On a NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 runs at roughly 13 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 4FPS 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 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a one of the most punishing games to run on PC. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it is a real challenge at 1080p — about 13 FPSwith FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 4 FPS with everything on High.
Across resolutions you can expect around 13 FPS at 1080p and 8 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 5 FPS at 4K. With only 1GB of VRAM, keep textures a notch below max in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 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.
| Resolution | All-High FPS | Optimized FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 4 | 13 |
| 1440p | 3 | 8 |
| 4K | 1 | 5 |
⚡ Fine-tune this for your exact CPU & target FPS →
With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) averages around 13 FPS at 1080p in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — up from about 4 FPS with everything on High.
At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 650 (1GB) averages roughly 8 FPS in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2; turn on upscaling or aim for a locked 60 for the best feel.
Turn on FSR (Balanced), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Overall Quality 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.