Modern Warfare 3 PC specs: What are the minimum requirements for MW3?

The dawn of a new day in Call of Duty is fast approaching, with the preload and launch of Modern Warfare 3 less than two weeks away. Whether you’re loading back in after MW2 or an extended break, you’ll want to know if your PC can handle MW3.

Sledgehammer and Activision have promised a plethora of settings and options that will be available for MW3 players on PC, including 4K graphics, ultrawide monitor support, NVIDIA DLSS 3 and Reflex support, and more. Players who have pre-ordered MW3 can get a jump start and preload the game on PC as early as Nov. 2 and get early access to the game’s campaign.

Before you start downloading, though, let’s check to see how your PC stacks up against the various system requirements for Modern Warfare 3.

All MW3 system requirements for PC

MW3 minimum requirements for PC (multiplayer only)

If the campaign is of no interest to you, the minimum requirements for MW3 multiplayer gameplay are very basic and something that most recently built rigs should have no problem meeting. As with most new releases, though, an SSD is needed for storage rather than a traditional hard drive.

• OS: Windows 10 version 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i3-6100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960/1650 or AMD Radeon RX 470
• Video Memory: 2 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband internet connection
• Storage: 79 GB available space for CoD HQ and MW3 multiplayer, or just 34 GB if CoD HQ is already installed. SSD required.
• Hi-Rez Assets cache: Up to 32 GB.

The Hi-Rez Assets cache is optional disk space used to stream high-resolution assets. This option can be turned off in the in-game settings.

MW3 minimum requirements for PC (campaign and multiplayer)

The minimum requirements for the MW3 campaign go up a level, likely due to the campaign’s explosive cutscenes, set pieces, and lengthy missions. Here are the minimum requirements for the MW3 campaign and multiplayer combined.

• OS: Windows 10 version 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960/GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 470
• Video Memory: 2 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband internet connection
• Storage: 149 GB available space for CoD HQ and MW3 multiplayer, or just 78 GB if CoD HQ and Warzone are already installed. SSD required.
• Hi-Rez Assets cache: Up to 32 GB.

MW3 recommended requirements for PC

These are the recommended requirements for MW3 on PC, if you’re looking to play the game on a solid 60 FPS with most options/settings set to high:

• OS: Windows 10 version 64-bit or Windows 11 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti/RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600XT
• Video Memory: 8 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband internet connection
• Storage: 149 GB available space for CoD HQ and MW3 multiplayer, or just 78 GB if CoD HQ and Warzone are already installed. SSD required.
• Hi-Rez Assets cache: Up to 32 GB.

MW3 competitive/4K ultra requirements for PC

To run the game at a high FPS with a 4K resolution, or to run the game with “competitive specs” on a high refresh monitor, you will need to meet these requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 version 64-bit or Windows 11 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080/4070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800XT
• Video Memory: 10 GB
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband internet connection
• Storage: 149 GB available space for CoD HQ and MW3 multiplayer, or just 78 GB if CoD HQ and Warzone are already installed. SSD required.
• Hi-Rez Assets cache: Up to 65 GB.

These specs are susceptible to changes in the future, and additional storage space will be necessary to support future updates.