Best Returnal settings for the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) (2026)
On a NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) (paired with a balanced AMD Ryzen 3 3300X-class CPU), Returnal runs at roughly 61 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 27FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.
Resolution
All-High FPS
Optimized FPS
1080p
27
61
1440p
16
37
4K
9
21
🚀 Biggest free win: enable DLSS (Balanced) — about +55% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — DLSSBalanced+55% FPS
Returnal (Unreal Engine 4) supports DLSS, FSR and Nvidia frame generation - a big help with its heavy effects.
Ray Tracing (Reflections / Shadows)Offsaves FPS
Ray-traced reflections and shadows. Heavy in a fast bullet-hell shooter - keep Off for high FPS.
Effects QualityLow+11% FPS
Bullet-hell particles and explosions - the heaviest setting given how much fills the screen. High smooths intense fights.
Shadow QualityLow+9% FPS
Shadow resolution and range. High is the value pick.
Post ProcessingLow+6% FPS
Bloom, motion blur and depth of field. Cheap; set to taste.
Foliage QualityLow+5% FPS
Alien plant density on Atropos. A small, safe gain when lowered.
View DistanceLow+5% FPS
How far detail renders before fading. Mild pop-in when lowered.
Anti-AliasingOff+4% FPS
Edge smoothing. Medium/High keeps the image clean cheaply.
What FPS does the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) get in Returnal?
With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) averages around 61 FPS at 1080p in Returnal — up from about 27 FPS with everything on High.
Can the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) run Returnal at 1440p?
At 1440p with optimized settings, the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop) averages roughly 37 FPS in Returnal; turn on upscaling or aim for a locked 60 for the best feel.
What are the best Returnal settings for the NVIDIA RTX 2050 (laptop)?
Turn on DLSS (Balanced), keep ray tracing off for maximum FPS, and ease the heaviest options like Effects 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.