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Best Star Citizen settings for the NVIDIA GTX 1080 (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 1080 (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Star Citizen runs at roughly 65 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 42FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 1080 is a entry-level graphics card with 8GB of VRAM, and Star Citizen is a one of the most punishing games to run on PC. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it runs well at 1080p — about 65 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 42 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 65 FPS at 1080p and 58 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 33 FPS at 4K. With only 8GB of VRAM, keep textures a notch below max in Star Citizen at higher resolutions to avoid stutter. The biggest free win is FSR upscaling — set it to Quality for a large FPS boost at little visual cost.

ResolutionAll-High FPSOptimized FPS
1080p4265
1440p2558
4K1433
💡 Star Citizen: Famously CPU- and server-bound - a fast CPU and 32GB RAM matter more than your GPU; Volumetric Clouds is the heaviest graphics setting.
🚀 Biggest free win: enable FSR (Balanced) — about +55% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSRBalanced+55% FPS
Star Citizen offers FSR upscaling. It helps the GPU side, but the game is famously CPU- and server-bound — a faster CPU and 32GB+ RAM matter most.
Texture QualityVery High-1% FPS
Surface sharpness — VRAM-hungry; on 8GB cards keep it at High and pair with 32GB system RAM.
Planet Volumetric CloudsHighbaseline
Volumetric clouds and gas clouds — one of the heaviest GPU settings. High is a strong step down from Very High.
Shadow QualityHighbaseline
Shadow resolution and range. High looks close to Very High while running faster.
Object Container QualityHighbaseline
How far detailed objects and ships render — partly a CPU cost in busy cities like Area18. High is fine; lower if cities chug.
Effects / ParticlesHighbaseline
Explosions and engine effects. High is plenty.

⚡ Fine-tune this for your exact CPU & target FPS →

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 1080 run Star Citizen? See the verdict →

Star Citizen on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 1080
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 1080 get in Star Citizen?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 1080 averages around 65 FPS at 1080p in Star Citizen — up from about 42 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 1080 run Star Citizen at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 1080 averages roughly 58 FPS in Star Citizen; turn on upscaling or aim for a locked 60 for the best feel.

What are the best Star Citizen settings for the NVIDIA GTX 1080?

Turn on FSR (Balanced), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Planet Volumetric Clouds and Shadow Quality down a notch. The full per-setting breakdown is above.

FPS figures are estimates from a generalized model (hardware tier × game load × per-setting weights), not live benchmarks — real performance varies by scene, drivers and game version.