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Short answer: GTA V Enhanced does not officially advertise a full path-tracing mode. Rockstar documents separate ray-traced effects—ambient occlusion, global illumination, shadows and reflections—so “path tracing” usually means running the game’s maximum ray-tracing settings, or using a third-party mod. For that workload, a GeForce RTX 4070 is a useful measured reference: PCGamesN recorded 119 frames per second (fps) average and 109 fps at the 1% low in its Maximum RT profile on March 4, 2025. That result is not a universal requirement; resolution, CPU, scene, driver and upscaling change the outcome.
Rockstar’s official minimum GPU for Enhanced is a 4GB GeForce GTX 1630 or 4GB Radeon RX 6400. Those cards are a launch floor, not a recommendation for maximum ray tracing. At 4K, plan on DLSS or FSR upscaling and, where supported, frame generation rather than expecting the same performance as native rendering.
Is GTA V Enhanced actually path traced?
Officially, no named full path-tracing mode is documented. Rockstar’s 2025 PC requirements and feature description identify four ray-traced effects:
- Ray-traced ambient occlusion
- Ray-traced global illumination
- Ray-traced shadows
- Ray-traced reflections
A full path tracer normally evaluates many lighting paths through a scene with one unified rendering approach. GTA V Enhanced instead exposes individual ray-traced effects and presets. Therefore, “GTA V path tracing” is best understood as maximum ray tracing in the official game. A third-party modification could add a more complete path-traced look, but its performance cannot be inferred from Rockstar’s settings or the benchmark figures below.
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- AMD RDNA 3 Architecture with AI & Ray Tracing Acceleration: Powered by 32 RDNA 3 Compute Units featuring 3rd Gen Ray Tracing Accelerators and 2nd Gen AI Accelerators, delivering lifelike lighting, shadows, and superior machine learning performance for enhanced gaming and content creation.
- Powerful 1080p & 1440p Gaming Engine: Features a max boost clock of up to 2695 MHz, a game clock of 2280 MHz, and 2048 stream processors, ensuring outstanding frame rates in the latest titles.
- 8GB High‑Speed GDDR6 Memory: Equipped with 8GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128‑bit interface running at 18 Gbps, delivering up to 288 GB/s bandwidth for high‑resolution textures and demanding game workloads.
What the official minimum GPU does—and does not—mean
Rockstar lists a 4GB GeForce GTX 1630 or 4GB Radeon RX 6400 as the minimum GPU for launching GTA V Enhanced. The requirement establishes compatibility with the Enhanced edition; it does not promise a particular frame rate, ray-tracing preset, resolution or image-quality target. Neither card should be treated as a maximum-RT recommendation simply because it can start the game.
| GPU information | What is established | What is not established |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1630 4GB | Rockstar’s stated minimum GPU for Enhanced (2025) | Maximum-RT frame rate, resolution target or 1% lows |
| Radeon RX 6400 4GB | Rockstar’s stated minimum GPU for Enhanced (2025) | Maximum-RT frame rate, resolution target or 1% lows |
| GeForce RTX 4070 | Measured at 119 fps average and 109 fps 1% low in PCGamesN’s Maximum RT test (March 4, 2025) | A universal requirement for every resolution, CPU or driver |
The gap between “minimum to run” and “fast enough for maximum ray tracing” is substantial in any ray-traced game. The minimum specification is useful when checking whether a machine can launch the title; it is not a performance tier.
The practical RTX 4070 reference point
PCGamesN measured a GeForce RTX 4070 at 119 fps average and 109 fps 1% low using its Maximum RT profile on March 4, 2025. The 1% low is important: it describes the slower portion of the run and gives a better indication of how smooth camera movement and heavy scenes feel than the average alone.
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- Enhanced Performance: The RTX 2060 Super delivers exceptional gaming performance with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and a boost clock speed of up to 1650 MHz. It efficiently handles modern gaming titles at high settings, making it ideal for gamers seeking an immersive experience.
- Real-Time Ray Tracing: Equipped with Turing architecture, the RTX 2060 Super supports real-time ray tracing technology. This feature allows for realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections, enhancing visual fidelity in supported games and applications.
