Metro Exodus PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU is an Intel Core i5-4440 or equivalent. Today that roughly corresponds to the Core i5-4460 tier, an older entry-level processor that can get the game running but leaves little room to spare. The recommended CPU is an Intel Core i7-4770K or equivalent. It is also an older chip, but it offers noticeably more headroom than the minimum, which helps in busy areas and during fast scene changes.
For graphics, the minimum lists a GeForce GTX 670, a GeForce GTX 1050 or a Radeon HD 7870, roughly comparable to an entry card from the GTX 570 era. The recommended list includes a GeForce GTX 1070, a GeForce RTX 2060 or a Radeon RX Vega 56, which sits around the level of a GTX 980 Ti. The gap between the two is large. A minimum-tier card usually needs lower settings to run smoothly, while a recommended-tier card can handle medium settings with more comfort.
Both the minimum and recommended lists call for 8 GB of RAM and 59 GB of storage. The publisher does not require an SSD, so a traditional hard drive will work, though loading will be slower. No other configuration tiers are listed in the official requirements.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who mainly want the game to run. It pairs an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 with an AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT. The graphics card only meets the official minimum, so you will need to lower settings and may need to reduce resolution or use upscaling in heavy scenes. The processor meets the recommended level. We suggest 16 GB of RAM here, since 8 GB technically meets the minimum but tends to feel tight during multitasking or long sessions.
The mainstream build is the best value and suits players who want steady medium-to-high settings at 1080p. The GeForce GTX 1660 Super meets the recommended requirement, and pairing it with an Intel Core i5-10400F, which is well above the recommended CPU, gives a balanced system. 16 GB of RAM is again the sensible choice. If your budget allows, a card in the RTX 2060 12GB class is a good upgrade, because the extra graphics memory helps with high texture settings.
The high-end build is for players who want high settings, higher resolutions or ray tracing and upscaling. It uses a GeForce RTX 3070 with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, both well above the recommended requirements, which leaves room to run demanding settings with headroom to spare. 32 GB of RAM keeps the system comfortable when other applications run in the background.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a game like this, with large open spaces and heavy lighting, shadows, volumetric effects and ray tracing usually cost the most performance. Shadow quality and shadow distance affect the graphics card directly, and volumetric lighting and fog add more work per frame. If your card only just meets the recommended requirement, start by dropping these to medium. The visual difference is often small, but the performance gain can be significant.
Ray tracing improves lighting realism but is demanding. If your card lacks dedicated ray-tracing hardware, such as the RTX series, it is best to leave it off. Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR or XeSS, where your hardware supports them, can usually buy back performance with only a modest loss in image quality. That makes them a practical option for weaker systems.
Crowd density, simulation density and view distance are often overlooked costs, especially in towns and stations with many people. Lowering them has a limited effect on overall look but can noticeably ease the load in those areas. Try to keep anti-aliasing and main texture detail high, since they strongly affect sharpness and usually cost less than shadows or ray tracing.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop graphics chips often share a name with desktop cards but deliver less performance, because power limits and cooling space are tighter. A laptop RTX 3060 or GTX 1660 Super may throttle during long sessions and perform less consistently than its desktop counterpart. When choosing a laptop, check the graphics power rating and cooling design, set the power profile to high performance, and play while plugged in so the system can use its full capability.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally use lower-power processors and graphics, so they generally need lower settings and resolutions to hold a steady frame pace. Battery life also depends on the load, so capping the frame rate can help you play longer. We have no verified data for these devices, so treat this as general guidance.
Whether laptop or handheld, watch cooling and airflow. If the chassis overheats during long play, the system will reduce performance and you will see stutter. Cleaning fans and vents regularly and keeping the device in a well-ventilated place is the simplest way to keep performance steady.
Storage and memory
For memory, both official lists call for 8 GB, but once you account for the operating system and other programs, 16 GB is the practical target for comfortable play. If your motherboard supports it, install RAM in dual-channel mode, meaning two matching modules in the correct slots. This increases memory bandwidth and can make the game feel smoother.
The listed storage requirement is 59 GB, but that is only the install size. Plan on keeping at least 70 GB free to allow for updates and save files. The publisher does not require an SSD, so a hard drive can run the game, but an SSD greatly shortens loading times and is especially noticeable when moving between areas.
If your budget is limited, a common compromise is to install the game on an SSD and keep bulk data on a hard drive. This keeps loading fast while holding down costs.