God of War Best Settings for GTX 1660 Super at 1080p
God of War came to PC as a port that respects older hardware. The camera sits close to Kratos, so detail density on screen stays modest even in big fights — a GTX 1660 Super at 1080p can run the game beautifully, provided you know which of the port's quirks actually matter. This guide is a preference guide: what to keep high because it carries the cinematic look, and what to trim because nobody notices it mid-axe-swing.
Who This Preset Is For
- GTX 1660 Super (6 GB) or a similar card, on a 1080p display.
- Players who want the game's filmic look intact at a steady 60.
- Anyone unsure what the Original Resolution slider really does.
- People who saw the frame rate dip once in a draugr ambush and panicked.
What Actually Limits This Card
Combat, not exploration. When several enemies, particle effects and camera shake arrive at once, the port's reflections and shadows spike in cost. Between fights, the close camera means the world renders beautifully cheap — you can walk Midgard for ten minutes without a single dip and then lose a quarter of your frame rate the moment a revenant spawns.
The card has no DLSS-class hardware upscaler, so the Original Resolution slider is your only scaling lever. It works, but unlike modern AI upscaling it softens the image as it goes — treat it as a fine trim, not a free lunch. The 6 GB of VRAM, meanwhile, are enough for High textures at 1080p with careful headroom.
Recommended Settings (GTX 1660 Super, 1080p)
| Setting | Recommended | Why (subjective) |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics Preset | Medium base, hand-tuned | The port's presets are sensible; the rows below beat any single preset for this card. |
| Original Resolution | 100 (or 95 minimum) | The strongest lever; below ~90 the image visibly softens. Use small steps. |
| Texture Detail | High | 6 GB handles it at 1080p; the axe and armor detail is the game's craft. |
| Shadow Quality | Medium | Cinematic in cutscenes, invisible mid-fight; the first thing combat costs you. |
| Ambient Occlusion | Medium–High | Grounds Kratos in the world; keep it above Low or scenes look floated. |
| Reflections | Low–Medium | Water and polished floors; beautiful, but the costliest line nobody watches. |
| Level of Detail | Medium–High | Affects background clutter; Medium stays clean at this camera distance. |
| Bloom | On (taste) | Part of the game's filmic grade; costs little, sets mood a lot. |
| Frame Rate Limit | 60 | A cap you hold feels better than peaks-and-valleys; the game is paced for it. |
| VSync | Off (taste) | Combat feel first; see our VSync guide. |
Judging the Result Properly
Calibrate in combat, not on a lake. Find a draugr ambush or a realm with multiple elemental enemies and watch the frame rate there — that is your worst case. Quiet exploration will always look better than your benchmark, so never tune for it.
- Test with Atreus active. His arrows add particles on top of enemy effects, which is exactly the load you must survive.
- Reflections and shadows are the give-back pair. They define the gap between a preset that holds 60 and one that sags to 50 in fights.
- Original Resolution is a trim, not a tool. If you need more than a small step below 100, something else in the table deserves lowering first.
Quick Tips (In-Game Options Only)
- Lock the frame rate to 60 and tune to hold it — God of War's animation pacing feels designed around it.
- Ambient Occlusion above Low is the single best "keep the look" spend on this card.
- Change one option per fight: the port's options interact less than they appear to.
- If the image feels soft, check Original Resolution before blaming textures — the slider defaults sensibly but is easy to nudge.
Disclaimer: All settings recommendations are subjective preference guides only. Results may vary based on individual hardware, game patch version, driver releases and personal visual taste. This is not a guaranteed universal fix. We do not provide any system modification instructions and take no responsibility for any changes you make inside your game. Always adjust game settings gradually to suit your own preference.
FAQ
Can a GTX 1660 Super run God of War at 1080p 60 fps?
Yes, comfortably, with a Medium-based preset and High textures. Exploration runs easy; only heavy multi-enemy fights test the card.
What does Original Resolution actually do?
It is a render scale. Below 100 the game renders smaller and stretches to fit — a real frame-rate lever, but the image softens quickly below the low nineties on a non-upscaling card.
Which settings should I drop first?
Reflections, then shadows. Both cost visible frames and produce little you watch during combat, while ambient occlusion and textures carry the cinematic look.