MacGameFPS

How many FPS does Baldur's Gate 3 get on the MacBook Air M3? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance

20FPS

1080p High

Estimate

13

1440p

6

4K

Struggles

About 20 FPS at 1080p on High: Baldur's Gate 3 runs natively on the MacBook Air M3 (Apple M3, 8-core GPU, 8 GB). That is on the edge, but it is playable with lower settings.

Data reviewed October 1, 2026 · how we calculate it

Baldur's Gate 3 FPS on MacBook Air M3 by resolution and quality

Estimate
ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p28FPS24FPS20FPS17FPS
1440p18FPS15FPS13FPS10FPS
4K9FPS8FPS6FPS5FPS

Estimated average in normal gameplay with the game and macOS up to date. Green: 60+ · lime: 45+ · amber: 30+ · orange: 20+ · red: under 20.

Recommended settings

For 60 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

For 30 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

Moving to 1440p High puts the MacBook Air M3 at about 13 FPS. This game has no MetalFX, so resolution is the setting that matters most.

Full guide to boost Baldur's Gate 3 FPS on Mac →

The MacGameFPS verdict

Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets

Is the MacBook Air M3 enough for Baldur's Gate 3?

It falls short: 20 FPS at 1080p High. Even Low does not hold 30 FPS.

Struggles · 1440p 13 FPS · 4K 6 FPS

Guide to boost Baldur's Gate 3 FPS on Mac →

MacBook Air M3 or MacBook Air M4 for Baldur's Gate 3?

In Baldur's Gate 3 at 1080p High, the MacBook Air M3 gets 20 FPS and the MacBook Air M4 26 FPS: 30% more.

MacBook Air M3 specs

MacBook Air M3
Chip
Apple M3
GPU cores
8 / 10
Unified memory
8 / 16 / 24 GB
Cooling
Fanless
Geekbench Metal
41,753
Tier
Entry level · 11/100

See the MacBook Air M3’s FPS in every game →

Other Macs with the M3 chip

The Apple M3 also powers the MacBook Pro M3 and the iMac M3. In Baldur's Gate 3, the MacBook Pro M3 gets 28 FPS at 1080p High, 40% more than the MacBook Air M3, mainly because its fan keeps clocks up under load.

How much memory do you need?

On Apple Silicon the GPU shares memory with the system, so the RAM you picked when buying the Mac is also your video memory. Baldur's Gate 3 asks for 8 GB minimum.

Memory1080p High1440p High
8 GB20FPS13FPS
16 GB21FPS13FPS
24 GB21FPS13FPS

Other Macs for Baldur's Gate 3

1080p · High

Baldur's Gate 3 on every Mac →

Shopping for an all-round gaming Mac? Mac ranking by real FPS →

Other games on the MacBook Air M3

Every game on the MacBook Air M3 →

Official Mac requirements

Minimum
macOS 14.7.1 or later · Apple M1 · 8 GB memory · 150 GB SSD storage · Low to medium settings; split-screen not playable
Recommended
Latest macOS · Apple M1 Pro or better · 16 GB memory · 150 GB SSD storage · High or Ultra settings

Source: store.steampowered.com

FAQ

Can the 8 GB MacBook Air M3 run Baldur's Gate 3?

Yes. With 8 GB we estimate 20 FPS at 1080p High.

Can Baldur's Gate 3 hit 60 FPS on the MacBook Air M3?

Not consistently. It does not even reach 30 FPS on Low.

Does the MacBook Air M3 throttle in Baldur's Gate 3?

The MacBook Air M3 has no fan. In long sessions it lowers clocks to manage heat, and our figures already account for that sustained loss, around 15% in a game this demanding.

What about 1440p and 4K?

On High, the MacBook Air M3 gets about 13 FPS at 1440p and about 6 FPS at 4K in Baldur's Gate 3. These are native figures.

Do these figures include MetalFX or ray tracing?

No. The headline figure is native resolution, no MetalFX and no ray tracing. Baldur's Gate 3 has no MetalFX on Mac. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.

Is Baldur's Gate 3 native on Apple Silicon?

Yes, it has a native Apple Silicon version, available on Steam. No CrossOver, Parallels or Game Porting Toolkit needed.