Battlefield 3 PC specs revealed

DICE's focus on making Battlefield 3 a PC powerhouse has wowed us with its visuals, but it seems certain to make our rigs break a sweat. Now the PC...

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[Update] DICE claims these requirements are not accurate.

[Original Story] DICE's focus on making Battlefield 3 a PC powerhouse has wowed us with its visuals, and it seemed certain to make our rigs break a sweat. The PC system specifications have been revealed on the GameStop product page (via VG247), and while the recommended specs are nothing to sneeze at, they aren't insurmountable.

The game is due out this fall on the PC, or with a slight hit to performance on consoles. Check out the specs below, and read up on the multiplayer classes, also outlined today.

    Minimum

    • Hard Drive Space: 15 GB for disc version or 10 GB for digital version

    • Operating System: Windows Vista or Windows 7

    • Processor: Core 2 Duo @ 2.0GHz

    • RAM: 2GB

    • Video Card: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible Nvidia or AMD ATI card

    Recommended

    • Hard Drive Space: 15 GB for disc version or 10 GB for digital version

    • Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit

    • Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD CPU

    • RAM: 4GB

    • Video Card: DirectX 11 Nvidia or AMD ATI card, GeForce GTX 460, Radeon Radeon HD 6850

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  • reply
    July 8, 2011 12:15 PM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, Battlefield 3 PC specs revealed.

    DICE's focus on making Battlefield 3 a PC powerhouse has wowed us with its visuals, but it seems certain to make our rigs break a sweat. Now the PC...

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      July 8, 2011 12:18 PM

      I wonder if I'll have to finally upgrade my 5970 for this.

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        July 8, 2011 3:10 PM

        [deleted]

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        July 10, 2011 1:29 PM

        Doubt you will need to upgrade. My 5970 is is running about 70% stressed in BFBC2 so plenty head room left. Overclock the 5970 and it will do years yet. BFBC2 is very CPU limited in a full mp server and I expect that will be the case with BF3 too.

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      July 8, 2011 12:25 PM

      [deleted]

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      July 8, 2011 12:40 PM

      Friggin awesome, I have the exact recommended specs.

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      July 8, 2011 12:52 PM

      "Get In my Belly", those specs are tiny, actually the recommended specs are getting there(seems to be using more of our gear) that's good to see. 4 core DX11 I like.

      Can not wait to play it, its gona be awesome.

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      July 8, 2011 12:58 PM

      I wish instead of recommended they would just say you need these system specs in order to run the game maxed out at 1080p, 4x AA, 60fps.

      Recommended specs never tell the full story.

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        July 8, 2011 1:03 PM

        Minimum = It will run, poorly
        Recommended = Decent experience
        > Recommended = Great experience

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          July 8, 2011 3:34 PM

          [deleted]

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            July 9, 2011 3:23 AM

            Yes, but keep in mind the big difference you have to take into account with PC game specs: The OS runs behind the game, and all the tasks you have as well (steam for example is pretty big on the system when you are running mini specs).
            Ultimately, the Xbox 360 will be fine for a mini spec level, which should still pretty decent (the witcher 2 shows that low settings does not mean ugly game). But I will gladly put my 560Ti to the test fore that game.

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            July 10, 2011 9:54 AM

            It runs at lower resolution, decreased graphics, and almost two-thirds less players possible on a server. This game is optimized for the PC.

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          July 8, 2011 3:50 PM

          I want it to look every bit as good as the pre-release videos and rarely drop below 60fps at 1080p. I wonder what that might take.

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      July 8, 2011 2:33 PM

      Looks like I'm a new vid card away from running BF3. I hope my Q6600 doesn't feel dated by then.

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        July 8, 2011 2:39 PM

        Yours doesn't feel dated now? Mine does. :\

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          July 8, 2011 5:53 PM

          hmm... I overclocked mine to 3.2ghz and it still feels fine. Sure its old but it still plays everything Iv thrown at it just fine.

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            July 8, 2011 10:17 PM

            Similar OC on mine, still seems to handle everything well.

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          July 8, 2011 6:36 PM

          [deleted]

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      July 8, 2011 2:38 PM

      I'll cover the two main interpretations to this news.

      1. Those are the system requirements? I've had a computer that good for years. Stupid console port. DICE doesn't care about the hardcore.

