Run Witcher 3 Smoothly on Low-End PCs

This step-by-step guide will help you run The Witcher 3 on a laptop or a low-end PC. My (work desktop) setup for reference:

• Processor: 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1135G7 @ 2.40GHz
  
• RAM: 8.00 GB
  
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics 4 GB

This Guide Contains:

• Detailed steps to optimize The Witcher 3 for low-end systems
  
• Links to essential mods and code snippets for modifications
  
• Instructions to run the DirectX 11 (DX11) version of the game

Follow these steps to enhance your gaming experience and get the most out of your hardware!

1. Update Your Drivers & Windows

I know it’s very basic, but this fixes most of the issues you are facing right now. As basic as this sounds, it is a very important step. Before everything, run a quick Windows update. If, for some reason, you don’t want to update Windows or have a *wink wink* special version of Windows, you are always welcome to update your GPU drivers instead, or both.

Note: Don’t forget to check additional updates in Windows Update if you are updating it.

2. Set Graphics to Low and Switch to DX11

First things first, let's adjust the in-game settings to low and switch from the default DX12 version of The Witcher 3 to the DX11 version for better performance.

1. First let's go to the Game Directory:

• Right-click on The Witcher 3 in your Steam game library and select "Browse local files."
  
• This will open the main game directory.

2. Edit the Launcher Configuration:

• In the main game directory, find the file named

  launcher-configuration.json
   

  
  
• Open this file using Notepad, Notepad++, or Visual Studio Code.
  

3. Modify the DX Version:

• Once the file is open, look for the line that reads

  "fallback": "DirectX 12"

• Change this line to

  "fallback": "DirectX 11"

  
  

4. Save and Close:

• Save the changes and close the editor.

5. Launch the Game:

• Start The Witcher 3.
  
• Go to the "Options" menu and select "Display."
  
• Change the resolution to 1280 x 720
  
• Then go to the "Graphics" tab and set all graphics settings to "Low."
  
• For "Background Characters," set it to "High" to maintain better character detail
  
• Don’t worry—your game will still look good even on these settings. Check out the attached screenshots from my gameplay for a reference
  
  
  
  

3. Test Performance and Try Mods

You can check out my user.settings.ini https://pastebin.com/KLYKDG1v file to see the settings I use.

After making the initial changes, you should play the game to check if the adjustments have improved your performance. If you're still experiencing less than 30 FPS, don’t worry—there are some mods that can help boost performance.

Try Performance Mods:

• You can use the Performance Mod[www.nexusmods.com] for ultra-low settings to enhance performance.
  
  
  
  
• Alternatively, try the Optimal Graphics and FPS Configuration Mod[www.nexusmods.com]. This is the mod I use, and it allows me to play the game very well.
  
  

Installation Guide:

• Installation instructions for these mods are provided in their respective mod descriptions. Follow the steps outlined there to apply the mods correctly.
  
• Remember to ensure that all your game settings are properly configured before setting any .ini files to read-only. If not, your configurations might reset to default, which can be quite frustrating. For more details on this issue, check this Steam Community Link.

4. Final Notes

Thank you for following this guide! It should help you run The Witcher 3 on low-end hardware, whether it's a laptop or a desktop.

If I missed anything, please let me know, and I'll update it. If you find this guide helpful, please like, gift, share, and favorite it. Thank you!

[Axiata]

If you can tell me which part of the guide you are having issue with, i can help you out bro

[Axiata]

I also have the game of the year edition @dawg

[dawg]

What version of the game do you need because I have the GotY edition and I think I don't got the same files as you

[c_lec]

Also, it seems to help having the game installed on a different SSD than the one containing your OS. I was nervous about running a game from an external 2.5" SSD via USB 3.1, but I am able to play it on 720p 'medium' this way. Otherwise it looked choppy unless graphics settings were on 'low'.

[Axiata]

Oh, NP, i used to run this on a laptop i5 10th Gen on a intel xeon 4gb and 8gb ram. - setup above got me around 30 - 50fps. Now with my current PC spec, i can run smooth.

try it out.

[Faiter]

Thanks I'll check it out when i play again (my laptop only has a r5 3600g with radeon vega graphics and 8gb ram)

[Arghialla Phoenix]

LOL I Run this on a I7 4790... you are like 7 years newer hardware. LMAO..

Is this guide serious or are you messing with people...

[Axiata]

Thank you :)

[Blaidd]

Good guide! Keep it up!