Stalker 2 Best Settings for Low-end PC: RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Ti & RTX 4060

Stalker 2 may have had a rough launch, but it’s already a massive success with over 100K concurrent players on Steam. This doesn’t even include GamePass numbers, as the game has been free to PC subscribers since day 1. We benchmarked each of its graphics settings in our optimization guide, and are back with the recommended options for budget and low-end PC gamers. We tested the game using our $650 budget build and an RTX 4060 laptop GPU.

Windows/System Settings to Optimize

• Enable Resizable BAR.
• Turn on Game Mode.
• Enable Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) and Windowed Optimizations.
• Use the Windows “High Performance” power profile and set your GPU power management mode to the same.
• Disable Memory Integrity. Windows Menu->VBS->Device Security.
• Ensure you use the proper XMP/EXPO memory profile (if available).
• Overclock your GPU if you’re narrowly missing the 60 FPS mark.
• Here’s a guide with more detailed instructions.

Stalker 2: PC System Requirements

Our Test Setup

Stalker 2: Low-end PC Benchmarks

Stalker 2 may not be the most optimized game, but it performs decently on midrange and low-end hardware. That’s primarily thanks to the inclusion of DLSS and FSR 3 frame generation, allowing nearly every PC to double its framerates, eliminating CPU bottlenecks in the process. We recorded an average of 57 FPS and 72 FPS on the GeForce RTX 3060 using our optimized graphics settings at 1440p and 1080p, respectively.

The Alienware x14 didn’t do as well due to thermal throttling. Stalker 2 runs into CPU bottlenecks on most gaming laptops, and no tweaking or frame generation is enough to produce satisfactory lows. The game, however, is playable, with mild stutters during action-packed scenes.

VRAM Usage & CPU Bottlenecks

Stalker 2 uses 8-9 GB of graphics memory at 1080p and 1440p on the GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB (using our settings). The GeForce RTX 4060 laptop GPU on the Alienware x14 maintains its average VRAM usage under 8 GB, further contributing to the micro-stuttering.

The Ryzen 5 5600 doesn’t have trouble running Stalker 2 at 1080p and 1440p, keeping the game predominantly GPU-bound. However, the Core i7-13260H on the x14 runs into a mild CPU bottleneck that surfaces as framerate spikes in action-packed sequences.

Stalker 2: Best Graphics Settings for Low-end PC