Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 PC Requirements: What You Actually Need for 1080p, 1440p & High FPS
Published 2026-09-03 by Jon Alden, Alden Tech
Activision's recommended specs target 60 FPS. Here's what Alden Tech would actually build for Modern Warfare 4 at 1080p, 1440p, 240Hz, and 4K, based on beta performance reports.
Updated September 3, 2026 — Based on Modern Warfare 4 PC Beta performance
Performance, requirements and recommendations may change before the production release on October 23, 2026. Alden Tech will update this guide after launch with final-game testing.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is coming to PC on October 23, 2026, and Activision has published its first official PC system requirements.
But there is an important detail behind the word "recommended": Activision's recommended hardware targets 60 FPS in most situations.
That is perfectly reasonable if your goal is simply to play the game smoothly. But many Call of Duty players are using 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz or 240Hz gaming monitors. So the more useful question is not simply, "Can my PC run Modern Warfare 4?" It is: "What hardware do I actually need to run Modern Warfare 4 at the resolution and frame rate I want?"
At Alden Tech, we compared Activision's official requirements with early PC performance reports from the Modern Warfare 4 beta. The beta shows that you do not need an extreme gaming PC simply to play MW4, but high-refresh performance has also been surprisingly inconsistent, including on some very powerful systems.
That leads to our most important early recommendation: do not buy a new GPU solely because Modern Warfare 4 performed poorly on your PC during the beta. Some of what players are seeing appears to be optimization or configuration related, and hopefully many of those issues will be addressed before the production release.
Modern Warfare 4 official PC requirements
Activision published the following desktop PC requirements on August 20, 2026. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required, along with broadband internet and DirectX 12 compatibility. Intel Arc GPUs require Resizable BAR.
Minimum requirements (Beta)
Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (latest update)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or Intel Core i5-8400
Memory: 12GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 470, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 1060, or Intel Arc A580
Video Memory: 3GB
Storage: SSD with 70GB available space at launch
Important: Activision explicitly labels these as the minimum specifications needed to play the Modern Warfare 4 Beta.
Activision recommended (60 FPS)
Operating System: Windows 11 64-bit (latest update)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-8700
Memory: 16GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, or Intel Arc B580
Video Memory: 8GB
Storage: SSD with 70GB available space
Activision describes this tier as the recommended specification to run at 60 FPS in most situations. That distinction matters: a specification designed around 60 FPS is not necessarily what we would recommend for a new 144Hz, 165Hz or 240Hz gaming PC.
Activision recommended vs. Alden Tech recommended
Activision recommended: hardware intended to provide approximately a 60 FPS experience.
Alden Tech recommended: hardware we would realistically consider when building a new gaming PC in 2026 around the resolution and refresh rate the customer actually intends to use.
There is a big difference between "this game will run" and "this PC was built to take advantage of my 1440p 165Hz monitor." That is why our new-build recommendations are intentionally higher than the official requirements.
About the beta performance data
The FPS figures below come from individual MW4 beta player reports. They are not controlled laboratory benchmarks and should not be treated as guaranteed performance. Hardware configuration, drivers, game settings, upscaling, background applications, maps and other variables can materially affect results.
We are using these reports to identify early trends, especially performance inconsistency, rather than to predict exact launch-day FPS. Beta software can contain performance bugs, shader problems, memory-management issues, CPU scheduling issues and hardware-specific problems. GPU vendors can also release updated drivers before launch.
High-end hardware is not guaranteeing consistent high-end performance yet
One detailed Reddit report came from a player using an Intel Core i9-14900KF, RTX 5070 Ti 16GB and 32GB DDR5 at 2560x1440. The user reported that MW4 often delivered roughly 180-210 FPS on low settings, occasionally reaching 230-245+ FPS, while the same PC reportedly ran Modern Warfare 3 around 275-300 FPS with DLSS disabled.
The same user found that changing RendererWorkerCount produced a repeatable difference on that particular system, with a value of six providing the best result in their testing. That does not prove a universal fix, but it illustrates why beta results should not be reduced to a simple GPU-versus-FPS chart.
Radeon RX 9070 XT results have also been inconsistent
A Ryzen 7 7700X / Radeon RX 9070 XT / 32GB RAM user reported roughly 100 FPS at 1440p High/Medium with FSR 4 and around 140 FPS at the lowest settings. Another RX 9070 XT owner reported approximately 107 FPS at 1440p Recommended and around 150 FPS on Low, compared with roughly 270 FPS in MW3 on that user's system.
But other RX 9070 XT users in the same community have reported much better performance. One 9800X3D/9070 XT user said they were exceeding 240 FPS at 1440p using FSR 4 Balanced, while another described the game as running smoothly on an ultrawide display.
That disagreement is useful information by itself. We are not comfortable declaring the RX 9070 XT a "107 FPS card" in MW4 based on beta reports. The current results are too dependent on settings, upscaling, drivers and system behavior.
