Metro Exodus: PC System Requirements & Best Hardware to Run It (2026)

Thinking about playing Metro Exodus on PC and wondering what hardware you actually need? Metro Exodus is a first-person post-apocalyptic shooter from 4A Games that leaves the tunnels of the Moscow Metro behind and heads out into vast, non-linear levels across the Russian wilderness. It arrived in February 2020, and by modern standards its official requirements are modest: a GeForce GTX 670 / GTX 1050 / Radeon HD 7870-class card, an Intel Core i5-4440 or equivalent, and 8 GB of RAM. The one wrinkle is the Enhanced Edition, the free ray-traced upgrade that requires an Nvidia RTX or AMD RX-class GPU. This guide breaks down the official PC requirements for Metro Exodus, the best GPU for each resolution, and complete build recommendations to hit your target frame rate.

How Demanding Is Metro Exodus?

Metro Exodus is not a heavy game by modern standards. It launched in early 2020 with a minimum GPU target of the GeForce GTX 670 / GTX 1050 / Radeon HD 7870 and a recommended target of the GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / RX Vega 56 — hardware that was already mid-range when the game arrived, which tells you how well the engine scales. Both the minimum and recommended listings ask for only 8 GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5-4440 or i7-4770K-class processor, so the game is GPU-bound rather than CPU-bound, and a modern quad-core or better will not hold it back. The demanding part is the Enhanced Edition, which replaces the original lighting with fully ray-traced global illumination and only runs on ray-tracing-capable Nvidia RTX or AMD RX hardware. On the original version, budget cards handle 1080p at sensible settings, mid-range cards are comfortable at 1440p, and 4K is achievable with a strong modern GPU and upscaling. Always check the game’s official store page for the exact published listing.

Metro Exodus Official PC System Requirements

The full official listing is below. Note the additional note that applies to both tiers: the Enhanced Edition requires an Nvidia RTX or AMD RX GPU, so owners of older GTX-class cards should plan on the original version.

Source: the official Metro Exodus Steam store listing (app 412020), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Best GPU for Metro Exodus by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p the official recommended tier — GeForce GTX 1070, RTX 2060 or Radeon RX Vega 56 — is already enough for high settings on the original version, and the minimum tier of GTX 670 / GTX 1050 / HD 7870 will get you playing at low settings. That leaves plenty of room, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 sits comfortably above the recommended spec: it handles high settings at 1080p with upscaling such as DLSS or FSR enabled, and it is also ray-tracing capable if you want to try the Enhanced Edition. Older cards that clear the bar include the GTX 1660 Super, RTX 2060 and RX 6600, while on the current generation an RTX 5060 or RX 9060 XT is more than enough for this resolution.

1440p

Step up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER for high-refresh 1440p at high or ultra settings on the original version, with plenty of headroom left for the Enhanced Edition’s ray tracing. This is the resolution most PC gamers target, and the realistic entry point for Metro Exodus at 1440p is a card a tier or two above the official recommendation — an RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 4060 Ti, an RX 6700 XT, or on the current generation an RTX 5060 Ti or RX 9060 XT.

4K

For 4K, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the realistic entry point, ideally paired with upscaling to keep frame rates high. Metro Exodus at 4K on high settings is a genuine step up from the official recommended spec, and the Enhanced Edition’s ray-traced lighting makes it heavier still, so you want a current-generation card in the RTX 5070 or RX 9070 class — or the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER linked here.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus asks for very little on the CPU side: an Intel Core i5-4440 or equivalent at minimum, and a Core i7-4770K or equivalent at recommended. It is not a simulation, strategy or large-multiplayer game, so it does not lean on many cores, and almost any modern desktop processor will feed a fast GPU without bottlenecking it. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is far more than this game needs and excellent value for a modern all-round build, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the fastest mainstream gaming CPU if you want maximum frame rates across your whole library. Intel fans can opt for the Intel Core i5-14600K. For memory, the official requirement is 8 GB; 16 GB of DDR5 is a comfortable cushion if you keep a browser and other apps open alongside the game, and a 32 GB kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is a sensible modern choice that this title will never fully use. Install the game on a fast NVMe SSD like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD — the official listing only asks for 59 GB of free space and does not require an SSD, but a solid-state drive cuts load times and helps with texture streaming in the larger open levels.

