GTA 6 Ray Tracing Guide
How much FPS does ray tracing cost in GTA VI? RT reflections, shadows, and global illumination compared — is it worth enabling?
Quick Answer
Ray tracing in GTA 6 costs 30-50% FPS. Only enable it if you have an RTX 4070 or better. RT reflections look stunning on Vice City's wet streets but aren't worth it if it drops you below 60 FPS. On mid-range GPUs, disable RT entirely and use the saved performance for higher textures and shadows.
What Ray Tracing Does in GTA 6
RT Reflections
Reflects the world accurately in puddles, car paint, glass buildings, and water. Vice City's neon signs and wet streets look incredible with RT reflections.
FPS Cost: -20 to -30%
RT Shadows
Generates accurate soft shadows from any light source. Eliminates the blocky shadow artifacts common in rasterized shadows.
FPS Cost: -10 to -20%
RT Global Illumination
Simulates how light bounces between surfaces. Makes indoor scenes and sunset lighting look photorealistic. The most demanding RT feature.
FPS Cost: -25 to -40%
FPS Impact by GPU
| GPU | No RT (1080p) | RT Reflections | RT Shadows | Full RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 3060 | ~60 FPS | ~42 FPS | ~48 FPS | ~30 FPS |
| RTX 4060 | ~65 FPS | ~46 FPS | ~52 FPS | ~33 FPS |
| RTX 4070 | ~85 FPS | ~60 FPS | ~70 FPS | ~48 FPS |
| RTX 4070 Ti | ~100 FPS | ~72 FPS | ~82 FPS | ~55 FPS |
| RTX 4080 | ~120 FPS | ~85 FPS | ~98 FPS | ~65 FPS |
| RTX 4090 | ~150 FPS | ~105 FPS | ~120 FPS | ~80 FPS |
*Estimated based on scaling from comparable AAA open-world games with RT. Actual performance will vary.
Is Ray Tracing Worth It?
Enable RT If:
- You have an RTX 4070 or better
- Your base FPS (without RT) is 80+
- You're playing at 1080p or 1440p with DLSS
- You care about visual fidelity over competitive performance
- You use Frame Generation to maintain smooth FPS
Disable RT If:
- You have an RTX 3060 or lower
- Your base FPS is below 70
- You're playing at 1440p or 4K without DLSS
- You prefer competitive/online play (need high FPS)
- You have an AMD GPU (no hardware RT acceleration on RX 6000)
Recommended RT Settings by GPU Tier
| GPU Tier | RT Reflections | RT Shadows | RT GI | Upscaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-end (RTX 3060) | Off | Off | Off | DLSS Quality |
| Mid-range (RTX 4060) | Off | Off | Off | DLSS Quality + FG |
| Upper mid (RTX 4070) | Medium | On | Off | DLSS Quality |
| High-end (RTX 4070 Ti) | On | On | Medium | DLSS Balanced |
| Flagship (RTX 4080/4090) | Ultra | Ultra | On | DLSS Quality |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AMD GPUs run ray tracing in GTA 6?
Yes, but AMD's RT performance is weaker than NVIDIA's. RX 7000 series supports hardware RT but expect lower FPS than equivalent NVIDIA cards. RX 6000 series has basic RT support but it's not recommended for GTA 6.
Does DLSS Frame Generation help with RT?
Yes. Frame Generation creates extra frames to smooth out the FPS drop from ray tracing. If your base FPS is 50+, Frame Gen can make RT feel like 80+ FPS. Just be aware it adds slight input lag.
Which RT feature looks best in GTA 6?
RT Reflections have the biggest visual impact in Vice City. The neon-lit streets, wet pavement, and car reflections look dramatically better with RT. RT Shadows are second, and RT GI is the most demanding with the least noticeable improvement in open-world gameplay.
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