About Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition was released on October 15, 2020. Steam files it under Strategy. It needs 42 GB of free storage.
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Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition system requirements
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Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition needs at least GeForce GT 430, Radeon HD 5570, or Intel HD 4400 with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 570 or better @720p and Intel i3-2105 @ 3.1GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 973 with an average CPU Passmark score of 1830 or better, 8 GB of RAM and 42 GB of free storage. For 60 fps on High at 1080p, aim for a GeForce GTX 980 or better.
Updated October 3, 2026
What it takes to run Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
| Target | Graphics card | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | GeForce GT 430, Radeon HD 5570, or Intel HD 4400 with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 570 or better @720p | Intel i3-2105 @ 3.1GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 973 with an average CPU Passmark score of 1830 or better | 8 GB |
| Recommended | GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon R9 Fury or equivalent with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 9500 or better @1080p | Intel i5-3300 @ 3.0GHz or AMD FX-8350 or equivalent with an average CPU Passmark score of 4100 or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 1080p High | GeForce GTX 980 or better | Intel Pentium G4560 or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 1440p High | GeForce GTX 1070 or better | Intel Pentium G4560 or better | 16 GB |
| 60 fps, 4K High | Radeon RX 7600 XT or better | Intel Pentium G4560 or better | 16 GB |
The first two rows are the publisher's numbers. The rows below are our own estimates from the scoring model.
How to get the best frame rate in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
The publisher's minimum for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is GeForce GT 430, Radeon HD 5570, or Intel HD 4400 with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 570 or better @720p with Intel i3-2105 @ 3.1GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 973 with an average CPU Passmark score of 1830 or better, and the recommended hardware is GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon R9 Fury or equivalent with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 9500 or better @1080p. We treat the recommended hardware as the setup that holds about 60 fps at 1080p on High.
In our estimates a GeForce GTX 980 is about the weakest card that holds 60 fps on High at 1080p, a GeForce GTX 1070 does the same at 1440p, and a Radeon RX 7600 XT at 4K. Cards below that can still play the game, at Medium or Low.
Strategy and simulation games lean on the processor, especially late in a game when there is a lot to calculate. A faster graphics card will not fix a slow late game, but a faster CPU and more RAM will.
Best graphics card for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Estimated fps at 1080p on High by graphics card, and the best 60 fps preset at each resolution.
90+ great60+ smooth40+ playable30+ low settingsbelow 30
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 5090 | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 287 fps | Ultra 160 fps |
| GeForce RTX 5070 | Ultra 178 fps | Ultra 128 fps | Ultra 71 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4090 | Ultra 300+ fps | Ultra 227 fps | Ultra 126 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Super | Ultra 181 fps | Ultra 130 fps | Ultra 72 fps |
| GeForce RTX 4060 | Ultra 107 fps | Ultra 77 fps | Medium 83 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | Ultra 175 fps | Ultra 126 fps | Ultra 70 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3060 | Ultra 87 fps | Ultra 63 fps | Medium 68 fps |
| GeForce RTX 3050 | Ultra 64 fps | High 64 fps | Low 67 fps |
| GeForce RTX 2060 | Ultra 67 fps | High 67 fps | Low 71 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1660 Super | High 70 fps | Medium 70 fps | Under 60 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1650 | Medium 63 fps | Low 62 fps | Under 60 fps |
| GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | Medium 74 fps | Low 72 fps | Under 60 fps |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT | Ultra 220 fps | Ultra 158 fps | Ultra 88 fps |
| Radeon RX 7800 XT | Ultra 169 fps | Ultra 122 fps | Ultra 68 fps |
| Radeon RX 6600 | Ultra 81 fps | High 81 fps | Medium 63 fps |
| Radeon RX 580 | Medium 70 fps | Low 69 fps | Under 60 fps |
| Arc B580 | Ultra 116 fps | Ultra 84 fps | High 65 fps |
The highest quality preset that still holds 60 fps. Estimates with a processor that does not limit the card.
Memory and processor
Memory
Minimum 8 GB, recommended 16 GB. 16 GB is the comfortable amount for current games.
Processor
A processor like the Intel Pentium G4560 meets the recommended CPU level. For many fps in fast games, a quick CPU matters as much as the graphics card. Check your pairing.
Questions about Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
What are the minimum system requirements for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition?
Minimum: Intel i3-2105 @ 3.1GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 973 with an average CPU Passmark score of 1830 or better, GeForce GT 430, Radeon HD 5570, or Intel HD 4400 with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 570 or better @720p, 8 GB of memory, 42 GB of free storage.
What are the recommended system requirements for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition?
Recommended: Intel i5-3300 @ 3.0GHz or AMD FX-8350 or equivalent with an average CPU Passmark score of 4100 or better, GeForce GTX 980 or Radeon R9 Fury or equivalent with an average Passmark G3D Mark of 9500 or better @1080p, 16 GB of memory.
What graphics card do I need to run Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition at 60 fps?
In our estimate a GeForce GTX 980 is about the weakest card that holds 60 fps on High at 1080p, and a GeForce GTX 1070 for 1440p.
How much RAM does Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition need?
The minimum is 8 GB and the recommendation is 16 GB. With less than the minimum the game may not start or will stutter badly.
How much storage does Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition need?
About 42 GB of free space, plus room for updates.
Can an RTX 3060 run Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition?
Our estimate for the GeForce RTX 3060 is about 121 fps on High at 1080p. Verdict: Yes, runs great.
Requirements from the game's Steam page. Powered by Steam. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Valve or the publisher.