MacGameFPS

How many FPS does Total War: PHARAOH get on the iMac M3? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance

21FPS

1080p High

Estimate

13

1440p

7

4K

Struggles

About 21 FPS at 1080p on High: Total War: PHARAOH runs natively on the iMac 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

Total War: PHARAOH FPS on iMac M3 by resolution and quality

Estimate
ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p29FPS25FPS21FPS17FPS
1440p18FPS16FPS13FPS11FPS
4K9FPS8FPS7FPS6FPS

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 iMac M3 at about 13 FPS. This game has no MetalFX, so resolution is the setting that matters most.

The MacGameFPS verdict

Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets

Is the iMac M3 enough for Total War: PHARAOH?

It falls short: 21 FPS at 1080p High. Even Low does not hold 30 FPS.

Struggles · 1440p 13 FPS · 4K 7 FPS

iMac M3 or MacBook Air M4 for Total War: PHARAOH?

In Total War: PHARAOH at 1080p High, the iMac M3 gets 21 FPS and the MacBook Air M4 23 FPS: 10% more.

iMac M3 specs

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

See the iMac M3’s FPS in every game →

Other Macs with the M3 chip

The Apple M3 also powers the MacBook Air M3 and the MacBook Pro M3. In Total War: PHARAOH, the MacBook Pro M3 gets 25 FPS at 1080p High, 19% more than the iMac M3.

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. Total War: PHARAOH asks for 8 GB minimum.

Memory1080p High1440p High
8 GB21FPS13FPS
16 GB22FPS14FPS
24 GB22FPS14FPS

Other Macs for Total War: PHARAOH

1080p · High

Total War: PHARAOH on every Mac →

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

Other games on the iMac M3

Every game on the iMac M3 →

Official Mac requirements

Minimum
macOS 13.4 · Apple M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU) or better · 8 GB memory · 50 GB storage

Source: store.steampowered.com

FAQ

Can the 8 GB iMac M3 run Total War: PHARAOH?

Yes. With 8 GB we estimate 21 FPS at 1080p High.

Can Total War: PHARAOH hit 60 FPS on the iMac M3?

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

What about 1440p and 4K?

On High, the iMac M3 gets about 13 FPS at 1440p and about 7 FPS at 4K in Total War: PHARAOH. 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. Total War: PHARAOH has no MetalFX on Mac. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.

Is Total War: PHARAOH native on Apple Silicon?

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