Can the Steam Deck play GTA 5?

With Valve’s Steam Deck gaining some traction in the handheld gaming world, the fine folks at Rockstar have the opportunity to bring GTA 5 to yet another gaming device.

Grand Theft Auto V has had quite the journey regarding releases.

It originally came out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2013. Later, an enhanced version of the game came out on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

And finally, the game has been released on the latest console generation, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

So what about the Steam Deck? GTA 5 is available on Steam, so it would make sense to have it available on Valve’s handheld gaming PC, right?

Is GTA V playable on Steam Deck?

Short answer: Yes, its is, though there might be some minor issues.

At the end of the day, GTA 5 is playable on the Steam Deck. And the word “playable” is key here.

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Valve has a system that verifies how well certain Steam games will work on the device. A Steam Deck Verified game will work perfectly, with no exceptions.

Steam Deck Playable means the game will work, but there could be minor issues. Steam Deck Unsupported games won’t work on the device at all.

GTA 5 falls into the Steam Deck Playable category. The game was tested by Valve back in March of 2022 and ran fine with a couple of minor issues.

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First, Valve warns that the game could have minor graphical issues.

The other potential issue is that the game’s launcher might require you to use the touchscreen of the Steam Deck to operate, and it may be difficult to navigate.

But beyond those minor issues, GTA 5 runs perfectly well on the Steam Deck.

And let’s be honest, some minor graphical issues are probably not too bad to deal with when you can play a game as good as GTA 5 on a handheld gaming computer.

Optimal Settings for GTA 5 on Steam Deck

Here’s a general overview of the recommended settings you should use when playing GTA 5 on the Steam Deck.

Setting Category	Recommended Value	Explanation
Basic Settings	Use Default Values	This includes DirectX Version, Screen Type, and Resolution/Aspect Ratio.
Anti-Aliasing	All Off	This includes FXAA, MSAA, and NVIDIA TXAA. Turning these off can improve performance.
Performance	VSync On, Population Density 50%, Population Variety 100%, Distance Scaling Maximum	These settings balance performance and game immersion.
Graphics Quality	Mostly Normal, Texture Quality High, PostFX High	These settings provide a balance between visual quality and performance.
Advanced Graphics	Mostly Off, Anisotropic Filtering X2	These settings can improve visual quality but may impact performance.

GTA 5 / Steam Deck Optimal Settings – Detailed Breakdown

Setting	Recommended Value
DirectX Version	DirectX11 (minimum)
Screen Type	Fullscreen (Windowed Borderless for maximum FPS)
Resolution/Aspect Ratio	Native resolution
FXAA	Off
MSAA	Off
NVIDIA TXAA	Off
VSync	On
Population Density	50%
Population Variety	100%
Distance Scaling	Maximum
Texture Quality	High
Shader Quality	Normal
Shadow Quality	Normal
Reflection Quality	Normal
Reflection MSAA	Off
Water Quality	Normal
Particles Quality	Normal
Grass Quality	Normal
Soft Shadows	Soft
PostFX	High
Motion Blur/Depth of Field	Off
Anisotropic Filtering	X2
Ambient Occlusion	Normal
Tessellation	Normal

READ MORE: What games can the Steam Deck not play?

GTA 5 is not just playable on the Steam Deck; it’s a veritable joyride

In wrapping up, the Steam Deck blasts open a new frontier for Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA 5) enthusiasts, packing the full-throttle experience of this iconic game into a handheld device.

But to truly harness the horsepower of the Steam Deck and keep your gameplay cruising at a silky smooth 60 frames per second, you’ll need to fine-tune some settings under the hood.

We’re talking about a careful calibration that strikes the perfect balance between performance and quality, tailored to the unique specs of the Steam Deck.

So, gear up. It’s time to take GTA 5 on the Steam Deck for a spin. Test drive these settings, feel the difference they make in your gameplay, and don’t forget to share your experiences.

After all, in the gaming community, we’re all in the driver’s seat together. Let’s hit this road and see where it takes us.

We encourage all Steam Deck owners to try out these settings when playing GTA 5 and see how they impact their gameplay experience. And, of course, we’d love to hear about your experiences.

Did these settings improve your gameplay? Do you have other tips or settings you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below. Your insights could help other gamers enjoy GTA 5 on their Steam Deck to the fullest.

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