Recommended PC Builds for Metro Exodus

1080p budget build: AMD Radeon RX 7600 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — well above the official minimum and comfortable for high-settings 1080p, including the Enhanced Edition.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — the setup most players should aim for at 1440p high settings.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — for 4K with upscaling, and for the Enhanced Edition’s ray tracing.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Metro Exodus?

The official recommended GPU is a GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / RX Vega 56, so if your current card is older than that tier, Metro Exodus is a reasonable excuse to upgrade. Be strategic about it, though: the graphics card delivers by far the biggest jump in gaming performance, so upgrade the GPU first if you have to choose. A CPU from the last several years will not bottleneck a modern GPU in this game, so you can usually keep it. The official memory requirement is 8 GB, but moving to 16 GB is a cheap comfort for modern systems, and putting the game on an SSD noticeably smooths out loading and streaming. If you specifically want the Enhanced Edition, remember it needs a ray-tracing-capable RTX or RX card — that compatibility matters more than raw speed here. Rather than replacing everything at once, target the weakest link in your build for the best value.

Can You Play Metro Exodus on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes — Metro Exodus scales down well because its requirements date from 2020. Gaming laptops with a modern mid-range mobile GPU can run the original version at 1080p with sensible settings, though expect shorter battery life and more heat than a desktop. On handhelds like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, the original version is playable at modest settings and lower resolutions with upscaling enabled, while the Enhanced Edition is a much heavier ask because its lighting is entirely ray-traced. If portability matters, prioritise a device with a capable GPU and pair it with a fast microSD or SSD for storage — the game needs 59 GB of space.

How to Boost FPS in Metro Exodus

If frame rates are low, enable upscaling (DLSS on NVIDIA, FSR on AMD, or XeSS on Intel), which offers the single biggest performance gain, and turn on frame generation if your GPU supports it. Drop the most expensive settings first — ray tracing if you are running the Enhanced Edition, then shadow, volumetric and lighting quality — before lowering overall resolution. Keep your GPU drivers up to date, close background apps, and make sure the game is installed on an SSD. Lowering settings to hit a stable frame rate almost always feels better than chasing maxed-out visuals with stutter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Metro Exodus?

If your PC has at least a GTX 670 / GTX 1050 / HD 7870-class GPU, an Intel Core i5-4440-class CPU, 8 GB of RAM and 59 GB of free storage, it meets the official minimum and can run Metro Exodus at 1080p with adjusted settings. For a high-settings experience, aim for the recommended tier — a GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / RX Vega 56 and a Core i7-4770K-class CPU. If you want the Enhanced Edition, you will also need an Nvidia RTX or AMD RX graphics card.

Is Metro Exodus demanding on PC?

No, not by current standards. Metro Exodus launched in 2020 with a GTX 670 / GTX 1050-class minimum and a GTX 1070 / RTX 2060-class recommendation, and it asks for only 8 GB of RAM, so mid-range hardware from several generations back handles it comfortably at 1080p. The heavier option is the Enhanced Edition, whose ray-traced lighting needs a ray-tracing-capable GPU, and 1440p or 4K will still push you toward a stronger card.

What GPU do I need for Metro Exodus at 1440p 60fps?

The official recommended tier — GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / RX Vega 56 — targets high settings at 1080p, so for 1440p you want to aim a step or two above it. An RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 4060 Ti, or an RX 6700 XT-class card, is the realistic entry point, with current-generation options such as the RTX 5060 Ti or RX 9060 XT sitting in the same range. A NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER-class graphics card is comfortably above that and gives you headroom for the Enhanced Edition’s ray tracing too.

How much RAM does Metro Exodus need?

The official requirement is 8 GB of RAM at both minimum and recommended, which is unusually modest and reflects the game’s 2020 roots. 16 GB is a comfortable cushion if you keep a browser and other apps open while you play, but the game itself does not need more than 8 GB, and 32 GB brings no benefit here.

Do I need an SSD for Metro Exodus?

No — the official listing only asks for 59 GB of available space and does not specify an SSD. That said, an SSD is recommended in practice for faster load times and smoother streaming of the larger open levels; an NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is ideal for modern games.