Dear Esther
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Estimated FPS across quality settings and resolutions
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Dear Esther FPS by GPU
Estimated framerates for 14 reference GPUs · pick a resolution and quality
Full benchmark grid · 14 GPUs × 4 qualities × 3 resolutions
1080p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 941 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 993 fps | 807 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 999 fps | 900 fps | 720 fps | 585 fps |
1440p performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 933 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 908 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 857 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 962 fps | 782 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 869 fps | 706 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 999 fps | 931 fps | 745 fps | 605 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 844 fps | 675 fps | 540 fps | 439 fps |
4K performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 941 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 888 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 999 fps | 999 fps | 834 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 811 fps | 659 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 869 fps | 695 fps | 565 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 957 fps | 766 fps | 612 fps | 498 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 931 fps | 745 fps | 596 fps | 484 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 879 fps | 703 fps | 563 fps | 457 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 802 fps | 641 fps | 513 fps | 417 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 724 fps | 579 fps | 463 fps | 377 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 621 fps | 497 fps | 397 fps | 323 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 450 fps | 360 fps | 288 fps | 234 fps |
Where to buy
Dear Esther
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Genres
About
Dear Esther (2012) is an indie adventure game that redefines the walking simulator genre, offering players a contemplative journey across a remote and desolate island in the outer Hebrides. Rather than traditional gameplay mechanics, the experience focuses on atmospheric storytelling as a mysterious voice reads fragments of a letter, creating an immersive narrative adventure. The game's artistic direction and innovative approach to first-person exploration earned it recognition as one of the most original indie titles of its era.
Performance-wise, Dear Esther is extremely accessible and runs smoothly on modest hardware, making it an excellent choice for older or budget gaming setups. The game requires only 1 GB of RAM minimum and runs well on integrated graphics, so you won't need a dedicated GPU to achieve solid FPS on high settings. Even on lower-end systems, benchmark testing shows the game maintains excellent performance across various graphics settings, making it ideal for players focused on gameplay experience rather than visual demands.
With a 72/100 rating, Dear Esther is worth experiencing if you appreciate narrative-driven adventures and experimental indie games that prioritize atmosphere over action. However, it may not appeal to players seeking traditional gameplay mechanics or high-octane performance benchmarks.
Performance profile
February 2012 release. Dear Esther targets mid-2000s-to-early-2010s hardware — any modern entry-level GPU (GTX 1650 tier or newer integrated graphics) handles it at 1080p Ultra without breaking a sweat.
Dear Esther is a narrative-driven experience — a rock-solid 60 FPS is plenty. Prioritise resolution and image quality (AA, anisotropic filtering) over chasing high-refresh framerates.
Extremely light — Dear Esther runs at 60 FPS 1080p on any integrated GPU (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Graphics) or a decade-old discrete card like the GTX 1050. A current-gen RTX 4060 pushes 4K Ultra without effort.
Storyline
“A deserted island…a lost man…memories of a fatal crash…a book written by a dying explorer.” Dear Esther is a ghost story, told using first-person gaming technologies. Rather than traditional game-play the focus here is on exploration, uncovering the mystery of the island, of who you are and why you are here. Fragments of story are randomly uncovered when exploring the various locations of the island, making every each journey a unique experience. Forget the normal rules of play; if nothing seems real here, it’s because it may just be all a delusion. What is the significance of the aerial -- What happened on the motorway -- is the island real or imagined -- who is Esther and why has she chosen to summon you here? The answers are out there, on the lost beach, the windswept cliffs and buried in the darkness of the tunnels beneath the island… Or then again, they may just not be, after all…
