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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →“Lag” in War Thunder can mean two different problems: low frame rate, which points to your computer or graphics settings, or network symptoms such as packet loss, high or unsteady latency, and server load. Start by checking which one you see; the right fix depends on the symptom.
First, identify what “lag” looks like
Gaijin separates low frame rate from connection problems. Its connection-icons guide says that low FPS is not network lag: the computer is failing to keep up with the game. That distinction applies to low-FPS symptoms, not to every problem a player might call lag.
| What you see | Where to start | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Low FPS or generally slow-looking visuals | Graphics settings and computer performance | Frame-rate behavior, graphics settings, and whether performance changes when settings are lowered |
| Packet-loss indicator | Your connection path and the game’s network troubleshooting guidance | In-game connection indicator and diagnostic records collected during the issue |
| High or unsteady latency | Your connection path; check whether the latency symptom persists | In-game latency indicator and diagnostic records |
| Server-load indicator | Connection/server conditions, rather than assuming the graphics card is at fault | The in-game indicator and the timing of the problem |
These are starting points, not diagnoses of a particular setup. A player can have more than one issue, so use the indicators and observed behavior rather than assuming that every slowdown has the same cause.
If War Thunder has low FPS or stutters visually
Gaijin lists outdated graphics hardware or drivers among common causes of graphics and FPS problems. Its graphics and FPS troubleshooting guidance recommends checking system requirements, updating the graphics driver, trying a clean boot, lowering in-game graphics settings, and checking GPU cooling. These are troubleshooting steps, not guarantees that any one change will solve the problem.
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- Compare your PC with the official requirements. Check the current War Thunder PC requirements. Meeting a listed minimum does not promise a particular frame rate.
- Update the graphics driver. Get the driver from the relevant graphics-card manufacturer, as Gaijin advises.
- Lower graphics settings. Reduce in-game quality settings and see whether frame rate improves.
- Check cooling. Gaijin notes that GPU overheating can cause issues; check whether the graphics card is getting too hot while the game runs.
- Try a clean boot. This can help identify whether other software running on the PC is contributing to the problem.
War Thunder’s published PC requirements
The official FAQ lists the following PC requirements. The FAQ result does not state a publication year, so treat these as the figures published there, not as a promise of performance or an unchanging specification.
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10, 64-bit | Windows 10/11, 64-bit |
| Processor | Dual-core 2.2 GHz | Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 3600 and better |
| Memory | 4 GB | 16 GB or more |
| Graphics | DirectX 11-level graphics, such as AMD Radeon 77XX or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 | DirectX 11-level graphics or higher, with GeForce 1060 and higher or Radeon RX 570 and higher |
| Internet | Broadband connection | Broadband connection |
| Storage | 23.1 GB for the minimal client; 75.9 GB for the full client | 23.1 GB for the minimal client; 75.9 GB for the full client |
The requirements are a baseline for comparing your PC with Gaijin’s published specifications. They do not establish the frame rate your system will achieve in a particular match or settings configuration.
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If you see packet loss, latency, or server load
Use the in-game indicators to distinguish packet loss, high latency, latency variation (an unsteady ping), and server load. Those symptoms concern the connection or server path; lowering graphics quality is not a general remedy for them.
Gaijin’s connection troubleshooting article recommends collecting connection and process data, checking game ports, trying a direct connection instead of a router where practical, and sending the collected information to support. Its recommendations depend on platform and situation, so follow the relevant instructions in that article rather than treating any one step as a universal fix.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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Record an intermittent connection problem
For intermittent issues, Gaijin documents using this Windows command to record connection results:
ping warthunder.com -t >ping.txt
- Open Command Prompt and run the command.
- Leave it running while you reproduce the connection issue.
- Stop the command after capturing the problem and attach
ping.txtto a support ticket.
Gaijin’s connection-diagnosis instructions describe this as a way to collect diagnostic evidence. The log does not repair the connection by itself; it gives support information to assess.
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When a hardware upgrade is—and isn’t—relevant
A graphics-card upgrade is worth considering only after you have confirmed a low-FPS or graphics-performance problem and compared your system with the official requirements. The available specifications do not identify one universally suitable upgrade or guarantee that buying a card will fix a particular player’s issue. If your symptoms are high ping, packet loss, latency variation, or a server-load indicator, a GPU purchase is not supported as the solution.
What the available evidence does not establish
Gaijin’s official guidance explains distinct symptoms and troubleshooting routes, but it does not establish a current widespread outage, one recent update as the cause of lag for all players, or a single root cause for any individual player. Diagnose from what your own game displays and collect the relevant performance or connection evidence.
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