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Best Star Citizen settings for the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Star Citizen runs at roughly 49 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 22FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) is a entry-level graphics card with 4GB 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 is playable at 1080p — about 49 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 22 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 49 FPS at 1080p and 30 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 17 FPS at 4K. With only 4GB 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.

Resolution	All-High FPS	Optimized FPS
1080p	22	49
1440p	13	30
4K	7	17

💡 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.

Planet Volumetric CloudsLow+14% FPS

Volumetric clouds and gas clouds — one of the heaviest GPU settings. High is a strong step down from Very High.

Shadow QualityLow+10% FPS

Shadow resolution and range. High looks close to Very High while running faster.

Object Container QualityLow+9% FPS

How far detailed objects and ships render — partly a CPU cost in busy cities like Area18. High is fine; lower if cities chug.

Effects / ParticlesLow+7% FPS

Explosions and engine effects. High is plenty.

Texture QualityVery High-1% FPS

Surface sharpness — VRAM-hungry; on 8GB cards keep it at High and pair with 32GB system RAM.

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

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) run Star Citizen? See the verdict →

Star Citizen on other GPUs

Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB)

Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) get in Star Citizen?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) averages around 49 FPS at 1080p in Star Citizen — up from about 22 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) run Star Citizen at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 960 (4GB) averages roughly 30 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 960 (4GB)?

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.