Best PC Settings for GTA 6 in 2025: Complete Optimization Guide
GTA 6 is finally here on PC, and it's the most visually stunning and demanding open-world game ever created. From the sun-drenched streets of Vice City to the sprawling Everglades, Rockstar's latest masterpiece pushes hardware to its limits with advanced ray tracing, massive draw distances, and unprecedented NPC density.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to optimize GTA 6 for your specific hardware: from budget builds running at 1080p to 4K enthusiast rigs. We break down every graphics setting, analyze DLSS 4 vs FSR 3performance, and provide GPU-specific presets that balance stunning visuals with smooth framerates.
Want to check expected FPS for your specific hardware? Use our FPS Calculator for GTA 6 estimates, or compare GPUs with our GPU Compare tool.
🎮 Quick GTA 6 Settings Recommendations
By GPU Tier
- 💰 RTX 4060 / RX 7600: 1080p High, 60-80 FPS
- 🎮 RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT: 1440p High, 60-80 FPS
- ⚡ RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT: 1440p Ultra, 80-100 FPS
- 👑 RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT: 4K Ultra, 60-80 FPS
Universal Tips
- ✅ Enable DLSS/FSR Balanced first
- ✅ Frame Generation = +40-80% FPS
- ⚠️ Ray Tracing = -30-50% FPS
- 📊 32GB RAM recommended
📑 Table of Contents
- 1. System Requirements
- 2. GPU Requirements by Resolution
- 3. Settings Impact Analysis
- 4. RTX 4060 / RX 7600 Settings
- 5. RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT Settings
- 6. RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT Settings
- 7. RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT Settings
- 8. Ray Tracing Guide
- 9. DLSS 4 vs FSR 3 Analysis
- 10. CPU Optimization
- 11. RAM & Storage Requirements
- 12. Troubleshooting & FPS Fixes
- 13. GPU Benchmarks
- 14. FAQ
GTA 6 PC System Requirements
GTA 6 is one of the most demanding games ever released. Here are the official system requirements and our real-world recommendations:
| Spec | Minimum | Recommended | Our Pick (1440p) | Enthusiast (4K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | RTX 3070 / RX 6800 XT | RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT | RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT | RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 3600 / i5-10400 | Ryzen 5 5600X / i7-12700 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D | Ryzen 9 9800X3D |
| RAM | 16GB | 32GB | 32GB DDR5 | 64GB DDR5 |
| VRAM | 8GB | 12GB | 12-16GB | 16GB+ |
| Storage | 150GB SSD | 150GB NVMe | 150GB NVMe Gen4 | 150GB NVMe Gen4 |
| Target | 1080p Med 30fps | 1080p High 60fps | 1440p Ultra 60fps+ | 4K Ultra 60fps+ |
⚠️ Important: SSD Required
GTA 6 requires an SSD—the game won't even launch from an HDD. The massive open world constantly streams assets, and NVMe Gen4 SSDs provide noticeably smoother gameplay with less texture pop-in during high-speed driving.
GPU Requirements by Resolution
| Resolution | Quality | Recommended GPU | Expected FPS | Ray Tracing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | High | RTX 4060 / RX 7600 | 60-80 FPS | Off or Low |
| 1080p | Ultra | RTX 4060 Ti / RX 7700 XT | 70-90 FPS | Low |
| 1440p | High | RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT | 60-80 FPS | Low-Medium |
| 1440p | Ultra | RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT | 80-100 FPS | Medium-High |
| 4K | High | RTX 4080 / RX 7900 XTX | 50-70 FPS | Low |
| 4K | Ultra | RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT | 60-80 FPS | High |
Use our FPS Calculator to get personalized estimates for your specific GPU and settings combination.
