GTA V: will it run, fix lag, what to buy
A 2015 game that still scales from old laptops to 4K. Needs 8GB of RAM at minimum. Checked 20 Oct 2026.
Check your PC for GTA V
Pick your parts and see the FPS our model expects. This is the same engine as the main Can I Run It? checker.
What each kind of PC manages
Model estimates at 1080p with 16GB of RAM. Laptop and integrated chips use Notebookcheck-derived data and are the roughest figures.
| Hardware | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Old school laptop Intel UHD 620 graphics, Core i5-8250U | 8 | 8 |
| Recent thin laptop Intel Iris Xe (80EU), Core i5-1235U | 20 | 13 |
| Handheld / modern APU Radeon 780M, Ryzen 7 7840HS | 47 | 31 |
| Old family PC GTX 1060 6GB, Core i5-8400 | 69 | 44 |
| Budget gaming PC GTX 1650, Ryzen 5 5600 | 58 | 37 |
| Solid 1080p PC RX 6600, Ryzen 5 5600 | 130 | 84 |
| Current mid-range PC RTX 4060, Ryzen 5 7600 | 141 | 91 |
| High-end PC RTX 4070, Ryzen 7 7800X3D | 217 | 140 |
FPS at 1080p, 16GB RAM. Green is 60 or more, amber 30 to 59. Open World · Also on PlayStation and Xbox.
Fix GTA V lag in five lines
- Find out which kind of lag you have first. Low FPS, stutter and ping each have a different fix. Run the Lag Doctor →
- GTA V is mostly limited by the graphics card, so lowering shadows, effects and resolution is the biggest lever.
- Check your memory: GTA V needs 8GB of RAM at minimum and recommends 16GB. Below the minimum you get long freezes whatever the graphics card.
- Drop the preset one step. In our model Low settings give about 55% more FPS than High.
- On a laptop, plug in and set the power mode to Best performance. If your screen is smooth but other players rubber-band, the problem is ping, not FPS.
We never recommend FPS or ping booster apps.
GTA V settings that move FPS
| Setting | Effect | Looks | Confidence |
|---|
Gains are from lowering a setting; costs are from raising one, and the two are never interchangeable. Open the full Settings Lab for GTA V →
How much RAM does GTA V need?
| Resolution | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak VRAM, top preset | 5.5 | 5.8 | 7.1 |
Legacy version at Max: 5.5/5.8/7.1GB. GTA V Enhanced (2025 upgrade, adds ray tracing): 1080p 6GB raster / 7.2GB with RT; 1440p 6.5 / 7.7GB; 4K <8 / 9GB. rt_extra is the Enhanced 1440p delta (7.7-6.5). 8GB is fine except Enhanced 4K RT. Sources: GTA 5 Optimized Settings for PC; GTA 5 Enhanced PC Optimized Settings.
RAM figures are the publisher's published requirements as recorded in our engine. Check your card in the VRAM Checker →
The cheapest PC that runs GTA V
Graphics card plus the cheapest processor that does not hold it back, for 60 FPS at 1080p. Parts only: you also need a motherboard, RAM, drive, power supply and case.
| Target | Used | New |
|---|---|---|
| 60 FPS at 1080p, Low settings | £160 RX 580 8GB £50 + Ryzen 5 5600 £110 · 72 FPS | £435 RTX 3050 8GB £325 + Ryzen 5 5600 £110 · 98 FPS |
| 60 FPS at 1080p, High settings | £225 RTX 2060 6GB £115 + Ryzen 5 5600 £110 · 77 FPS | £435 RTX 3050 8GB £325 + Ryzen 5 5600 £110 · 63 FPS |
Approximate UK prices checked 18 Oct 2026; they move weekly. Used cards are eBay UK asking prices. Looking for a card? Search Amazon UK (affiliate link).
Best plan at £300, £500 and £800
| Budget | Keep your PC: add a card | Buy a new PC |
|---|---|---|
| £300 | RTX 3070 8GB (used, £220) 131 FPS | outside this budget |
| £500 | RTX 3070 8GB (used, £220) 131 FPS | Budget 1080p tier 84 FPS · parts about £290 |
| £800 | RTX 3070 8GB (used, £220) 131 FPS | Sweet Spot tier 103 FPS · parts about £470 |
- GamerKit FPS model (labelled estimates; calibration notes in the Can I Run It? tool)
- Notebookcheck laptop and desktop game results, joined by GamerKit (collected 18 Oct 2026)
- GPU PRIX and GPU Price History (new UK prices), eBay UK asking prices (used), checked 18 Oct 2026
- NVIDIA GeForce: Grand Theft Auto V PC Graphics & Performance Guide
- GamersNexus: GTA V texture quality comparison and FPS
- GTA 5 Optimized Settings for PC (PC Optimized Settings) (2024-04-10)
- GTA 5 Enhanced PC Optimized Settings (PC Optimized Settings) (2025-03-08)
Everything on this page is either a labelled model estimate or a figure with its source named. Blocks without sourced data are left out rather than filled in.