The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (laptop) is a entry-level card with 2GB of VRAM, and Returnal is a demanding, graphically heavy game. Paired with a balanced Intel Core i5-8600K-class CPU it averages about 12 FPS at 1080p with FrameCoach's tuned settings — up from roughly 5 FPS with everything on High.
| Resolution | All-High FPS | Optimized FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 5 | 12 |
| 1440p | 3 | 7 |
| 4K | 2 | 4 |
At 1080p expect around 12 FPS, at 1440p about 7 FPS, and at 4K roughly 4 FPS with optimized settings. With only 2GB of VRAM, keep textures a notch below max at higher resolutions to avoid stutter. The single biggest improvement is FSR upscaling — set it to Quality.
🎛 See the full best-settings guide for Returnal on the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (laptop) →
⚡ Check your exact CPU & target FPS in the optimizer →
Not really. With FrameCoach's optimized balanced settings, the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (laptop) averages about 12 FPS at 1080p in Returnal.
Around 12 FPS at 1080p with optimized settings (up from about 5 FPS on all-High).
Turn on FSR (Balanced) for the biggest free boost, keep ray tracing off, and lower the heaviest settings a notch. FrameCoach's full per-setting guide for this exact combo shows what each option costs.
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.