Even RTX 5080 + Ryzen 7 9800X3D systems have reported problems
One Reddit user with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5080 and 64GB DDR5-6400 reported severe stuttering and frame drops from more than 100 FPS into the sub-30 FPS range at 4K. Another 9800X3D/RTX 5080 user reported roughly 120 FPS at 1440p Extreme with DLSS Balanced and about 180 FPS after lowering quality and using DLSS Ultra Performance.
At the same time, other users with comparable hardware have reported much higher frame rates. A 5070 Ti/7800X3D user, for example, reported more than 250 FPS at 1440p with DLSS Performance.
A 9800X3D and RTX 5080 are obviously not inadequate gaming hardware. When similarly powerful PCs produce dramatically different experiences, that strongly suggests we should avoid blaming every poor beta result on insufficient hardware.
Don't upgrade your GPU because of the beta
If MW4 did not run as well as you expected during the beta, do not panic-buy a graphics card. This is especially true if you already own a relatively modern gaming PC.
Before spending hundreds of dollars on an upgrade, wait for the production release, production-ready NVIDIA/AMD/Intel drivers, independent final-game benchmarks and early post-launch patches. If the final game still performs poorly and your hardware is genuinely the limiting factor, then an upgrade may make sense. Replacing capable hardware because a beta behaves inconsistently is not something we recommend.
What we would actually build for Modern Warfare 4
These are not official Activision requirements or guaranteed FPS figures. They are the hardware ranges Alden Tech would currently consider when building a new gaming PC in 2026 around different MW4 performance targets. Exact performance will depend on settings, maps, game mode, drivers, upscaling and the final production build.
1080p / 60-100+ FPS
CPU: Ryzen 5 5600 / Ryzen 7 5700X or better
GPU: RTX 3060 Ti / RTX 4060 / RX 6700 XT-class or better
Memory: 16GB minimum; 32GB preferred
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
This is approximately where we would consider the practical entry point. If you already own a PC in this performance class, try the production version before assuming you need an upgrade.
1080p high refresh: 120-165+ FPS target
CPU: Ryzen 5 7600X / Ryzen 5 9600X or better
GPU: RTX 5060 / RTX 5060 Ti / Radeon RX 9060 XT-class or better
Memory: 32GB dual-channel
Storage: 1TB+ NVMe SSD
This is where we would start for someone specifically buying a new PC for modern competitive gaming. At high frame rates, CPU performance becomes increasingly important, particularly at 1080p.
1440p high refresh: the sweet spot
CPU: Ryzen 5 9600X / Ryzen 7 7800X3D or better
GPU: RTX 5060 Ti 16GB / RTX 5070 / Radeon RX 9070-class or better
Memory: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 1TB-2TB NVMe SSD
For many gamers, 1440p at 144-165Hz is an excellent balance of image quality, performance and hardware cost. We would rather build a balanced system with a strong modern CPU and stronger GPU than overspend on an extreme CPU while compromising graphics performance.
1440p competitive / 240Hz
CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D / Ryzen 7 9800X3D or better
GPU: RTX 5070 Ti / Radeon RX 9070 XT-class or better
Memory: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
We would not currently promise a locked 240 FPS experience based on beta performance. High-end systems have shown enough variability that production benchmarks are needed before making that claim.
4K high-end gaming
CPU: Ryzen 7 9800X3D-class
GPU: RTX 5080-class or better
Memory: 32GB+ DDR5
Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
At 4K, GPU performance becomes extremely important and DLSS/FSR can play a major role. Current beta reports are too inconsistent to treat any single 4K result as definitive.
Is 8GB of VRAM enough?
According to Activision's current recommended specification, yes: the official recommended tier calls for 8GB of video memory. We are not going to claim that an 8GB graphics card suddenly cannot play Modern Warfare 4, because the evidence does not support that.
For 1080p gaming, 8GB can remain viable when settings are appropriately configured. For a brand-new 1440p gaming PC intended to last several years, however, we generally prefer 12GB or more when the budget allows, with 16GB increasingly attractive. That is about longevity and flexibility, not because MW4 currently requires 16GB.
Do you need 32GB of system RAM?
Activision recommends 16GB RAM, and that can be enough to play the game. For a new gaming PC in 2026, however, Alden Tech recommends 32GB of dual-channel memory.
A gaming PC is rarely running Call of Duty in isolation. Windows, Discord, browsers, launchers, RGB/control utilities, monitoring software and recording or streaming applications can all consume memory. For a new system, the savings from dropping to 16GB generally are not worth the compromise.
CPU performance matters more as FPS increases
Official requirements are often misunderstood because they describe a performance target, not an ideal new-build configuration. Activision lists the Ryzen 5 3600 as recommended for its 60 FPS tier. That is reasonable for that target, but we would not intentionally build a new 144Hz+ competitive Call of Duty PC around a Ryzen 5 3600 in 2026.
