All setups › NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) › Grand Theft Auto V

Best Grand Theft Auto V settings for the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Grand Theft Auto V runs at roughly 32 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 9FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) is a entry-level graphics card with 1GB of VRAM, and Grand Theft Auto V is a moderately demanding game. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it is a real challenge at 1080p — about 32 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 9 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 32 FPS at 1080p and 19 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 11 FPS at 4K. Grand Theft Auto V offers ray tracing, but the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) isn't built for it, so we leave it off. The biggest free win is FSR upscaling — set it to Quality for a large FPS boost at little visual cost.

ResolutionAll-High FPSOptimized FPS
1080p932
1440p619
4K311
🚀 Biggest free win: enable FSR (Balanced) — about +55% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSRBalanced+55% FPS
The Enhanced edition adds DLSS and FSR. A free FPS boost — the original Legacy version has no upscaler.
Ray-Traced ShadowsOffsaves FPS
Enhanced-edition ray-traced shadows. A nice touch but a real cost — keep Off for high FPS.
Reflection QualityLow+14% FPS
One of GTA V’s heaviest settings — reflections on cars, water and windows. High over Ultra is a big saving.
Grass QualityNormal+10% FPS
Countryside grass density. "Very High" famously tanks FPS for a small visual gain — High is the sweet spot.
MSAAOff+10% FPS
Hardware edge smoothing — one of GTA V's heaviest options. 2x is plenty; 8x tanks FPS.
Shadow QualityNormal+8% FPS
Shadow resolution. High looks great and runs well.
Extended Distance ScalingOff+8% FPS
How much extra detail pops in at distance — partly CPU-bound. Lower it if you are CPU-limited.
Ambient OcclusionOff+5% FPS
Soft contact shadows. Normal is a cheap, good-looking choice.
Post FXNormal+5% FPS
Bloom, depth of field and light shafts. High is plenty.
TessellationOff+5% FPS
Adds rounded detail to surfaces. Normal is a low-impact saving.
Reflection MSAAOff+5% FPS
Smooths edges inside reflections. Off or 2x for a clean FPS saving.
Particles QualityNormal+4% FPS
Explosions, smoke and sparks. High is a cheap, good-looking choice.
Water QualityNormal+4% FPS
Ocean and pool detail. A small saving with little visible change inland.
Soft ShadowsSharp+4% FPS
How softly shadow edges blur. Soft is the natural-looking middle ground.
Extended Shadows DistanceOff+4% FPS
How far shadows render into the distance. Lower it for an easy gain.
Texture QualityVery High-1% FPS
Surface detail — cheap if it fits your VRAM. Very High is fine on modern cards.
Anisotropic Filtering16xbaseline
Keeps roads and pavement sharp into the distance — essentially free, use 16x.

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

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) run Grand Theft Auto V? See the verdict →

Grand Theft Auto V on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB)
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) get in Grand Theft Auto V?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) averages around 32 FPS at 1080p in Grand Theft Auto V — up from about 9 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) run Grand Theft Auto V at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) averages roughly 19 FPS in Grand Theft Auto V; turn on upscaling or aim for a locked 60 for the best feel.

What are the best Grand Theft Auto V settings for the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB)?

Turn on FSR (Balanced), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Reflection Quality and Grass 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.