Graphics Settings Impact Analysis
Understanding which settings impact FPS the most helps you make smart tradeoffs. Here's our analysis of GTA 6's major graphics options:
| Setting | FPS Impact | Visual Impact | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Tracing Quality | 30-50% | Very High | Low/Medium + DLSS |
| Resolution Scale | 30-50% | Very High | 100% (use upscaling) |
| Shadows Quality | 15-25% | Medium | High |
| Draw Distance | 10-20% | High | High (not Ultra) |
| Reflection Quality | 10-15% | Medium | Medium-High |
| Crowd/Traffic Density | 10-15% | Medium | High |
| Texture Quality | 2-5% | High | Ultra (if VRAM allows) |
| Anisotropic Filtering | 1-2% | Medium | 16x |
| DLSS/FSR (Upscaling) | +30-50% | Low (Balanced) | Balanced (Always Enable) |
| Frame Generation | +40-80% | Minimal | Enable (if available) |
💡 Pro Tip: Optimization Priority
If you need more FPS, adjust settings in this order: 1) Enable DLSS/FSR,2) Lower Ray Tracing, 3) Reduce Shadows to High,4) Lower Draw Distance. Keep Textures on Ultra—they're essentially free if you have enough VRAM.
RTX 4060 / RX 7600 Settings (Budget 1080p)
🎯 Target: 1080p High, 60-80 FPS
These settings deliver a great GTA 6 experience on entry-level hardware. DLSS/FSR is essential at this tier. Ray tracing is not recommended.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p (1920x1080) |
| Graphics Preset | High |
| Ray Tracing | Off |
| Upscaling | DLSS Quality / FSR Quality |
| Frame Generation | On (if RTX 40 series) |
| Texture Quality | High |
| Shadows | Medium-High |
| Draw Distance | Medium |
| Reflections | Medium |
| Crowd Density | Medium |
Expected Performance
- City Areas: 55-70 FPS
- Rural/Beach: 70-85 FPS
- Heavy Action: 50-65 FPS
- With Frame Gen: 80-120 FPS (RTX only)
RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT Settings (1440p)
🎮 Target: 1440p High, 60-80 FPS
The sweet spot for most players. These GPUs handle 1440p beautifully with optional light ray tracing. DLSS/FSR Balanced recommended.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1440p (2560x1440) |
| Graphics Preset | High |
| Ray Tracing | Low (Optional) |
| Upscaling | DLSS Balanced / FSR Balanced |
| Frame Generation | On (Recommended) |
| Texture Quality | Ultra |
| Shadows | High |
| Draw Distance | High |
| Reflections | High |
| Crowd Density | High |
Expected Performance
- Without RT: 70-90 FPS
- With RT Low: 55-70 FPS
- With Frame Gen: 100-140 FPS
RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT Settings (1440p Ultra)
⚡ Target: 1440p Ultra, 80-100 FPS
The ideal GPU tier for GTA 6. Max out most settings, enable medium-high ray tracing, and enjoy smooth 100+ FPS gameplay with Frame Generation.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1440p (2560x1440) |
| Graphics Preset | Ultra |
| Ray Tracing | Medium-High |
| Upscaling | DLSS Quality / FSR Quality |
| Frame Generation | On |
| Texture Quality | Ultra |
| Shadows | Ultra |
| Draw Distance | Ultra |
| Reflections | Ultra |
| Crowd Density | High-Ultra |
Expected Performance
- Without RT: 90-120 FPS
- With RT Medium: 70-90 FPS
- With Frame Gen: 130-180 FPS
RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT Settings (4K)
👑 Target: 4K Ultra, 60-80 FPS
No-compromise 4K gaming. Max everything, enable high ray tracing, and experience Vice City in all its glory. Frame Generation pushes to 100+ FPS.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 4K (3840x2160) |
| Graphics Preset | Ultra |
| Ray Tracing | High-Ultra |
| Upscaling | DLSS Balanced |
| Frame Generation | On |
| All Other Settings | Ultra |
Expected Performance
- Without RT: 70-90 FPS
- With RT High: 55-75 FPS
- With Frame Gen: 100-140 FPS
GTA 6 Ray Tracing Guide
GTA 6's ray tracing transforms Vice City with realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows. Here's how each RT setting affects visuals and performance:
| RT Preset | Features | FPS Impact | Minimum GPU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off | Traditional rendering | Baseline | Any |
| Low | RT Shadows only | -15-25% | RTX 4060 Ti |
| Medium | Shadows + Reflections | -25-35% | RTX 4070 |
| High | Shadows + Reflections + GI | -35-45% | RTX 4080/5070 |
| Ultra | Full RT implementation | -45-55% | RTX 5080/4090 |
💡 Ray Tracing Recommendation
For most players, RT Low or Medium + DLSS/FSR Balanced is the sweet spot. You get noticeably improved shadows and reflections without crippling performance. Only enable RT High/Ultra on RTX 4080+ class GPUs.
