Does Returnal support ray tracing on PC?

Yes, the PC version of Returnal supports ray tracing on compatible Nvidia and AMD hardware, enabling more realistic reflections and lighting. Enabling ray tracing will noticeably impact performance and is best paired with a GPU at or above the RTX 2080 Ti / RX 6800 XT tier.

Why is an SSD required to play Returnal on PC?

Returnal's fast-paced roguelike design demands nearly instant respawns and rapid loading of complex environments. The game's asset streaming system relies on the high read speeds of an SSD; using a traditional hard drive is not supported and would cause stuttering, long load times, or crashes.

Can I Run Returnal on GTX 1660 Super?

Returnal FPS Benchmark and Performance Analysis

GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1660 SuperGame: ReturnalUpdated: Apr 26, 2026

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super handles Returnal without major issues. Expect roughly 44 FPS at 1080p high; settings tuning will be important. Returnal can behave very differently depending on settings and GPU headroom. This estimate shows where NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super lands and how to tune it for smoother gameplay.

Returnal FPS Benchmarks on GTX 1660 Super

Resolution	Settings Preset	Avg FPS	1% Low FPS	Verdict
1080p	Competitive (Low)	55 FPS	37 FPS	Playable
1080p	High	44 FPS	29 FPS	Low
1440p	High	27 FPS	17 FPS	Low
1440p	Ultra	20 FPS	15 FPS	Low
4K	High	15 FPS	15 FPS	Low

Benchmarks are estimated by our performance engine. Actual results may vary.

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Best Settings for Returnal on GTX 1660 Super

44+FPS1080p Competitive

Display Mode: Fullscreen
Resolution: 1920×1080
V-Sync: Disabled
Texture Quality: Medium
Shadow Quality: Low
Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
Effects Quality: Low
Post-Processing: Low
Ambient Occlusion: Disabled

Performance Analysis

At 1080p high, our model places NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super near 44 FPS in Returnal. At 1440p, that typically translates to around 27 FPS with similar quality targets. This places the card in the entry tier for this title, with a unplayable experience profile. NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super is below the ideal target for Returnal; lowering settings is recommended for a stable experience.

Returnal is a visually demanding roguelike third-person shooter built on Unreal Engine 4, featuring highly detailed environments, large particle effects from its bullet-hell combat, and rapid scene transitions that stress both CPU and GPU. The game requires an SSD due to its seamless, fast-paced gameplay loop and quick respawn cycles that rely on rapid asset streaming. Ray tracing support and high-fidelity lighting push the recommended GPU tier significantly higher than the minimum.

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super supports DLSS 3 Super Resolution. Enabling DLSS Quality mode in Returnal can recover 20–35% frame rate with minimal visual difference, which is especially useful if you're targeting 60+ FPS at 1440p.

Use low/competitive settings and performance upscaling to keep gameplay smooth.
VRAM headroom is tight (6GB); avoid ultra textures to prevent hitching.
Keep ray tracing disabled for stable FPS.
Disable ray tracing and lower effects density

NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super lands in a unplayable position for Returnal. Dialing in the right preset makes a noticeable difference at this performance level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Returnal support ray tracing on PC?: Yes, the PC version of Returnal supports ray tracing on compatible Nvidia and AMD hardware, enabling more realistic reflections and lighting. Enabling ray tracing will noticeably impact performance and is best paired with a GPU at or above the RTX 2080 Ti / RX 6800 XT tier.
Why is an SSD required to play Returnal on PC?: Returnal's fast-paced roguelike design demands nearly instant respawns and rapid loading of complex environments. The game's asset streaming system relies on the high read speeds of an SSD; using a traditional hard drive is not supported and would cause stuttering, long load times, or crashes.