As the target rises from 60 FPS to 120, 165, 200 or 240 FPS, CPU and memory performance become increasingly important. If changing resolution produces little change in FPS, that can also be a clue that the GPU is not the primary bottleneck.
Be careful comparing FPS numbers online
A claim such as "I get 220 FPS in MW4" is incomplete without context. To compare results responsibly, check:
Resolution
Graphics preset and individual settings
CPU and GPU
RAM configuration
Native rendering resolution
DLSS/FSR/XeSS mode
Frame Generation or Multi Frame Generation status
Driver version
A system rendering native 1440p is doing a different workload from one using DLSS Performance plus Frame Generation. For competitive shooters, base rendered frame rate, frame-time consistency and latency matter more than simply chasing the largest FPS counter.
Is Modern Warfare 4 poorly optimized?
Based on the beta, PC performance still appears to need work. Community reports include unexpectedly low performance, stuttering, inconsistent frame times, large differences between similar PCs and substantial FPS reductions compared with previous Call of Duty titles.
But calling the final production game poorly optimized before testing the final game would not be technically responsible. The more accurate conclusion today is: the Modern Warfare 4 PC Beta has demonstrated performance and consistency problems that we hope will be addressed before production release.
There is also evidence that beta behavior has already changed for some users. In one Reddit thread, a Ryzen 5 5600 / RTX 3060 Ti user initially reported difficulty reaching 60 FPS, while another participant later updated that their own performance issue appeared fixed after an Open Beta update. That is another reason not to freeze beta results into permanent hardware conclusions.
Alden Tech MW4 recommendations at a glance
1080p 60-100+ FPS
CPU class: Ryzen 5 5600 / 5700X+
GPU class: RTX 3060 Ti / 4060 / RX 6700 XT+
RAM: 16GB min.; 32GB preferred
1080p 120-165+ FPS
CPU class: Ryzen 5 7600X / 9600X+
GPU class: RTX 5060 / 5060 Ti / RX 9060 XT+
RAM: 32GB
1440p 120-165+ FPS
CPU class: Ryzen 5 9600X / 7800X3D+
GPU class: RTX 5060 Ti 16GB / 5070 / RX 9070+
RAM: 32GB
1440p competitive / 240Hz
CPU class: 7800X3D / 9800X3D+
GPU class: RTX 5070 Ti / RX 9070 XT+
RAM: 32GB
4K high-end
CPU class: 9800X3D-class
GPU class: RTX 5080-class+
RAM: 32GB+
These are Alden Tech recommendations for new gaming PCs, not official MW4 requirements or guaranteed FPS figures.
The bottom line
Modern Warfare 4 does not appear to require an outrageous gaming PC simply to play, but based on the beta, high-refresh PC gaming is considerably more demanding, and less consistent, than Activision's 60 FPS recommended specification might suggest.
If you are building a new system specifically for MW4, focus on a strong modern CPU, enough GPU for your actual resolution and refresh target, and 32GB of dual-channel memory.
Most importantly, if you already own a capable gaming PC: don't panic-upgrade because of beta performance.
Let's see what Infinity Ward fixes. Let's see what NVIDIA, AMD and Intel deliver with production-ready drivers. And let's benchmark the finished game.
After the October 23, 2026 release, Alden Tech will revisit this guide with production-game testing and revise these recommendations based on actual launch performance.
Because there is a big difference between a PC that meets the requirements and a PC that is built for the way you actually play.
Alden Tech — Custom Gaming PCs Built Around How You Actually Play
Sources
Official specifications from Activision, plus the individual player reports referenced above. Reddit posts are community reports, not controlled benchmarks.
Activision — Official Modern Warfare 4 PC System Requirements https://support.activision.com/modern-warfare-4/articles/pc-system-requirements-for-modern-warfare-4
Reddit — Bad Performance on PC: Ryzen 7 7700X + RX 9070 XT https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vuolg9/bad_performance_on_pc/
Reddit — MW4 PC Optimization Results: i9-14900KF + RTX 5070 Ti https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vvu5pj/mw4_pc_optimization_results_after_hours_of/
Reddit — RX 9070 XT / Please Optimise the Game https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1w2kb05/please_optimise_the_game/
Reddit — 9800X3D + RTX 5080 Stuttering / Performance https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vwnxmz/pc_performance_is_dog_shit_hope_they_fix_it/
Reddit — 9800X3D + RTX 5080 1440p Performance https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1w1ac5b/pc_performance_is_still_abysmal/
Reddit — 9800X3D + RTX 5080 Beta Feedback https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vvcwh7/feedback_for_the_beta/
Reddit — PC Optimization / RX 9070 XT Discussion https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vv306p/a_focus_on_pc_fully_optimized_2_big_lies/
Reddit — Ryzen 5 5600 + RTX 3060 Ti Performance https://www.reddit.com/r/modernwarfare4/comments/1vusrdo/is_anyone_else_struggling_with_performance/