Desert Thunder
Can your GPU run this game?
Estimated FPS across quality settings and resolutions
Search for your GPU above to see a full FPS breakdown at every quality and resolution.
Desert Thunder 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 | 890 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 999 fps | 965 fps | 784 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 939 fps | 763 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 887 fps | 721 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 809 fps | 657 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 999 fps | 913 fps | 730 fps | 593 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 978 fps | 783 fps | 626 fps | 509 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 709 fps | 567 fps | 454 fps | 369 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 | 986 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 999 fps | 999 fps | 959 fps | 779 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 822 fps | 668 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 999 fps | 905 fps | 724 fps | 588 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 999 fps | 880 fps | 704 fps | 572 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 999 fps | 832 fps | 665 fps | 540 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 948 fps | 758 fps | 607 fps | 493 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 856 fps | 685 fps | 548 fps | 445 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 734 fps | 587 fps | 470 fps | 382 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 532 fps | 426 fps | 340 fps | 277 fps |
4K performance
| GPU | low | medium | high | ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 877 fps | 712 fps |
| RTX 4090 | 999 fps | 999 fps | 814 fps | 661 fps |
| RX 7900 XTX | 999 fps | 913 fps | 730 fps | 593 fps |
| RTX 5080 | 999 fps | 861 fps | 689 fps | 560 fps |
| RTX 4080 Super | 999 fps | 809 fps | 647 fps | 526 fps |
| RTX 4070 Ti | 799 fps | 639 fps | 511 fps | 415 fps |
| RTX 4070 | 685 fps | 548 fps | 438 fps | 356 fps |
| RX 7800 XT | 603 fps | 483 fps | 386 fps | 314 fps |
| RTX 3080 | 587 fps | 470 fps | 376 fps | 305 fps |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 554 fps | 443 fps | 355 fps | 288 fps |
| RTX 3070 | 505 fps | 404 fps | 323 fps | 263 fps |
| RTX 4060 | 457 fps | 365 fps | 292 fps | 237 fps |
| RTX 3060 | 391 fps | 313 fps | 250 fps | 203 fps |
| GTX 1660 Super | 284 fps | 227 fps | 182 fps | 148 fps |
Where to buy
Desert Thunder
affiliate
$2.99
$0.74
-75% off
Minimum Hardware
* Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Genres
About
Desert Thunder, released in 2003, is an arcade-style action tank game that thrusts players into the heart of a military conflict set in arid desert landscapes. With its focus on explosive tank combat, players navigate through diverse environments, including urban and industrial terrains, piloting the advanced Abrams M1A6. The game stands out for its fast-paced gameplay and engaging storyline, making it a notable entry in the action genre.
When it comes to PC performance, Desert Thunder is relatively accessible, requiring just an entry-level GPU with a minimum score of approximately 50 to run smoothly. Gamers can expect decent FPS even on modest hardware, though performance will improve substantially with mid-range GPUs like the NVIDIA GTX 1050 or AMD RX 560. Players should consider optimizing their graphics settings to achieve smoother gameplay and enhance their overall experience in this action-packed title.
If you enjoy arcade-style military action games, Desert Thunder is worth a try, especially for fans of tank warfare. With its engaging gameplay and relatively undemanding performance requirements, it offers a nostalgic experience that should resonate well with both casual and hardcore gamers alike.
Performance profile
Released in November 2003, Desert Thunder comes from the DirectX 9 era. Even the cheapest modern discrete GPU crushes it at maxed-out settings; the only real bottleneck today is CPU single-thread speed on older titles that were never multi-threaded.
Action titles like Desert Thunder reward high framerates for visual clarity during combat. A mid-range modern GPU at 1440p 60–120 FPS is the practical sweet spot; VRR (G-Sync/FreeSync) smooths out drops during heavy effects.
Extremely light — Desert Thunder 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.
