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For Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC, start by using the in-game quality slider or benchmark to establish a baseline, then adjust graphics settings in small steps. Treat ordinary low frame rates, stalls lasting several seconds, and launch errors as different problems: Rockstar’s recommended fixes depend on which one you see, and no single setting or graphics API is guaranteed to improve performance on every PC.
Start with a repeatable graphics baseline
Use the quality slider for a quick starting point. For more control, open Settings > Graphics > Run Benchmark Test to compare the balance between image quality and frame rate on your own system. Change one setting—or a small group—between runs so you can tell which adjustment matters.
Rockstar cautions that “Depending on system configuration, different settings will have different impacts on game performance.” The built-in benchmark is useful for comparing your own configurations; Rockstar does not publish setting-by-setting FPS gains or a universal target frame rate. Rockstar’s graphics performance tuning guidance was last updated April 30, 2024.
Which graphics settings should you test first?
For detailed customization, Rockstar recommends experimenting first with these options:
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- Multisampling Anti-Aliasing (MSAA)
- Reflection Quality
- Water Quality
- Volumetric Quality
- Near Volumetric Resolution
These are starting points for testing, not a ranked list of guaranteed FPS improvements. If you still want to tune further, Rockstar also identifies TAA, texture, lighting, shadow, screen-space ambient occlusion, anisotropic filtering, far shadow, tessellation, FXAA, volumetric lighting, triple buffering, global illumination, particle, mirror, and far volumetric resolution as settings to try. Change them gradually and use the benchmark to assess the result.
If the game stalls for several seconds
Multi-second stalls are a distinct symptom from a consistently low frame rate. Rockstar says certain NVIDIA graphics drivers can cause stalls of several seconds on systems with 4-core or 6-core CPUs. Its recommended steps are to keep video drivers current and remove any custom launch arguments set in Rockstar Games Launcher or Epic Games Launcher. This guidance applies to the cited driver-and-CPU context; it does not establish that all stuttering has the same cause. Rockstar’s stuttering and stalling support article was last updated May 2, 2024.
Rank #2
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Fix ERR_GFX_INIT at launch
If the game will not launch and displays ERR_GFX_INIT, use Rockstar’s error-specific steps rather than changing graphics options at random:
- Update your graphics drivers.
- In the game’s Settings folder, delete the files other than
system.xml. - If the error persists, use
system.xmlto switch the graphics API between Vulkan and DirectX 12. After changing the API, remove any files with thesga_prefix if present, as Rockstar instructs.
These file operations are for the named launch error. Do not delete system.xml when following the folder-cleanup step. See Rockstar’s ERR_GFX_INIT instructions, last updated June 12, 2024, for its full procedure.
Rank #3
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Fix ERR_GFX_STATE at launch
For the separate ERR_GFX_STATE launch error, Rockstar recommends updating graphics drivers and switching the graphics API from Vulkan to DirectX 12. If that does not resolve the error, disable fullscreen optimization through the game executable’s Compatibility tab. Rockstar’s support page provides navigation for Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam, and Epic Games Launcher users. Read the ERR_GFX_STATE support steps (last updated May 2, 2024).
Switching APIs here is a troubleshooting step for a specific launch error, not evidence that DirectX 12 is faster than Vulkan—or vice versa—on every PC.
Rank #4
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Check your PC against Rockstar’s requirements
Rockstar’s PC store listing gives the following minimum and recommended specifications. They describe hardware requirements, not guaranteed frame rates, resolution, or quality settings; Rockstar notes that requirements may change over time.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-6300 | Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 12 GB RAM |
| Graphics card | Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2 GB or AMD Radeon R9 280 3 GB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB or AMD Radeon RX 480 4 GB |
| Storage | 150 GB | 150 GB |
These are the publisher-listed specifications on the official Rockstar Store listing, accessed October 7, 2026. A PC that meets the minimum requirements may still need lower graphics settings, and the listed specifications do not promise a particular performance level.
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