Borderlands 3: PC Requirements & Best Hardware (2026)

Borderlands 3 launched on PC on March 13, 2020, and this shooter-looter — an Action RPG packed with bazillions of guns and a mayhem-fueled adventure across new worlds — has hardware requirements that are modest by modern standards. The official minimum is a 2012-vintage quad-core (AMD FX-8350 or Intel Core i5-3570) with 6 GB of RAM and a 2 GB card such as the Radeon HD 7970 or GeForce GTX 680, while the recommended spec steps up to a Ryzen 5 2600 or Core i7-4770, 16 GB of RAM and a Radeon RX 590 or GeForce GTX 1060 6GB. In other words, most gaming PCs built in the last several years can already run it, and the real question is how much graphics card you want for higher resolutions and settings. This guide covers the official requirements, the best GPU for each resolution, sensible build recommendations, and how to get more performance out of the game.

How Demanding Is Borderlands 3?

Borderlands 3 is not a demanding game by today’s standards. It shipped in 2020 with DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 support, and its official recommended GPU — a Radeon RX 590 or GeForce GTX 1060 6GB — is entry-level hardware now. The cel-shaded art style has aged well without leaning on the heaviest rendering techniques, which is why even a GTX 680 or HD 7970 clears the minimum. The exceptions are the busiest moments: four-player co-op and firefights thick with particle effects can expose a weak CPU or a card with only the minimum 2 GB of VRAM once you raise texture quality. At 1080p, a modest modern GPU is more than enough; 1440p and 4K are where extra graphics horsepower actually changes which settings you can run.

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MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 12GB GDRR6X Extreme Clock: 2520 MHz 192-Bit HDMI/DP Nvlink TORX Fan 4.0 Ada Lovelace Architecture Graphics Card (RTX 4070 Ventus 2X 12G OC)

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Borderlands 3 Official PC System Requirements

Source: the official Borderlands 3 Steam store listing (app 397540), checked October 2026. Publishers can update these specs after patches.

Both tiers call for 75 GB of available storage and a DirectX-compatible sound card, and both list Windows 7 or Windows 10 with the latest service pack. DirectX 11 is the minimum API while DirectX 12 is recommended, and the recommended tier roughly doubles the memory requirement — 6 GB at minimum, 16 GB recommended.

Best GPU for Borderlands 3 by Resolution

1080p

At 1080p the official recommended tier — RX 590 or GTX 1060 6GB — is genuinely enough for Borderlands 3 at high settings, and anything newer simply gives you headroom. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is well beyond what the game needs here, which makes it a safe pick: you can run high or ultra settings, keep texture quality maxed, and still have margin in the busiest areas. Current-generation cards in the same class, such as the GeForce RTX 5060 or Radeon RX 9060 XT, are comparable choices, while older cards like a GTX 1660 Super or RX 580 will still handle the game if you trim a few settings.

1440p

1440p is where Borderlands 3 starts to want a proper gaming GPU, though the bar is still mid-range rather than high-end. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER handles 1440p at high settings with room to spare, and it is a sensible target if you want this resolution to stay comfortable for a while. On current-generation hardware, an RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9060 XT sits in the same bracket; the official recommended cards can also run 1440p, just with settings dialed back.

4K

4K is the one resolution where Borderlands 3 asks for a strong card. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a realistic entry point for 4K at high settings, and upscaling helps if you want to push further. On current-generation hardware the equivalent tier is an RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070 and above. Keep in mind that the published requirements are not aimed at 4K, so this is a case where you are deliberately buying well above the official spec.

CPU, RAM and Storage for Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 is not CPU-bound in the way a large-scale strategy or simulation game is. The official recommended processors — a Ryzen 5 2600 or Core i7-4770 — are modest, and any modern six-core clears them without effort. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is excellent value for a gaming build, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is one of the fastest mainstream gaming CPUs if you want maximum frame rates, and Intel buyers can look at the Intel Core i5-14600K. Memory is similarly undemanding: the minimum is 6 GB and the recommended figure is 16 GB, so a 32 GB kit such as the Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB is simply headroom rather than a necessity. Storage is the one place the game asks for real room — 75 GB of available space — and installing it on a fast NVMe SSD like the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD cuts load times and reduces texture-streaming hitches.