- VR Ready: The RTX 2060 Super is optimized for virtual reality (VR) experiences, providing low-latency and high-performance rendering. Gamers can enjoy an immersive VR environment with smooth graphics and responsive gameplay.
- DLSS Support: The graphics card supports Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), which utilizes AI rendering to produce sharp images and increase frame rates without compromising quality. This technology ensures smoother gameplay, particularly at higher resolutions.
- Multiple Display Outputs**: With support for up to three displays, the RTX 2060 Super offers versatile connectivity options. It includes DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0b outputs, enabling multi-monitor setups for enhanced productivity or gaming immersion.
This is a single test configuration, not a promise that every RTX 4070 system will produce those numbers. The result depends on the output resolution, CPU, game build, graphics driver, scene, background activity and whether the test used native rendering or an upscaler. Treat the RTX 4070 as a strong practical reference for conventional-resolution maximum ray tracing, not as an official path-tracing requirement.
PC Gamer’s comparison of an RTX 4070 and Radeon RX 7800 XT found the RTX 4070 stayed above 60 fps in Maximum RT, while the RX 7800 XT could dip into the mid-50s in some native-resolution scenes. That difference illustrates why two GPUs with similar conventional raster performance can separate in ray-traced workloads. It also shows why a single average number should not be used as a guarantee for every graphics card.
What to expect at 1080p, 1440p and 4K
Resolution changes the number of pixels the GPU must shade, while the RT preset changes how many rays and effects are evaluated. Use the following as a planning framework rather than as fixed benchmark promises.
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| Target | Ray-tracing approach | Rendering choice | Planning guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | High or Very High RT is a sensible starting point; Maximum RT is the heaviest option | Native rendering is most feasible at this resolution | An RTX 4070-class card has substantial headroom according to the 119-fps Maximum RT reference, but CPU limits can become visible at high frame rates |
| 1440p | High, Very High or Maximum RT depending on the GPU and desired frame time | Native can work on stronger cards; DLSS or FSR can recover headroom | Use 1% lows, not only averages, to judge smoothness. The RTX 4070 reference is a useful upper-midrange target, not a guarantee for weaker cards |
| 4K | Maximum RT is a very demanding combination | Upscaling is normally part of the plan; frame generation may raise displayed fps | Do not compare generated-frame counts directly with native-rendered fps or latency |
At 4K with ray tracing and every setting maximized, NVIDIA reported an average 3.9x performance increase from DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation on RTX 50-series hardware in 2025. That figure includes generated frames. Generated images do not represent the same amount of new game simulation and rendering work as native frames, so the number should not be interpreted as a 3.9x reduction in input latency or as equivalent native image quality.
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PC Gamer’s 2026 4K High RT FSR testing recorded approximately a 30-fps average drop and a 25-fps 1% low drop when changing frame-generation technology. The result demonstrates how sensitive this workload is to the complete rendering pipeline, not just to the GPU model. Different upscalers, presets and frame-generation modes can materially change both average fps and frame-time consistency.
Can an RTX 4060 run GTA V Enhanced with maximum ray tracing?
The supplied measurements do not establish an RTX 4060-specific frame rate. It is therefore not possible to promise a particular average or 1% low for that card without a controlled test using a stated resolution, preset, driver and upscaling mode.
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An RTX 4060 is above Rockstar’s minimum compatibility tier and supports hardware ray tracing and DLSS, so the practical question is which compromise you accept: lower RT preset, lower output resolution, an upscaler, or a lower frame-rate target. Start with High RT at 1080p, measure a repeatable route through the game, then raise individual effects. If the 1% lows are unstable, reduce reflections and global illumination first or enable quality-mode upscaling. Do not use the RTX 4070’s 119-fps result as an expected RTX 4060 result; it is a different performance class and was measured under one test configuration.
Why NVIDIA and AMD results can diverge
Ray tracing stresses specialized parts of a GPU differently from traditional rasterization. Architecture, ray-tracing throughput, shader scheduling, cache behavior, driver maturity and upscaling support all affect the result. PC Gamer’s RTX 4070 versus RX 7800 XT comparison provides a concrete example: the RTX 4070 remained above 60 fps in Maximum RT in that test, while the RX 7800 XT dipped into the mid-50s in some native-resolution scenes.
