
As anticipation builds for the release of GTA 6, fans of the franchise are revisiting its predecessor, GTA 5, which has recently received a fresh update on PC. This iteration introduces advanced ray tracing technology, previously available only on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, offering players a visually stunning experience.
However, these graphical advancements come with increased system demands. For gamers planning to dive back into Los Santos, it’s crucial to adjust your graphics settings to maintain a seamless performance while appreciating the enhanced visuals.
Optimal Video Settings for GTA 5

While adjusting settings will not drastically boost your framerate, selecting optimal configurations is still essential. An incorrect setting can lead to a pixelated image or significant lag.
Graphical Option | Description | Recommended Setting |
---|---|---|
Ignore Suggested Limits | This option decides if the game can exceed your GPU’s VRAM limits. Keeping this off helps prevent stability issues. | Off |
Screen Type | Controls the display mode. Choosing Borderless Fullscreen makes alt-tabbing more efficient. | Borderless Fullscreen |
Resolution | Determines the final game resolution. Avoid anything lower than Native to prevent blurriness. | Native |
Refresh Rate | Sets the monitor’s refresh rate; relevant only if Fullscreen is selected. | Native |
Frame Limit | Defines a custom framerate cap for smooth gameplay. Recommended if your FPS exceeds 60. | Personal Choice |
VSync | Synchronizes game framerate with monitor refresh rate to minimize screen tearing. Best enabled for high refresh rate monitors. | On |
NVIDIA Reflex | Used to reduce input lag, but may cause framerate spikes. It’s safer to keep this off. | Off |
Optimal Ray Tracing and Frame Scaling Settings

The newly enhanced version of GTA 5 incorporates various ray tracing features and upscaling technologies, both of which offer visually stunning results but can also significantly impact performance. Below are recommended settings to help you enjoy the game’s graphical fidelity without sacrificing framerate.
Graphical Option | Description | Recommended Setting |
---|---|---|
Enable Ray Tracing | Activates ray tracing features in the game. | On |
Ray Traced Shadows | Generates soft shadows and adjusts shadow quality based on the light source. | High |
Ray Traced Reflections | Regulates the quality and range of reflections in the game. | High |
Ray Traced Global Illumination | Incorporates global illumination effects with depth; lower settings reduce performance hit. | Off (High if performance allows) |
Ray Traced Ambient Occlusion | Adds depth to shadows; higher settings require more system resources. | Off |
Ray Traced Scene BVH Quality | Affects how objects interact with ray tracing; higher settings enhance visuals. | High |
Frame Scaling | Choice of upscaling technology based on your GPU. Recommended options include DLSS or FSR 3. | AMD FSR 3 (DLSS for RTX) |
AMD FSR 3 Quality | Affects scaling quality; for 1440p, don’t go below Balanced. | Native AA (Quality/Balanced for 1440p) |
Anti-Aliasing | Defines the anti-aliasing method; defaults to TAA when upscaling is off. | FSR 3 AA (DLSS for RTX) |
Sharpness | Control over the sharpness filter; typically, a strength of 3/4 is recommended. | 75% |
Optimal Graphics Settings for GTA 5

To achieve a stable frame rate above 60 FPS, it’s advisable to further tweak the following graphics settings. For those aiming for a remarkable increase to 120 FPS, these adjustments can be beneficial:
Graphical Option | Description | Recommended Setting |
---|---|---|
Shader Quality | Regulates rendering quality for various game elements such as lighting and shadows. | Very High |
Texture Quality | Determines detail levels for objects in the environment. | Very High |
Anisotropic Filtering | Enhances texture quality when viewed at angles. | X16 |
Particles Quality | Controls quantity and visibility of particle effects. | High |
Tessellation | Adjusts surface quality of 3D models, improving realism. | Very High |
Water Quality | Affects realism of water effects like reflections and physics. | Normal |
Grass Quality | Controls foliage density and visibility ranges; shadows enhance realism. | Very High |
Lighting Quality | Adjusts quality from various light sources impacting the game’s ambiance. | Ultra |
Reflection Quality | Determines the detail level of non-ray traced reflections. | Normal |
Shadow Quality | Manages detail and object shadow casting quality. | Very High |
Soft Shadows | Configures softness of shadows. Incompatible if RT Shadows are enabled. | Sharp |
Long Shadows | Enables shadows extending during dawn and dusk. | On |
High-Resolution Shadows | Increases shadow resolution beyond standard limits. | Off |
Extended Shadow Distance | Improves the draw distance for shadows, enhancing environmental depth. | 0 |
Post FX | Refines quality of post-processing effects, adding realism. | Normal |
In-Game Depth of Field Effects | Adjusts clarity for depth of field. | Personal Choice |
Motion Blur Strength | Determines strength of motion blur; useful if FPS is below 60. | 0 |
Ambient Occlusion | Sets the method for ambient occlusion; unavailable if RT AO is active. | HBAO |
Population Density | Regulates the number of NPCs and vehicles in the game environment. | 5 |
Population Variety | Adjusts diversity of NPCs and vehicles present in the game. | 5 |
Distance Scaling | Controls level of detail for distant objects. | 0 |
High Detail Streaming While Flying | Enhances detail for objects at high altitudes. | Off |
Extended Distance Scaling | Augments LOD for far-off objects beyond the standard settings. | 0 |
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