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Best Forza Horizon 5 settings for the NVIDIA GTX 980 (2026)

On a NVIDIA GTX 980 (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Forza Horizon 5 runs at roughly 69 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 69FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The NVIDIA GTX 980 is a entry-level graphics card with 4GB of VRAM, and Forza Horizon 5 is a moderately demanding game. Paired with the Intel Core i5-8600K, it runs well at 1080p — about 69 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings. That already clears a smooth frame rate on High, so our tuning keeps the visuals as high as possible instead of chasing extra frames.

Across resolutions you can expect around 69 FPS at 1080p and 64 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 60 FPS at 4K. Forza Horizon 5 offers ray tracing, but the NVIDIA GTX 980 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
1080p6969
1440p4264
4K2460
Recommended settings
Upscaling — FSROff
Forza Horizon 5 supports DLSS and XeSS. Exceptionally well-optimised - upscaling mainly helps at 4K or on weaker GPUs.
Ray Tracing (Reflections)Offsaves FPS
Ray-traced car reflections - makes paint and chrome look stunning but costs 15-20 percent FPS. Worth it only with headroom.
Environment TexturesUltra-1% FPS
Surface detail - cheap if it fits your VRAM.
Reflection QualityHighbaseline
Screen-space reflections on car bodies and wet roads. A big visual impact - High is the sweet spot.
Night ShadowsOnbaseline
Dynamic shadows from headlights at night races. A moderate cost; Off is a common competitive pick.
World Car Level of DetailHighbaseline
How detailed other cars look at distance. High is fine - barely noticeable at race speeds.
Ground CoverHighbaseline
Grass and foliage density along the road. Easy saving in lush environments.
Anisotropic Filtering16xbaseline
Keeps road markings and tarmac sharp into the distance - effectively free, use 16x.
Shadow QualityHighbaseline
Resolution of car and scenery shadows. High looks great and runs well.
Environment GeometryHighbaseline
Roadside detail and object density. High is plenty at race speeds.
Ambient Occlusion (SSAO)Highbaseline
Soft contact shadows. Low/High is a cheap, good-looking choice.
MSAA2xbaseline
Hardware edge smoothing - heavy at higher steps. 2x is plenty.
Particle EffectsHighbaseline
Dust, smoke and sparks. A small saving during crashes and drifts.

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

🎯 Can the NVIDIA GTX 980 run Forza Horizon 5? See the verdict →

Forza Horizon 5 on other GPUs
Other games on the NVIDIA GTX 980
Frequently asked

What FPS does the NVIDIA GTX 980 get in Forza Horizon 5?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GTX 980 averages around 69 FPS at 1080p in Forza Horizon 5 — up from about 69 FPS with everything on High.

Can the NVIDIA GTX 980 run Forza Horizon 5 at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA GTX 980 averages roughly 64 FPS in Forza Horizon 5 — a smooth experience.

What are the best Forza Horizon 5 settings for the NVIDIA GTX 980?

Use a balanced preset, keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Reflection Quality and Night Shadows 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.