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Native rendering, upscaling and frame generation are different measurements
Native resolution
Native 1440p or 4K renders the game at the output resolution before presentation. It gives the clearest baseline for image quality and input response, but it places the full pixel and ray workload on the GPU.
DLSS or FSR upscaling
An upscaler renders internally at a lower resolution and reconstructs the requested output. Quality, Balanced and Performance modes trade image detail for GPU headroom. When comparing benchmarks, record the exact mode; “4K with upscaling” is not the same workload as native 4K.
Frame generation
Frame generation inserts synthesized frames between conventionally rendered frames. It can raise the displayed frame rate, especially at 4K, but it does not make the underlying simulation run at that same rate. Check the rendered-frame rate and input latency separately from the headline generated-frame count.
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How to test your own GPU accurately
- Update the game and graphics driver, then reboot so background driver tasks do not affect the run.
- Choose one resolution, RT preset and upscaling mode. Record whether rendering is native, DLSS, FSR or another mode, and whether frame generation is enabled.
- Use the same in-game route each time: repeat a drive or walk through a busy, reflective area, then repeat it after loading the same save. Avoid comparing a quiet interior with a traffic-heavy exterior.
- Log average fps and 1% lows with the same overlay or benchmark utility. A high average paired with poor 1% lows can still feel uneven.
- Repeat the run after changing one setting. Changing resolution, RT effects and upscaling simultaneously prevents you from identifying the real bottleneck.
- Watch GPU utilization, VRAM allocation, system memory and CPU thread load. If the GPU is not busy while fps is low, the CPU, streaming or a frame cap may be limiting performance.
Settings that usually deliver the biggest gains
- Lower the RT preset before cutting output resolution. Moving from Maximum to Very High or High can remove the most expensive ray-traced work while preserving a sharper image.
- Reduce ray-traced reflections in scenes dominated by glass, water and wet roads. Reflections can create large scene-to-scene swings, so check 1% lows after changing them.
- Use a quality upscaling mode at 1440p or 4K. Quality modes generally preserve more detail than Balanced or Performance modes, but the correct choice depends on your target frame time.
- Enable frame generation only after the base frame rate is acceptable. Generated frames cannot correct severe underlying stutter, and their latency characteristics differ from native rendering.
- Keep textures within available VRAM. Rockstar’s 4GB minimum is a launch requirement, not a statement that maximum RT at high texture settings will fit comfortably in 4GB. Monitor allocation and reduce texture quality if streaming or hitching appears.
How to choose a GPU for this workload
Choose by the experience you want rather than by the words “supports ray tracing.” A 1080p player targeting a stable 60 fps can accept a different card and preset from a 4K player demanding Maximum RT. Put these requirements in writing before buying:
- Output resolution: 1080p, 1440p or 4K
- RT preset: High, Very High or Maximum
- Native rendering or a named DLSS/FSR mode
- Whether frame generation is acceptable
- Target average fps and minimum acceptable 1% low
- Available VRAM and the texture quality you plan to use
If your target is conventional-resolution Maximum RT, the RTX 4070’s 119-fps average and 109-fps 1% low provide a concrete reference. If your target is 4K Maximum RT, budget for upscaling and treat frame-generation figures as displayed-fps improvements rather than native-rendering equivalents. If you are considering a card near the official GTX 1630 or RX 6400 minimum, expect to compromise heavily on RT settings; the minimum specification alone supplies no evidence of a usable Maximum RT experience.
Bottom line
GTA V Enhanced is officially a ray-traced game with separate ambient-occlusion, global-illumination, shadow and reflection effects, not a documented full path-tracing title. For maximum ray tracing, an RTX 4070 is a credible measured reference, producing 119 fps average and 109 fps 1% low in one March 2025 Maximum RT test. Treat that as a benchmark point, not a universal requirement. At 4K, upscaling and frame generation become central to the performance plan, and every comparison must state resolution, RT preset, native versus upscaled rendering, generated versus rendered frames, VRAM and 1% lows.
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