War Thunder’s minimum PC system requirements are modest: 64-bit Windows 10, a dual-core 2.2 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM and a GTX 660 or Radeon 77XX-class graphics card with DirectX 11 support. For the recommended tier, Gaijin names a Core i5 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1060 or RX 570; the game is free and is also available on Mac and Linux. Data verified on October 21, 2026 against the official War Thunder website and the game’s Steam page.
- Minimum (Windows): dual-core 2.2 GHz processor, 4 GB RAM, GTX 660 / Radeon 77XX, 23.1 GB for the minimal client, resolution of 720p or higher.
- Recommended (Windows): Core i5 / Ryzen 5 3600 or better, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1060 / RX 570 or better, 75.9 GB for the full client, Windows 10 or 11.
- All systems: the requirements list a broadband internet connection.
War Thunder system requirements for Windows
The table mirrors the “System Requirements” block on the official War Thunder website.
| Parameter | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10, 64-bit | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit |
| Processor | Dual-core, 2.2 GHz | Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or better |
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Graphics card | DirectX 11 class: AMD Radeon 77XX or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 | DirectX 11 or higher: NVIDIA GeForce 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 570 or better |
| Resolution | 720p or higher | Not listed |
| Network | Broadband internet | Broadband internet |
| Disk space | 23.1 GB (minimal client) | 75.9 GB (full client) |
The War Thunder page on Steam repeats the processors, memory and graphics cards, but lists DirectX 12 for the recommended tier and 70 and 95 GB of disk space. Both sources list the same minimum supported resolution: 720p.
Minimal vs full client: how much space you need
The official website distinguishes two installation options: a 23.1 GB minimal client and a 75.9 GB full client. Steam doesn’t mention these options and lists 70 GB for the minimum tier and 95 GB for the recommended one.
- Installing through Steam — plan for 95 GB of free space.
- Installing from the official website — the minimal client suits a low-end PC or a small drive; for better visuals, you need the full one.
- Room for updates. The game regularly gets major updates — Sky Odyssey, for example, came out on September 16, 2026 — so keep free space beyond what’s listed.
War Thunder on Mac and Linux
On Mac, Metal support is required, and Intel Xeon processors aren’t supported. The official website lists macOS Big Sur 11.0 as the minimum OS version, while Steam lists Catalina 10.15: go by the developer’s website.
| Mac | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | macOS Big Sur 11.0 or later | macOS Big Sur 11.0 or later |
| Processor | Intel Core i5, 2.2 GHz or faster | Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Graphics card | Intel Iris Pro 5200 or an AMD/NVIDIA equivalent with Metal | Radeon Vega II or better with Metal |
On Linux, you need a graphics card with Vulkan support, and its drivers must be proprietary and no more than six months old.
| Linux | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Most modern 64-bit distributions | Ubuntu 20.04, 64-bit |
| Processor | Dual-core, 2.4 GHz | Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce 660 or AMD equivalent, Vulkan | NVIDIA GeForce 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 570, Vulkan |
For Mac and Linux, the English version of the website lists 22.1 GB for the minimal client and 62.2 GB for the full one, while the Russian version gives the same 23.1 and 75.9 GB as for Windows. Steam lists 70 and 95 GB for both systems.
VR and Steam Deck
The Steam version supports headsets through SteamVR, and you need a keyboard or controller to play. As of October 21, 2026, the game is Verified on Steam Deck — Valve has checked the controls, text legibility and performance at default settings.
Can your PC run War Thunder? Check it in a minute
An estimate from the specs: graphics cards are compared by compute power (FP32, TFLOPS) and video memory from the Wikipedia tables, adjusted for the architecture (NVIDIA RTX 30–50, AMD RX 7000–9000 and Intel Arc count TFLOPS differently), processors by release year and thread count. The requirements come from our articles (publishers’ data, checked 30 October 2026). Real performance depends on drivers, settings and the game itself.
How to check your PC
Check your processor, memory and Windows
Open Settings → System → About, as described in Microsoft’s help page. “Device specifications” shows the processor, RAM amount and system type: you need 64-bit Windows 10 or 11.
Result: You can see the processor, RAM amount and Windows bitness.
Identify your graphics card
Press Win + R and type dxdiag. The DirectX version is on the System tab, and the graphics card model is on the Display tab. The minimum calls for a GTX 660-class card with DirectX 11 support; according to Microsoft’s help, Windows 10 and 11 already include the latest version of DirectX.
Result: You know your graphics card and DirectX version.
Check free space
In Settings, open System → Storage. The minimal client from the website needs 23.1 GB, the full one 75.9 GB, and the Steam version up to 95 GB.
Result: You know which client will fit on your drive.
What to do if your PC is weaker
- Install the minimal client from the official website: it’s more than three times smaller than the full one.
- Lower the graphics settings, but don’t drop the resolution below 720p — that’s the minimum the game supports.
- Update your graphics drivers. For Linux, Gaijin explicitly requires drivers no more than six months old.
- Add memory if you have 4–8 GB. 4 GB is the minimum, and the recommended tier on Windows and Linux lists 16 GB. Tweaks to speed up Windows 11 can help lighten the load on your system.
- If you’re planning new hardware, check out budget gaming laptops, and if you’re looking for similar games you don’t have to pay for, see the roundup of free PC games.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 21 October 2026
- War Thunder — System requirements (Russian version of the site) warthunder.com
- War Thunder — System Requirements (English version of the site) warthunder.com
- Steam — War Thunder store.steampowered.com
- Microsoft — Which version of DirectX is on your PC support.microsoft.com
Frequently asked questions
Is War Thunder free?
Yes, the game is free to play and has in-game purchases. Steam lists it as Free To Play.
Will War Thunder run on 4 GB of RAM?
Yes, 4 GB is the minimum for Windows and Linux; on Mac, the minimum is 6 GB. The recommended tier on Windows and Linux calls for 16 GB.
How big is War Thunder?
According to the official website, the minimal client for Windows takes 23.1 GB and the full one 75.9 GB. Steam lists 70 GB for the minimum tier and 95 GB for the recommended one.
Does War Thunder work on Windows 7?
Not under the current requirements: both the website and Steam list 64-bit Windows 10 as the minimum.
Is War Thunder available in Russian and Ukrainian?
Yes. As of October 21, 2026, both languages are on Steam’s list: Russian with full audio, Ukrainian without it.
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