Recommended PC Builds for Borderlands 3

1080p budget build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 + AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + 16 GB DDR5 — comfortably above the official recommended spec, and plenty for high-settings 1080p.

1440p sweet-spot build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + 2TB NVMe SSD — more than Borderlands 3 requires at 1440p, which is the point if you want the machine to stay capable in other games too.

4K high-end build: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER + AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + 32 GB DDR5 + fast NVMe SSD — for 4K at high settings, ideally with upscaling enabled.

Is It Worth Upgrading Your PC for Borderlands 3?

Because the requirements are light, Borderlands 3 is rarely a reason to rebuild a whole system. If your PC already has a card at or above the recommended RX 590 / GTX 1060 6GB level, 16 GB of RAM and a reasonably modern quad-core, you are set. Upgrading makes sense in two situations: your GPU is below the official minimum (older than an HD 7970 or GTX 680), or you want to move up to 1440p or 4K, where the graphics card is by far the biggest factor. Adding memory up to the recommended 16 GB and moving the game onto an SSD are straightforward improvements that smooth out loading and streaming. Target the weakest part of your build rather than replacing everything at once.

Can You Play Borderlands 3 on a Laptop or Handheld?

Yes. Because the game’s requirements are modest, a gaming laptop with a mobile GPU in the GTX 1060 / RX 590 class or better will run Borderlands 3 at 1080p with settings to spare, and something like an RTX 4060 laptop has far more power than the game needs. Expect the usual laptop trade-offs: fan noise, heat and shorter battery life when you play unplugged. Handhelds such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally can run it as well, since the game fits comfortably within their capabilities — you will want lower settings and a frame-rate cap to keep things smooth and to protect battery life. If portability matters, pick a device with a capable GPU and install the game on its internal SSD rather than a slow memory card.

How to Boost FPS in Borderlands 3

If frame rates dip, start with upscaling: if your GPU supports DLSS or FSR and the game offers it, switching it on is the single biggest performance gain available, and the newest cards can add frame generation on top. Next, lower the most expensive graphics options — shadows, volumetric fog and screen-space reflections are usually the heaviest — before dropping the overall resolution. Keep your GPU drivers current, close background applications, and install the game on an SSD so texture streaming does not stall. Capping the frame rate slightly below your display’s refresh rate often feels more consistent than chasing the highest possible settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my PC run Borderlands 3?

Check the official figures first. The minimum is a Radeon HD 7970 or GeForce GTX 680 with 2 GB of VRAM, an FX-8350 or Core i5-3570, 6 GB of RAM and 75 GB of free space. For the recommended experience you want an RX 590 or GTX 1060 6GB, a Ryzen 5 2600 or Core i7-4770 and 16 GB of RAM. Anything newer than those parts runs the game comfortably.

Is Borderlands 3 demanding on PC?

No. Its official requirements are modest for a 2020 release, and the recommended GPU is entry-level hardware by current standards. Even older cards meet the minimum, so Borderlands 3 is one of the easier modern games to run.

What GPU do I need for Borderlands 3 at 1440p 60fps?

A NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER-class graphics card is more than enough for 1440p at high settings, and a current-generation RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9060 XT sits in a similar bracket. The official recommended cards will also handle 1440p if you dial a few settings back.

How much RAM does Borderlands 3 need?

The official minimum is 6 GB and the recommended amount is 16 GB. In practice 16 GB is the comfortable target for a modern system, especially if you keep other applications open while you play.

Do I need an SSD for Borderlands 3?

The official requirement is 75 GB of available storage space, and no particular drive type is specified. An SSD is still worthwhile: it shortens load times and reduces streaming stutter, and a fast NVMe drive like the Samsung 990 Pro is a good fit for a modern build.