Can I Run GTA 4 on an 8GB RAM i5-9500 9th Gen with an Intel UHD 630 Card?

The Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA 4) is a demanding game that requires a bit of hardware to run smoothly, especially with the requirements of the i5-9500 9th Gen processor and the Intel UHD 630 graphics card. Many players ask if this setup is suitable for running GTA IV without any lag or stuttering. Let's break down the specifics and see how well this configuration performs.

Overview of the System

The i5-9500 is a mid-range processor with 6 cores, making it powerful in its own right. However, many dedicated gamers prefer other processors for gaming due to their efficiency and support for higher thread counts. The Intel UHD 630 is a part of the 2018 integrated graphics lineup and is generally suitable for lower-resolution gaming. With 8GB of RAM, you have ample memory to handle multitasking, but let's see how it performs with GTA 4.

Performance with GTA V

Surprisingly, the Intel UHD 630 can pull off sustained 45 FPS in GTA V at a reasonable resolution. However, GTA V is much newer than GTA 4 and doesn't have the same coding inefficiencies. GTA V is also more efficient and optimized.

Running GTA 4 on the Given System

While the Intel UHD 630 can technically run GTA 4, the experience will likely be far from smooth. According to PCGamer, running GTA 4 on the i5-9500 and UHD 630 with 8GB RAM is feasible but with noticeable stuttering. A lot of this is due to the technical inefficiencies in GTA 4's older coding, which means the game hits a performance max and can't scale well with better hardware.

Optimization Tips

Here are some tips to help improve your experience with GTA 4:

Download Process Lasso - A powerful resource usage management tool that can help improve your system's performance. Install and use the Process Watchdog feature to optimize your system's performance. Set CPU priority depending on system load - "more than 62 percent of CPU, set IO priority to low, if memory usage by any metric is less than 3, set IO priority to high."

These settings help manage system resources and can slightly improve performance. However, these optimizations are secondary to the inherent performance limitations of the game. Playing GTA 4 at 1080p is possible, but you might experience stuttering and lag.

Conclusion

The i5-9500 9th Gen with the Intel UHD 630 and 8GB RAM can technically run GTA 4, but the performance is likely to be suboptimal with noticeable lag and stuttering. If you're dead-set on running GTA 4 without issues, upgrading your hardware might be necessary. However, for those looking for a nostalgic gaming experience, these configurations can provide a playable setup, albeit with some performance compromises.