solid current-gen mid-range card will push more than enough frames here. Your best bet is to scale your GPU choice based on the newer AAA titles you actually plan on playing. Finally, completely ignore the official spec sheet claiming you can survive on 8GB of RAM and a mechanical hard drive. For a stable experience in the modern PC gaming landscape, 16GB of RAM and a fast NVMe SSD are the non-negotiable minimum. Cheap out now, regret it later.
FAQ
FAQ: Metro Exodus
Can I comfortably play Metro Exodus with GTX 1050 Ti?
To be direct, achieving a completely comfortable experience will be challenging. While you can play by setting all graphics to 'Low' and utilizing upscalers, you will experience stuttering during intense combat or effects-heavy scenes. We recommend lowering texture and shadow quality first, and utilizing upscaler performance modes to test gameplay stability.
[Estimated Framerate (1080p / Low Preset)]
GTX 1050 Ti: Approx. 36 fps
What are the benchmark results and framerates for RX 560 4GB, GTX 1050 2GB in Metro Exodus?
The estimated average framerates for each GPU at 1080p (Full HD) on the Low preset are as follows:
RX 560 4GB: Approx. 27 fps
GTX 1050 2GB: Approx. 26 fps
Can GTX 750 Ti 2GB run Metro Exodus?
Unfortunately, running the game properly is highly unlikely. The graphics performance of these GPUs cannot handle the immense rendering workload of Metro Exodus. Even if the game launches, you will face extreme frame drops (10-20fps range), texture loading delays, or frequent freezes. Because severe rendering lag compromises the intended game experience, a GPU upgrade is mandatory to play this title.