      2. Wow, do they think we all own supercomputers? This game is going to fail because it will never reach the popular market requiring specs like these.

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        July 8, 2011 4:40 PM

        Actually, I'm thnking 'finally a game with recommended specs which don't detail hardware from 07'.

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      July 8, 2011 3:52 PM

      i always hated system requirements for games, they need to tell us what resolutions they have in mind and they need to be more specific than "quad-core processor"

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        July 8, 2011 3:56 PM

        I am going to assume that resolution for recommended is 1920x1080 or slightly less at 1680x1050.

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        July 8, 2011 4:16 PM

        I have a feeling this game is going to be more GPU heavy... I'm sure most current Quad CPU's will be fine with it.

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          July 8, 2011 4:29 PM

          BC2 was pretty CPU intensive though.

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            July 8, 2011 4:38 PM

            mainly cause a lot of people had Dual CPUs at the time, i doubt BF3 will need that much more CPU power over what BC2 needed. Hell BC2 only hits about 45-50% usage on each CPU core on my i7-860.

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        July 8, 2011 6:37 PM

        1920x1680

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      July 8, 2011 4:18 PM

      Blue and orange.

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      July 8, 2011 4:45 PM

      I wonder about how it will run on my laptop. I have an i7, 6 ram, win 64, but only a nvidia 425m. I would rather have it here than on consoles but not if the performance will take that much of a hit.

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      July 8, 2011 4:51 PM

      I gots my Q9650 3.0ghz, 4gig ram and a 560 ti, hopefully that'll be just dandy. May buy a lil more ram too. Anyone with a similar rig to mine?

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        July 8, 2011 5:19 PM

        I got a Q9550 with 4 gig and a 570gtx. So fairly close. Game should run good.

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        July 8, 2011 5:31 PM

        Should be good if not overclock it a bit if need be once you play the game.

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        July 8, 2011 11:19 PM

        Yup, same rig, hoping it will run well.

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        July 9, 2011 4:41 AM

        I've got an overclocked Q9550 (3.8Ghz), 8GB of ram and a GTX470, I'm expecting it to cope just fine.

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      July 8, 2011 5:12 PM

      I need an invite to the shacknews BF3 Steam group

      http://steamcommunity.com/id/DrCubeFTW

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      July 8, 2011 5:49 PM

      hmmm... I think Im going to upgrade my gtx260 for this game. My overclocked q6600 should be fine tho

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      July 8, 2011 6:44 PM

      Even those "recommended" specs are on the low end of what it will take to run BF3 at 1080p fully cranked. I'm using 1080p as a standard resolution here. They dont want to scare people. So dont get all crazy cause you think the specs are lowish. I'll bet those recommended specs wont even run it fully cranked. I have a q9550 and a 5870 and I'm thinking of slightly upgrading , but only because I want to run this beauty at 2560x1600. Not sure what will be upgraded, but I thinks I have to.

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        July 8, 2011 6:52 PM

        Yah I'd guess the recommended specs are for running it at Medium or High @ 1920x1080?

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      July 8, 2011 7:22 PM

      Now only if EVGA would RMA me a working GTX 470 I would be good, then I can get my other card replaced to have SLI GTX 470s.

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      July 8, 2011 11:31 PM

      Battlefield 3 is going to force me to upgrade my computer now. I've been running with a 9800GTS since it came out. Thing is, i've never had a problem trying to run a game.

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      July 9, 2011 5:10 AM

      Can someone please explain to me why the disc version requires 5 more gigs? Is it for disk caching, or something?

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        July 9, 2011 5:11 AM

        Okay, never mind. Someone already asked it.

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      July 9, 2011 5:17 AM

      Shacknews, usually a day late on the scoop and it's not researched.

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      July 9, 2011 12:58 PM

      Um Steve you forgot to mention that this isn't officially confirmed (all other blogs are making sure to mention that except this one).

      Gamestop got their requirements from an -unnofficial- speculation post at the BF3 blog. DICE and EA haven't confirmed anything yet.

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      July 9, 2011 1:54 PM

      Sweet! That's not as bad as I thought it would be.

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      July 10, 2011 7:43 AM

      THESE ARE CONFIRMED FAKE BY BATTLEFIELD 3 DEVS. Why is this still on the front page?

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