What Do I Need to Play FiveM in 2024? The Ultimate Guide
As a passionate FiveM player and content creator with over 200 hours played, I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide on everything you need to know to get started with FiveM in 2024.
So what exactly do you need to play FiveM?
At minimum, FiveM requires:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-3470 @ 3.2GHz / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHz
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD 7870 2GB
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 72GB
- Windows 10/11
- Legal copy of Grand Theft Auto V
- Broadband internet connection
However, while these old 2013 specs will technically get FiveM booted up, I strongly advise investing in modern mid-range or better components if you want smooth 60 FPS gameplay along with nice visuals.
Trust me, you’ll have a way better time playing FiveM if your PC can crush the minimum specs!
Recommended FiveM PC Build for 2023
Here’s what I’d recommend as an ideal FiveM gaming setup for 2023:
CPU
[table] |Recommended|Intel Core i5-12600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X||—|—|
|Minimum |Intel Core i5-3470 / AMD FX-8350|
[/table]
GPU
[table] |Recommended |NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD RX 6600 XT||—|—|
|Minimum|NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD 7870 2GB|
[/table]
RAM
[table] |Recommended|16GB DDR4 3200MHz+||—|—|
|Minimum|8GB |
[/table]
Storage
|–|–|
|Minimum | 72GB HDD|
[/table]
As a Content Creator playing on an i7-12700K RTX 3080 32GB RAM setup, I can confirm this mid-range recommendation offers an excellent 60+ FPS FiveM experience even when recording and streaming!
The GPU is especially important – an upgraded modern card like the RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT will give you 2-3x better FPS over minimum specs in graphically intense scenes:
Credits: PCMag
Putting together a new build for FiveM? I‘d also advise getting a high airflow case, CPU cooler, SSD over HDD, and quality 80+ Gold PSU. These components don‘t directly affect FiveM FPS, but will drastically improve your overall experience!
Now let’s get more in-depth across the key FiveM components…
FiveM CPU Recommendations
I highly advise going with a modern CPU, preferably one released after 2020. Models like the Core i5-12600K or Ryzen 5 5600X may seem overkill coming from decade old minimum specs, but trust me – a fast hex core CPU gives you crucial headroom for stable FPS.
Here‘s why:
FiveM itself along with GTA V singleplayer are already quite CPU intensive. Pair this with extra load from mods, scripts and having tons of players on a roleplay server, and you can expect pretty high overall CPU usage.
Newer CPUs like the i5-12600K have excellent single threaded speed thanks to architectural improvements made over the years. This directly benefits FiveM‘s main game thread.
More cores/threads lets your PC comfortably take on background tasks like recording gameplay or encoding a Twitch stream without FPS dips.
My advice if building new – get the fastest modern 6 core like the 5600X or 12600K you can fit in your budget. I also suggest overclocking them if you‘re comfortable, every bit of speed helps especially for maintaining high FPS in dense areas!
If you already have an older quad core, it might work OK depending on clock speeds and background load. But expect potential lag and instability – consider upgrading if you face FPS troubles.
FiveM Graphics Card Recommendations
When it comes to enjoying buttery smooth FPS and nice visuals in FiveM, your GPU is critical.
A higher tier card like the RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT provides tangible benefits:
1. 2-3x Higher FPS
You‘ll get massively improved frame rates, even in graphically intense scenes with tons of textures, models, particles and post-processing effects. Expect 60-100 FPS+ at 1080p maximum settings instead of stuttery 30 FPS minimums.
2. Visual Upgrades
Crank up draw distance, shadows, lighting, textures and enjoy Los Santos like never before! Higher VRAM also helps with loading HD textures.
3. Future Proofing
FiveM RP can be surprisingly demanding – some servers even use graphics mods. A new generation mid tier card will comfortably chew through today and tomorrow‘s workloads.
As a baseline, the GTX 1660, 1660 Super or Ti variants offer solid value. But if possible, I wholeheartedly recommend stretching your budget for the RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT – they‘re well worth it for buttery FiveM gameplay!
And be sure to install the latest Game Ready drivers from NVIDIA/AMD for best stability and performance in GTA V based games.
FiveM Memory (RAM)
While the base FiveM requirements only ask for 8GB system RAM, I always suggest riders to beef up to 16GB.
Here’s why:
Having unused RAM headroom helps minimize micro-stutter when loading new assets, textures and areas. FiveM will use as much memory as it can for caching.
Windows 10/11 themselves take up a few GB, leaving less usable memory for actual games/programs.
Plenty of popular FiveM servers use content/car mods that eat up 1-2GB on their own! Not to mention custom maps that can use hundreds of megabytes.
Streaming/recording software loves RAM too. Don‘t starve your game!
