Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch is one of our favorite multiplayer shooter games. If you’re familiar with the game, you’ll know just how amazing the graphics are and the fast-paced nature of the game.
You might be curious to know whether your PC can handle Overwatch and what its specific system requirements are.
Fortunately, Overwatch doesn’t discriminate!
You don’t need a dedicated gaming PC to run Overwatch. It works surprisingly well on low-end and older PCs, lightweight laptops, and even on systems with an integrated graphics card.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to some ways on how to get overwatch to run better on a low-end laptop. Find out how to run Overwatch by closing background apps, updating your drivers and OS, adjusting in-game settings, and reducing resolution and quality.
Table of Contents
Does Overwatch require a good PC?
The exciting thing about Overwatch is that you can invite all your buddies to join in on the fun because it’s not too heavy on the PC.
However, you should still ensure that your PC meets these system requirements.
Overwatch Minimum System Requirements
The following system requirements will ensure that your PC runs Overwatch.
Processor |
Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 8650 or better |
System Type |
64-bit Windows |
Operating System |
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 |
Video card |
Nvidia GeForce GTX 460
ATI Radeon HD 4850 Intel HD Graphics 4400 Or Better |
4 GB |
|
Dedicated Video RAM |
768 MB |
Storage |
30GB free hard drive space |
Resolution |
10284 x 768 |
Pixel shader |
4.0 |
Vertex Shader |
4.0 |
Overwatch Recommended System Requirements
For a smoother gaming experience, you may choose to upgrade your computer specifications to these recommended system requirements:
Processor |
Intel Core i5 or AMD Phenom II X3, 2.8 GHz |
System Type |
64-bit Windows |
Operating System |
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 |
Video card |
Nvidia GeForce GTX 660
ATI Radeon HD 7950 |
RAM |
6GB |
Dedicated Video RAM |
2GB |
Storage |
30GB free hard drive space |
Resolution |
10284 x 768 |
Pixel shader |
5.0 |
Vertex Shader |
5.0 |
Can low-end laptops run Overwatch?
From the system requirements above, you will get an idea of the “playability” of Overwatch. Most low-end and affordable laptops will meet the minimum system requirements to play Overwatch.
Not everyone has the budget to build a dedicated gaming computer. In the meantime, you can look for a budget-friendly laptop with an integrated graphics card.
The Acer E 15 is our favorite budget-friendly laptop to play Overwatch. While it can only play Overwatch on lowest settings and resolution (768p), we’re satisfied with the overall versatility of the system. It has a generous 15.6-inch screen and a spacious keyboard and trackpad.
On top of that, the Acer E15 meets the minimum system requirements to play Overwatch, including:
- Processor: 7th Generation Intel Core i3-7100U
- OS: Windows 10
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 1TB
4 Solutions for Overwatch Running Slow: How do you play games on a low-end laptop?
If you’re having trouble running Overwatch on your current laptop, there are a few ways for you to improve your gameplay.
Try out these tips to play Overwatch on a low-end laptop:
Method 1: Limit Background Apps
Before you go out and buy a new laptop, make sure that your current one is optimized to run video games.
If you’d like to play fast-paced games, keep in mind that your laptop can only handle so much. Running multiple applications on a low-end laptop puts strain on your system.
Even though you don’t see other Windows open, that doesn’t mean that other programs aren’t running.
Here’s how to turn off all background tasks in Windows 10:
- Navigate to Start > Settings > Privacy > Background Apps.
- Under Background Apps, and turn off ‘Let apps run in the background.’
If there are important apps that you’d like to run, you can also do so but try to keep it to a minimum:
- Navigate to Start > Settings > Privacy.
- Under Background Apps, and turn on Let apps run in the background.
- Under Choose which apps can run in the background, toggle On or Off for individual apps and programs.
Method 2: Check your In-game settings.
Before you fiddle with your laptop or computer’s settings, check your in-game settings.
If you’re playing on a low-end laptop, reconsider playing at the highest settings or resolution.
Launch Overwatch then navigate to Video settings. You may need to keep the lighting, graphics, texture, filtering, buffering, and reflection settings on low or off.
For a huge boost in performance, you can lower the resolution to 75%.
Method 3: Upgrade your Drivers and Operating System
To optimize your PC, you need to make sure that your operating system and all drivers are up-to-date. If you fail to update your drivers, you’ll miss out on important bug fixes that can mess up your FPS and overall game efficiency.
To update your drivers, follow these instructions:
- Open Device Manager on the Start Menu.
- Right-click on the driver you want to update. Then select Update Driver.
- Click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update to proceed.
You can also manually update your drivers through Windows Update:
- Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Click View optional updates, then open the Driver updates tab.
- Select the drivers you want to update, then click Download and install.
Method 4: Upgrade your Graphics card.
If updating your drivers doesn’t solve the problem, it’s time to consider if your hardware is no longer up to the task.
You don’t have to go with the most expensive graphics card. As we said, Overwatch works well on affordable graphics cards.
Here are our top picks for the best bang for your buck graphics cards for Overwatch:
- GTX 1050 Ti
- No products found.
- AMD RX 470
Make sure that it’s compatible with your motherboard and your case.
Conclusion
If you want to play Overwatch on a low-end gaming system or laptop, you need to review all its specifications to ensure that it meets the minimum system requirements.
Keep your PC optimized by limiting background apps and keeping all drivers updated. If Overwatch still runs slow, you may need to upgrade your drivers.
You can also play Overwatch on a low-end OC at the price of lowering in-game quality and resolution.