DLSS 4 vs FSR 3 in GTA 6
Upscaling technology is essential for good GTA 6 performance. Here's how the latest DLSS and FSR versions compare:
| Feature | DLSS 4 | FSR 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Image Quality | Excellent (AI-based) | Very Good (Spatial) |
| Performance Boost | +40-60% | +35-55% |
| Frame Generation | Multi-Frame (up to 3x) | Standard (up to 2x) |
| Latency | Low (Reflex) | Higher with FG |
| Hardware Required | RTX 20/30/40/50 | Any GPU |
| Best Mode | Quality or Balanced | Balanced |
✅ Use DLSS If:
- • You have an NVIDIA RTX GPU
- • Image quality is top priority
- • You want Frame Generation
- • Playing at 1440p or higher
✅ Use FSR If:
- • You have an AMD GPU
- • You have older NVIDIA hardware
- • Want universal compatibility
- • Playing at 1080p
CPU Requirements & Optimization
GTA 6 is primarily GPU-limited, but CPU matters for minimum framerates and world simulation. Here's what you need:
| CPU Tier | Examples | Max GPU Pairing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best | R9 9800X3D, i9-14900K | RTX 5090 | No bottleneck |
| Great | R7 7800X3D, i7-14700K | RTX 5080 | Minimal bottleneck |
| Good | R5 7600, i5-13400F | RTX 4080 | Slight bottleneck at high FPS |
| Adequate | R5 5600X, i5-12400F | RTX 4070 | Some CPU limiting |
💡 CPU Optimization Tips
- • Close background applications (Chrome, Discord streams)
- • Enable XMP/EXPO for RAM
- • Set Windows power plan to "High Performance"
- • GTA 6 benefits from fast RAM (DDR5-6000 ideal)
- • Ryzen X3D CPUs provide 10-15% better minimums
RAM & Storage Requirements
RAM Requirements
- 16GB: Minimum. May experience stuttering in dense areas
- 32GB: Recommended. Smooth gameplay, room for background apps
- 64GB: Overkill for gaming, but useful for streaming/multitasking
- Speed: DDR5-6000+ or DDR4-3600 recommended
Storage Requirements
- Size: ~150GB (will grow with updates/DLC)
- Type: NVMe SSD required (won't launch from HDD)
- Speed: Gen4 NVMe recommended for best streaming
- Impact: Faster SSD = less texture pop-in during driving
⚠️ SSD Requirement
GTA 6 requires an SSD—it's not optional. The game constantly streams assets from storage, and HDDs cannot keep up. A quality NVMe SSD significantly improves the driving experience with less pop-in.
Troubleshooting & FPS Fixes
🔧 Stuttering / Hitching
- • Upgrade to 32GB RAM
- • Enable Frame Generation
- • Move game to faster NVMe SSD
- • Lower Crowd Density setting
- • Disable shader compilation (if option exists)
🔧 Low FPS
- • Enable DLSS/FSR (biggest impact)
- • Lower Ray Tracing or disable
- • Update GPU drivers
- • Check GPU thermals (throttling?)
- • Close background applications
🔧 Crashes
- • Update GPU drivers to latest
- • Verify game files (Rockstar Launcher)
- • Lower graphics settings
- • Check RAM for errors (MemTest86)
- • Ensure adequate PSU wattage
🔧 GPU Running Hot
- • GTA 6 is demanding—80°C+ is normal under load
- • Improve case airflow
- • Set custom fan curve (MSI Afterburner)
- • Lower settings if consistently above 85°C
- • Consider repasting old GPUs
GPU Benchmarks: GTA 6 Performance
1440p High Settings (DLSS/FSR Balanced)
| GPU | Avg FPS | 1% Low | With Frame Gen |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5080 | 110 FPS | 85 FPS | 165 FPS |
| RTX 5070 | 90 FPS | 70 FPS | 135 FPS |
| RTX 4080 Super | 85 FPS | 65 FPS | 128 FPS |
| RTX 4070 Ti Super | 72 FPS | 55 FPS | 108 FPS |
| RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT | 62 FPS | 48 FPS | 93 FPS |
| RX 9070 XT | 85 FPS | 65 FPS | 125 FPS |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 48 FPS | 38 FPS | 72 FPS |
Get personalized FPS estimates with our FPS Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best settings for GTA 6?
