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Best Saros settings for the NVIDIA GTX 970 (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 970 (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Saros runs at roughly 66 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 49FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 970 is a entry-level graphics card with 4GB of VRAM, and Saros is a moderately demanding game. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it runs well at 1080p — about 66 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 49 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 66 FPS at 1080p and 62 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 38 FPS at 4K. Saros offers ray tracing, but the NVIDIA GTX 970 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
1080p4966
1440p3062
4K1738
💡 Saros: From the Returnal team - particle effects are the heaviest setting in busy bullet-hell fights.
🚀 Biggest free win: enable FSR (Quality) — about +35% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSRQuality+35% FPS
Saros (from the Returnal team, Housemarque) supports DLSS and FSR. A free FPS boost - and this fast roguelike wants high, steady frames.
Ray-Traced ReflectionsOffsaves FPS
Ray-traced reflections on the rain-slicked alien world. A real cost - keep Off for the high frame rates twitchy combat needs.
Texture QualityEpic-1% FPS
Surface sharpness, shown with a VRAM estimate. On 8GB cards keep textures at High, not Epic.
Particle QualityHighbaseline
Housemarque's signature bullet-hell particle storms - the heaviest setting in chaotic fights. High is the value pick over Epic.
Shadow QualityHighbaseline
Shadow resolution and range. High looks nearly identical to Epic while running faster.
Screen Space ReflectionsMediumbaseline
Reflections on wet ground when ray tracing is off. Medium is plenty.
Volumetric FogMediumbaseline
Atmospheric fog and god-rays. Medium is an easy, near-invisible win.
Ambient OcclusionSSAObaseline
Soft contact shadows for depth. SSAO is cheap and good-looking.
Anti-AliasingTAAbaseline
Edge smoothing. TAA is clean and cheap.

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

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 970 run Saros? See the verdict →

Saros on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 970
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 970 get in Saros?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 970 averages around 66 FPS at 1080p in Saros — up from about 49 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 970 run Saros at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 970 averages roughly 62 FPS in Saros — a smooth experience.

What are the best Saros settings for the NVIDIA GTX 970?

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