All setups › RTX 3050 Laptop › Star Citizen

Best Star Citizen settings for the RTX 3050 Laptop (2026)

On a RTX 3050 Laptop (paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU), Star Citizen runs at roughly 61 FPS at 1080p with our optimized settings — up from about 28FPS with everything maxed. Here's the configuration and what each setting costs.

The RTX 3050 Laptop 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 runs well at 1080p — about 61 FPS with FrameCoach's optimized settings, a clear jump from roughly 28 FPS with everything on High.

Across resolutions you can expect around 61 FPS at 1080p and 38 FPS at 1440p, dropping to roughly 22 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 DLSS upscaling — set it to Quality for a large FPS boost at little visual cost.

ResolutionAll-High FPSOptimized FPS
1080p2861
1440p1738
4K1022
💡 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 DLSS (Balanced) — about +55% FPS for a small sharpness trade.
Recommended settings
Upscaling — DLSSBalanced+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.
Effects / ParticlesLow+7% FPS
Explosions and engine effects. High is plenty.
Object Container QualityMedium+4% FPS
How far detailed objects and ships render — partly a CPU cost in busy cities like Area18. High is fine; lower if cities chug.
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 RTX 3050 Laptop run Star Citizen? See the verdict →

Star Citizen on other GPUs
Other games on the RTX 3050 Laptop
Frequently asked

What FPS does the RTX 3050 Laptop get in Star Citizen?

With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the RTX 3050 Laptop averages around 61 FPS at 1080p in Star Citizen — up from about 28 FPS with everything on High.

Can the RTX 3050 Laptop run Star Citizen at 1440p?

At 1440p with optimized settings, the RTX 3050 Laptop averages roughly 38 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 RTX 3050 Laptop?

Turn on DLSS (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.