For most players: High preset at 1440p with DLSS/FSR Balanced,Ray Tracing Low or Medium, and Frame Generation enabled. This delivers 70-100 FPS on RTX 4070/5070 class GPUs with excellent visuals.
What GPU do I need for GTA 6 at 60 FPS?
1080p 60 FPS: RTX 4060 or RX 7600. 1440p 60 FPS: RTX 4070 or RX 7800 XT. 4K 60 FPS: RTX 4080/5070 or RX 9070 XT. DLSS/FSR upscaling helps achieve targets on slightly lower hardware.
Should I enable ray tracing in GTA 6?
Ray tracing looks stunning but costs 30-50% FPS. Enable RT Low/Medium if you have RTX 4070+ and can maintain 60+ FPS with DLSS. Skip RT on mid-range hardware for smoother gameplay.
Is DLSS or FSR better for GTA 6?
DLSS 4 produces better image quality, especially with Frame Generation.FSR 3 is excellent on AMD GPUs and works universally. Use DLSS on NVIDIA, FSR on AMD. Both at Balanced mode offer the best quality/performance ratio.
How much RAM does GTA 6 need?
16GB minimum, 32GB recommended. The open-world streaming benefits from extra memory. 32GB DDR5 provides stutter-free gameplay at high settings.
Can I run GTA 6 on RTX 4060?
Yes! RTX 4060 handles 1080p High at 60-80 FPS with DLSS. For 1440p, use Medium settings with DLSS Balanced for 50-65 FPS. Ray tracing not recommended at this tier.
How do I fix GTA 6 stuttering?
Common fixes: Enable Frame Generation, increase RAM to 32GB, install on NVMe SSD, update GPU drivers, lower Crowd Density and Traffic settings, close background apps.
Which settings impact FPS most?
Biggest impact: Ray Tracing (30-50%), Resolution/Upscaling (30-50%),Shadows (15-25%), Draw Distance (10-20%). Enable upscaling first for biggest FPS gain with minimal visual loss.
Do I need an SSD for GTA 6?
Yes, SSD is required—GTA 6 won't launch from HDD. NVMe Gen4 recommended for best asset streaming during high-speed driving with minimal texture pop-in.
What CPU is best for GTA 6?
GTA 6 benefits from strong single-thread performance. Best: Ryzen 9 9800X3D or i9-14900K. Great: Ryzen 7 7800X3D or i7-14700K. Good: Ryzen 5 7600 or i5-13400F. The game is more GPU-limited than CPU-limited.
Conclusion: Optimizing Your GTA 6 Experience
GTA 6 is a technical masterpiece that rewards good hardware, but smart optimization lets you enjoy Vice City on a wide range of systems. The key is enabling upscaling technology and finding the right balance between ray tracing and frame rate.
🎮 Quick Settings Summary
- 💰 RTX 4060 / RX 7600: 1080p High, DLSS Quality, RT Off → 60-80 FPS
- 🎮 RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT: 1440p High, DLSS Balanced, RT Low → 60-80 FPS
- ⚡ RTX 5070 / RX 9070 XT: 1440p Ultra, DLSS Quality, RT Medium → 80-100 FPS
- 👑 RTX 5080 / RX 9080 XT: 4K Ultra, DLSS Balanced, RT High → 60-80 FPS
Questions about optimizing GTA 6? Contact us—we're here to help you get the best experience in Vice City!
See you in Vice City! 🌴
About TechBenchPro
We're PC gaming enthusiasts dedicated to helping people build their perfect gaming setup at any budget. Our guides are regularly updated with current pricing and component availability.