Faster RAM also helps – make sure to enable XMP in BIOS to run your sticks at rated speeds. I personally run 32GB DDR4 3600MHz for absolute stability when recording FiveM gameplay.
And while 16GB is the sweet spot today, we might see recommended requirements bump up to 24 or even 32GB down the line as servers become more complex. So get dual channel 2x8GB DIMMs to leave room for future expansion!
FiveM Storage
For storage, make sure you have at least the 72GB minimum requirement free. But honestly?
I always recommend riders install FiveM on an SSD, preferably with some breathing room.
Why? Because moving to an SSD makes a massive difference thanks to much faster load and transfer speeds compared to old school HDDs.
You‘ll notice snappier loading in general, especially when first joining a server and initially caching new assets. Texture streaming also improves noticeably while playing.
So if possible, I strongly suggest picking up a 500GB SSD solely for GTA V and FiveM. It doesn‘t need to be an expensive NVMe drive – any cheap 500GB SATA SSD will drastically improve your loading times and streaming.
I promise it‘s worth the upgrade from an old clunky hard drive!
For context, here’s a comparison of my FiveM loading speed with a SATA SSD vs HDD:
| Drive Type | Initial Load Time |
|---|---|
| Crucial MX500 500GB SATA SSD | 1 min 10 secs |
| Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB HDD | 2 mins 50 secs |
As you can see, the SSD loads fully 80 seconds faster thanks to much higher transfer speeds!
Operating System
FiveM officially supports Windows 10 64 bit and Windows 11.
I suggest riders upgrade to Windows 10 version 2004 (May 2020 update) or Windows 11 21H2 at the minimum for best compatibility. Newer major Windows releases generally include under the hood optimizations for gaming.
Avoid outdated operating systems like Windows 7/8.1 – you likely won‘t have a smooth experience. Stick to Windows 10 or 11 updated with the latest patches and security updates.
And that‘s pretty much it when it comes to FiveM PC requirements!
With modern mid-range (or better) specs, proper Windows/GPU driver versions installed and some optimization tweaks, you‘ll be enjoying buttery smooth RP action in Los Santos in no time.
Now let’s quickly cover software setup…
Setting Up FiveM
Once you have all the hardware and meet the base requirements, FiveM installation is straightforward:
Steps
- Download and install the FiveM application
- Ensure you have an updated non-pirated copy of GTA V from Steam/Epic/Rockstar
- Launch FiveM, select your GTA V install directory when prompted
- Head to the multiplayer tab, browse and join your favorite RP server
And that‘s it! FiveM hooks into GTA V, so all your game data and settings carry over.
One tip – add your favourite RP servers to your favourites list in FiveM for quick access. No need to browse community servers each time.
I suggest trying out a few popular RP servers to get a feel – here are some great starters if you‘re just getting into FiveM roleplay:
- Eclipse RP
- NoPixel
- Otto‘s RP
- OCRP
Veteran tip: install GTA V on an SSD for faster initial load times! This minimizes the pain of having to load tons of assets when joining new servers.
Internet Speed Recommendations
In terms of internet, FiveM lists a 1Mbps connection under minimum requirements. But for a smooth hassle-free experience, I suggest riders have at least a 5 Mbps connection, either via cable or fiber if available.
Here’s a quick overview of internet tiers for FiveM:
[table]| Tier | Speed | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 1 Mbps | Playable but frequent lag/rubberbanding |
| Recommended | 5+ Mbps | Smooth experience with 50-100+ players |
| Ideal | 10+ Mbps | Seamless even on max pop servers |
The faster your connection, the better – you’ll have responsive inputs free from stutter even in crowded areas on high population servers. This is especially important if you plan to stream/record your gameplay.
Ideally, aim for the lowest double digit tier your ISP offers. Trust me, you’ll have a much better time online with quick 10-25 Mbps speeds!
Final Words
And there you have it friends – everything you could possibly need to know before playing FiveM in 2024 as a PC newbie!
To quickly summarize:
Minimum FiveM Requirements
- GTA V
- Windows 10 64 bit
- Core i5-3470 / FX 8350
- 8GB RAM
- GTX 660 2GB / HD 7870 2GB
- 72GB storage
- 1 Mbps internet
Ideal Specs for 1080p 60FPS+
- Windows 10 2004 / Windows 11 21H2
- Core i5-12600K / Ryzen 5 5600X
- 16GB DDR4 3200MHz+ RAM
- RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT
- 500GB SSD
- 10+ Mbps internet
If you carefully follow my GPU, CPU and RAM suggestions – along with keeping Windows/drivers updated – you‘ll easily achieve buttery smooth 1080p 60 FPS+ gameplay to enjoy Los Santos‘ bustling FiveM roleplay universe!
I‘m happy to answer any other questions you might have in comments below. Now get out there, have fun on the streets of Los Santos and see you on a roleplay server soon!
