This game was released back in May 2016 and it has been one of the most popular games since then. It’s also a AAA game that, when played at higher settings, tests the potential of your graphics card. Game details and textures are extremely detailed in this game to give it a realistic look. You won’t have any problems playing this game if you have a gaming graphics card. Did you ever think about playing Overwatch without a graphics card?
What if you don’t have a GPU to run Overwatch? My mind popped up with this question out of nowhere. On very low settings, yes, Overwatch can be played on integrated graphics.”As you tweak down your Overwatch settings to play the game, there are certain things to keep in mind.
Minimum System Requirements to Play Overwatch Without GPU
Minimum Requirements
| Operating System | Windows 7/8/10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 |
| Video Memory | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| Ram | 4GB |
Even though you know the minimum specifications to run the game, there are still a few factors to consider before taking action.
It shows that you need a Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 8650 to play the game. But don’t just take the table at face value. However, the reality of Overwatch changes when you don’t have a GPU. You will need a powerful CPU to avoid any bottlenecks as your gaming experience will be entirely dependent on the onboard graphics.
In Overwatch, you cannot expect to be able to play at a playable frame rate with an Intel HD Graphics card and a Core i3 processor. As a result, my personal recommendation for playing Overwatch at 30fps (low settings) is that you need an HD 4600 or Intel UHD graphics card and a six-core CPU (Intel or AMD).
How to Play Overwatch without a Graphics Card
You can play Overwatch on your built-in chip following the steps below.
Changing the Video Settings
You can find your video settings by opening Overwatch and going to the “Video Settings”. Reduce the texture and detail settings. Ensure that your monitor’s refresh rate matches the FPS Limit you set as custom. The FPS Limit should be set to 60 if, for example, you have a 60Hz monitor. Save the settings after turning off Vsync.
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Try to engage in combat at 55 to 60 frames per second at lower settings. You can change everything in the “Video Settings” menu to medium if that is the case.
Tweaking with Details
If you change the texture details to medium, your frame rate will decline significantly. I have a laptop with an Intel Core i7 7700K processor and Intel UHD graphics. My Overwatch frame rate was around 45 fps at medium settings. If you want to play Overwatch without a GPU, you will need other resources on your computer.
Conclusion
With a powerful CPU and the latest built-in onboard graphics chip, you can play Overwatch without a dedicated graphics card. In addition, you will need to start by setting the quality of the graphics to low and gradually move your way up until the smoothest frame rate is achieved. As a rule of thumb, if you want to hit 60fps in AAA games like Overwatch, I highly recommend the lowest settings.
