RPCS3 announces big performance gains in multiple PS3 games including Gran Turismo 5

The RPCS3 team recently announced on X that folks using Nvidia GPUs will see better performance in many PS3 games thanks to a driver bug fix. However, the performance gain will reportedly depend on the tested games and the hardware configuration. RPCS3 has now revealed more performance uplift figures.

Using a low-end gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, Saints Row IV reportedly sees a big 20% performance gain. The uplift in Saints Row: The Third is a modest 10%. These results are quite interesting, as they showcase the impact of the driver bug fix on older/entry-level GPUs. 

The latest Steam Hardware Survey reveals that many gamers still rely on older GPUs like the GTX 1650. So, RPCS3 running better on low-end Nvidia cards will directly enhance the experience of thousands of gamers.

Moving on, Gran Turismo 5 also seems to have seen massive performance gains. The game reportedly saw a 37% FPS increase, from 107 to 147 FPS, in the open-road test on a system with a Ryzen 7 9850X3D and an RTX 5070 (get one on Amazon). 

The Core i9-12900K and RTX 5070 configuration saw a 12% FPS gain, from 60 to 67 FPS, in the Special Stage Route 5 track. This also showcases the massive impact that CPU performance has on the overall performance. As mentioned in the official RPCS3 system requirements, get the latest Ryzen X3D CPU if you want maximum performance.

Finally, the Nvidia driver bug fix also seemingly reduces VRAM usage. The RPCS3 team’s testing found that VRAM usage dropped from 7.1 GB to just 4.8 GB in Gran Turismo 5, an enormous 32% drop. We’ll have to wait and see if the reduced VRAM usage is a general side effect of the driver bug fix or a nice bonus exclusive to Gran Turismo 5.