GTX 970 FPS Calculator
GTX 970 is an entry-level card with 4 GB of VRAM. Across our 30 games it averages 14 FPS at 1080p High, 9 FPS at 1440p and 4 FPS at 4K, so 1080p is where it belongs. Below you will find the FPS for every game, what to pair it with, and where it runs out of memory.
GTX 970 FPS in 30 games
Average frame rate at the High preset, native resolution, no upscaling or frame generation.
| Game | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Wake 2 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Assassin's Creed Shadows | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 19 | 13 | 7 |
| Battlefield 6 | 11 | 7 | 3 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Borderlands 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | 19 | 12 | 6 |
| Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Counter-Strike 2 | 66 | 27 | 13 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 15 | 9 | 4 |
| Death Stranding 2: On the Beach | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| DOOM: The Dark Ages | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| Dragon Age: The Veilguard | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| Dying Light: The Beast | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| Final Fantasy XVI | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Ghost of Tsushima | 12 | 9 | 5 |
| God of War Ragnarök | 13 | 10 | 6 |
| Helldivers 2 | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| Horizon Forbidden West | 12 | 9 | 5 |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance II | 22 | 9 | 5 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
| Monster Hunter Wilds | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Silent Hill 2 Remake | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Star Wars Outlaws | 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Starfield | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| The First Descendant | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| The Last of Us Part II | 13 | 9 | 5 |
| Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
0 of 90 values come from real benchmarks; the rest are estimated from our performance model.
What CPU to pair with GTX 970
At 14 FPS on average, GTX 970 is the limit long before the processor is. A current 6-core CPU with decent single-core speed is enough, and spending more on the CPU will not raise your frame rate. Put the savings toward a better card or more RAM instead.
Check your own CPU with this card: Bottleneck calculator
What monitor suits GTX 970
1080p: A 1080p panel at 144 Hz with VRR fits well. GTX 970 lands around 14 FPS at High, so a 144 Hz panel with FreeSync or G-Sync keeps that range smooth without tearing.
1440p: 1440p is a stretch. At 9 FPS on average you will be dropping settings in the heavier games, so only pick a 1440p monitor if you plan to upgrade the card soon.
4K: 4K is out of reach for GTX 970. The 4 FPS average means most games need Low settings or upscaling, so a 4K monitor is not a sensible match.
VRAM and settings on GTX 970
With 4 GB of VRAM, GTX 970 runs short in Alan Wake 2 at 4K. When that happens you get texture pop-in and stutter that the average FPS does not show. Drop texture quality one step before you drop anything else.
GTX 970 FPS FAQ
How many FPS does the GTX 970 get in Counter-Strike 2 at 1440p?
Our estimate for GTX 970 in Counter-Strike 2 at 1440p High is 27 FPS. That is the highest of the 30 games in the table. Across all 30 games it averages 9 FPS at 1440p High.
Is the GTX 970 good for 1080p gaming?
GTX 970 averages 14 FPS at 1080p High across our 30 games. Check the table above for the games you play, since the average hides both the lightest and the heaviest titles.
Can the GTX 970 run games at 4K?
At 4K High the GTX 970 averages 4 FPS across our 30 games. The table shows each game, so you can see which ones clear 60 FPS and which need lower settings or upscaling.
Is 4 GB of VRAM enough on the GTX 970?
It depends on the game and resolution. Alan Wake 2 is the most memory-hungry game in our table, and it is where 4 GB is tested hardest, at 4K. Lower texture quality if you see stutter.