Apex Legends is one of the easier games to run at 144Hz, but only if you set it up right. It is CPU-heavy in hot drops, very sensitive to stutter, and does not need maxed graphics to look good. For most players the goal is simple: locked 144 fps or higher at 1080p or 1440p with competitive settings, without paying for GPU power you will never use.
If you already have a 144Hz monitor, do not buy based on ultra settings benchmarks. Almost no serious Apex player uses ultra. Buy based on low to medium settings performance, 1% lows, and VRAM headroom.
What 144Hz in Apex actually requires
At 1080p with most settings on low, model detail on high, and anti-aliasing on TSAA, Apex needs roughly a GeForce GTX 1660 Super / RTX 3050 level card to average near 144 fps. But average is not enough. In Fragment, Storm Point POIs, or late rings with lots of abilities, framerate can drop 20-30%. That is why a card that averages 144 fps will still feel choppy.
For a true locked 144Hz experience at 1080p, you want a card that averages 180+ fps in normal play. That gives you room to stay above 144 during fights. At 1440p, you want the same 180 fps average, which takes a noticeably stronger GPU.
CPU matters too. Apex likes fast single-core performance and hates background load. A Ryzen 5 5600, Ryzen 5 7600, Core i5-12400F or better is the realistic floor for stable 144Hz. Pairing an RTX 4070 with an old Ryzen 5 2600 or i7-7700 will still drop below 144 in cities, no matter what GPU you buy.
Best value picks for 1080p 144Hz
For 1080p 144Hz, the sweet spot is the current 8GB midrange class. A card like the RTX 4060 or Radeon RX 7600 will hold 170-200 fps on competitive settings and is often enough. Both sip power, run cool in dual-fan models, and fit in most prebuilts with a 450-550W PSU.
Trade-off: 8GB VRAM is fine for Apex itself, but it is tight if you also play Warzone, Alan Wake 2, or modded games on the same PC. These cards also lose ground quickly if you jump to 1440p. If you plan to stay at 1080p for 2-3 years and mostly play competitive shooters, the cheaper option is genuinely fine. Do not stretch to a 12GB card just for Apex at 1080p.
Failure mode to watch: single-fan or ultra-cheap models that run at 80C+ and throttle during long sessions. In Apex that shows up as sudden dips from 180 to 120 fps after 30 minutes. Spend the extra $10-20 for a dual-fan version with decent heatsink, not for overclocking, but for stable clocks.
Who should step up to an RTX 4060 Ti 16GB or RX 7600 XT? Streamers using GPU encoding while gaming, or players who want 165-240Hz headroom. You get about 10-15% more fps than the base 4060 / 7600, which is useful if you own a 240Hz monitor but overkill for strict 144Hz.
Best picks for 1440p 144Hz
1440p changes the math. Pixel count is 78% higher than 1080p, and Apex’s texture streaming and TSAA cost more. For locked 144 fps at 1440p competitive settings, start at the Radeon RX 7700 XT / GeForce RTX 4060 Ti level and ideally move to RTX 4070 class.
The RX 7700 XT is usually the price-to-performance pick here. With 12GB VRAM it handles 1440p textures without compromise and typically averages 170-190 fps on optimized settings. The RTX 4070 costs more but delivers 190-220 fps, better 1% lows, and much better efficiency and ray tracing if you play story games too. It also has DLSS 3 Frame Generation, though most Apex players should leave frame generation off for lower latency.
Who each suits: buy the 7700 XT if Apex, Valorant, and Warzone at 1440p 144Hz are the priority and you want to save $50-100. Buy the RTX 4070 class if you also do NVENC streaming, play at 1440p 165Hz+, or keep cards for 4+ years. Both need a quality 550-650W PSU. Do not reuse a very old 500W group-regulated unit for these cards.
If you are on 1440p 144Hz and on a tight budget, dropping settings is a better plan than buying a weak card and running ultra. Texture Streaming Budget on High or Very High, everything else low/off except Model Detail, with VSync off and capped at 190 fps in-game, will get a $250-class card surprisingly close to 144.
Quick comparison
These are real-world estimates with competitive settings, not ultra, on a modern Ryzen 5 / Core i5:
| GPU class | 1080p avg fps | 1440p avg fps | VRAM | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 7600 / RTX 4060 | 175-200 | 125-145 | 8GB | 1080p 144Hz on budget |
| RX 7600 XT / RTX 4060 Ti | 190-220 | 140-160 | 12GB-16GB | 1080p 240Hz or 1440p 144Hz minimum |
| RX 7700 XT / RTX 4070 | 210-240+ | 170-210 | 12GB | Locked 1440p 144Hz |
| RX 7800 XT / RTX 4070 Super | 240+ | 200-240 | 12GB-16GB | 1440p 165-240Hz, future headroom |
Notice the pattern: at 1080p, going above RTX 4060 class gives diminishing returns unless your monitor is faster than 144Hz. At 1440p, going below 7700 XT class means you will have to lower resolution scale or live with dips under 130 in fights.
What not to buy and settings mistakes
Avoid 4GB and 6GB cards for new purchases, even used. Apex can technically run on them, but Texture Streaming Budget will thrash, and Windows + Discord + Chrome in the background will cause hitches. Used RTX 3060 12GB and RX 6700 XT cards remain viable budget options if priced well under new 4060 / 7600 cards, but check fan noise and repaste history.
Also avoid chasing max VRAM alone. An RTX 4060 Ti 16GB is not faster than a cheaper 12GB card just because it has more memory in Apex. Memory helps at 1440p ultra textures and in other games, but core speed decides Apex framerate.
Two settings mistakes ruin 144Hz more than the GPU choice: leaving VSync on with a 144Hz monitor adds input lag and caps you awkwardly, and running at full ultra Volumetric Lighting and Dynamic Shadows can cost 30-40 fps for almost zero competitive benefit. Use the in-game fps cap 2-3 frames above your refresh if you get screen tearing, enable G-Sync / FreeSync, and enable Reflex / Anti-Lag.
FAQ
Is 8GB VRAM enough for Apex Legends at 144Hz?
Yes at 1080p with competitive settings. Apex uses 5-6.5GB in typical play. 8GB becomes limiting only if you run high texture packs in other games, stream with multiple browser sources, or play at 1440p ultra. For mixed use, 12GB is the safer buy.
Should I upgrade my CPU or GPU first for stable 144 fps?
Check where you drop. If fps tanks in hot drops but is high when skydiving or in the firing range, it is usually CPU or RAM limited. Slow DDR4, single-channel RAM, or a 6-year-old CPU will bottleneck even a good GPU. Upgrade to fast dual-channel RAM and a modern 6-core CPU before buying a card above RTX 4060 class.
Do I need DLSS or FSR for 144Hz in Apex?
Usually no. Apex is light enough that native 1080p or 1440p with lowered settings hits 144Hz on midrange cards. Upscaling helps weak GPUs or laptops, but at Performance modes it makes distant enemies blurrier. Lower settings at native resolution is almost always clearer for spotting targets.
Will a stronger GPU reduce input lag?
Up to a point. Higher fps shortens frame time and, with Reflex enabled, lowers system latency. Going from 90 to 144 fps is a big improvement. Going from 200 to 280 fps on a 144Hz monitor is barely noticeable for most players. Once you are locked above refresh, invest in a better mouse, stable internet, and G-Sync tuning instead.
