Best Fallout 4 settings for Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go gaming handhelds
Optimize settings for the smoothest experience on your gaming handheld.
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-Steam Deck settings-ROG Ally and Legion Go settings-Fallout 4 gaming handheld FAQ
If you’re like me, then watching theFalloutTV series on Amazon Prime reignited your interest in what is arguably the best Fallout game of them all — Fallout 4. Or perhaps, you never played the game and are interested in finally checking it out. Speaking of, Fallout 4 on Steam is currently ridiculously discounted atCDKeys, so you might want to snag it while it’s so cheap.
Thing is, there are a few new ways to play this classic game now that PC gaming handhelds are common. So, I’ve taken some time to figure out what the best graphics settings are for Fallout 4 onSteam Deckas well asROG AllyandLegion Goso you can get the most optimized playing sessions.
Fallout 4 (PC)
After waking up from a cryogenic tube, you learn that nuclear bombs destroyed the world, but humanity has still managed to survive in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max sort of way. However, someone has taken your son, so you’re going to have to brave the wastelands to find out what happened to them.
Buy at:CDKeys (Steam)|Humble Bundle (Steam)
Fallout 4 GOTY Edition (PC)
The Game of the Year Edition of Fallout 4 includes six official add-ons for the game to expand the world of Fallout 4 further.
Buy at:GMG (Steam)|CDKeys (Steam)|Humble Bundle (Steam)
Fallout 4 on Steam Deck: Best settings
Steam Deck compatibility
Valve’s testing indicates that Fallout 4 isPlayableon Steam Deck. This game is functional on Steam Deck, but might require extra effort to interact with or configure.
Best Fallout 4 settings for Steam Deck
Fallout 4 runs surprisingly well on Steam Deck with only a few small tweaks needed to get the best experience. Usually, I was easily able to keep the game within a 50 to 60 fps range, but sometimes it did dip down into the 40 fps range. You’ll need to adjust game settings from the load menu before actually starting the game:
Open Fallout 4 → Options
I found that mostly sticking to Medium graphics settings rather than the High or Ultra ones allowed Fallout 4 to run more smoothly on my Steam Deck. Additionally, turning off Godrays but upping Depth of Field to its best setting allows for good details. AMD Fidelity FX Super Resolution (FSR) is really helpful at making the graphics look better, but it pulls a lot of power, so I only suggest having it on if your Steam Deck is docked or otherwise plugged in while you play.
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Once all of these settings have been put in place, you can back out of the Options menu and then click Play to start your game. Really, the game runs smoothly. The only semi-problematic part is when I manually have to pull up the on-screen keyboard to type in text, since the process feels clunky compared to a traditional PC. But, even that isn’t horrible since you don’t have to do that very much.
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Note:Some games likeDragon’s Dogma 2don’t run well on Steam Deck unless I put the system in Proton Experimental (learn more at ourDragon’s Dogma 2 gaming handheld guide). This was something I had to change before playing Capcom’s latest game, but I didn’t have to do that with Fallout 4.
Fallout 4 on ROG Ally and Legion Go: Best settings
Considering that this game hasn’t specifically been optimized for gaming handhelds and that it’s a relatively old title now, it’s impressive how well it runs on ROG Ally and Legion Go. But to ensure the best performance, you’ll need to make some changes in the Options menu before fully launching the game.Open Fallout 4 → Options
I always recommend putting your ROG Ally VRAM at 6G, rather than the lower default. You can change this by going toArmoury Crate → Settings → Operating Mode → GPU Settingsand then interacting with theMemory Assigned to GPUdropdown menu. Changing this allows the system to operate more smoothly overall.
As for thermal design power (TDP), I got a decent amount of stuttering when playing Fallout 4 at 10W TDP, but going up to 15W TDP resolved this for the most part. Of course, 25W Turbo is even smoother, but it takes more power, so I only suggest doing it if you are playing the ROG Ally while it charges or is docked to a TV. Similarly, FSR drains battery, so you should turn it off unless the handheld is receiving a charge.
Frame rate wise, I was able to get as high as 90 fps in some instances, but overall the Legion Go and ROG Ally usually tended to swing anywhere between 50 fps and 80 fps. Whenever more NPCs or more in-game effects were activated the frame rate tended to dip.
Fallout 4 gaming handheld FAQ
Does Fallout 4 play well on Steam Deck?
Yes, you can play Fallout 4 relatively smoothly on Steam Deck as long as you optimize graphics settings for the game. Fallout 4 is marked as Steam Deck Playable rather than Verified, so some aspects of the game take a little more effort than they would on PC. For instance, you might have to manually bring up a keyboard to enter text or might have to tap on the touchscreen rather than just rely on controls.
Does Fallout 4 play well on ROG Ally and Legion Go?
Yes, Fallout 4 easily runs on ROG Ally and Legion Go. Of course, optimizing your graphics settings for the game will allow it to run even more smoothly. Just note that there might be times where you’ll have to interact with the touchscreen or manually bring up the on-screen keyboard in order to enter text while playing on a gaming handheld.
Play one of the best Bethesda games on handheld
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With the Fallout TV series fresh in my mind, I’ve found myself drawn once more to Fallout 4. Of course, some of you might not have played it yet and so now is the perfect time to jump into this classic for the first time. If you haven’t bought the game yet, then you should take advantage of theFallout 4 sale at CDKeysand get the game at an extremely low cost.
Now that I’ve spent time playing the game on Steam Deck as well as ROG Ally and Legion Go, I can say that even though Fallout 4 is a few years old now, it runs really well on Steam Deck, Legion Go, and ROG Ally. Plus, the core gameplay really holds up, especially since it’s bolstered by a compelling plot, fun combat, and plenty of dark humor.
Fallout 4 (PC)
Try to survive this post-apocalyptic open-world adventure where you emerge from a fallout vault and discover the world has changed to a darker place while you’ve been cryogenically frozen. You’ll have to grow stronger, join factions, and get better gear to survive.
Buy at:CDKeys (Steam)|Humble Bundle (Steam)
Fallout 4 GOTY Edition (PC)
This version of the game gives you all of the extra add-on DLC that was officially released for Fallout 4. You’ll gain new experiences with this purchase.
Buy at:GMG (Steam)|CDKeys (Steam)|Humble Bundle (Steam)
Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
