How many frames a second does a golf simulator PC actually get in GSPro, E6 Apex, FSX Play, Uneekor GameDay and Trackman? SurfThing, which builds PCs for golf simulators, tested its four RTX 50 series desktops in all five programs, at 1080p and in 4K, published the results and shared the data with GSV. A few card and program combinations were not fully tested, and the notes say which. Here they are as charts, with what SurfThing found in each program and which graphics card holds 60 frames a second. Jay Lasco, host of Golf Simulator Videos, has also run SurfThing's RTX 5080 build in GSV's 4K studio, and that test is linked below. This page is updated as SurfThing shares new results.
- 5 programsGSPro, E6 Apex, FSX Play, GameDay and Trackman
- 4 graphics cardsRTX 5060, 5070, 5070 Ti and 5080
- 1080p and 4KEach program tested at both
- 60 fpsThe target SurfThing measures against
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Which graphics card holds 60 fps
The lowest card that averaged 60 frames a second or more in SurfThing's tests, at the preset named in each chart below. These are averages across several courses, and some courses run lower than others. Trackman is the exception: it caps itself at 60, so its row shows the lowest card that reached the cap; SurfThing's full-run averages there were about 52 to 55. The FSX Play 1080p cell is SurfThing's written finding rather than a figure.
| Software | 1080p | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| GSPro (Ultra) | RTX 5060 (105 fps) | RTX 5070 (85 fps) |
| E6 Apex (Medium) | RTX 5070 (82 fps) | None; the RTX 5080 came closest at 56 |
| FSX Play (Ultra, DLSS Ultra) | RTX 5060, usually | RTX 5070 Ti (64 fps) |
| Uneekor GameDay | RTX 5060 (184 fps) | RTX 5060 (72 fps) |
| Trackman (Max Quality) | RTX 5060, at the 60 cap | RTX 5070, at the 60 cap |
The short version: GameDay runs well on anything, GSPro wants an RTX 5070 for 4K, FSX Play wants an RTX 5070 Ti for 4K, and E6 Apex is the one where an RTX 5080 still sits just under 60 in 4K on Medium. For each program's own minimum and recommended specs, see the best computer for a golf simulator guide.
How SurfThing tested
- The PCs: SurfThing's four desktops at the time of the tests, one per graphics card. The specs are in the test PCs table below.
- The measure: average frames a second, recorded with Afterburner, at 1080p and in 4K.
- The rounds: a flyover of each hole and then a played hole, on three to five courses per program. Shots were simulated in the software (in Trackman, with a Trackman 4 connected), hit with a mouse and keyboard in GSPro, or played with a Uneekor EYE XO in GameDay.
- The target: by SurfThing, 30 frames a second or more avoids noticeable jitter, and 60 or more gives the best experience.
- When: SurfThing's write-ups are dated January 19, 2026, with the software versions shown on each chart. Updates to the software or the graphics drivers can change the results.
Each bar shows its average at the tip, and each chart has its numbers as a table under it.
GSPro frame rates
At 1080p the RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 ran into what SurfThing calls some kind of bind, topping out about where the 5070 did, so SurfThing stopped testing them there.
GSPro numbers as a table
| Graphics card (SurfThing PC) | 1080p | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 (SG3-5602) | 105 fps | 51 fps |
| RTX 5070 (SG3-5702) | 149 fps | 85 fps |
| RTX 5070 Ti (SG3-5702Ti) | Not fully tested | 105 fps |
| RTX 5080 (SG3-5802) | Not fully tested | 128 fps |
SurfThing calls GSPro very well optimized: it runs well on any of the four cards, and even the RTX 5060 came close to 60 in 4K at Ultra. In 4K most courses kept scaling with a faster card, all the way to the RTX 5080. What SurfThing found:
- Volumetric clouds and shadows cost the most frames; 3D grass costs little.
- Frame times were steady, so play looked smooth, and GSPro has a VSync setting that removes screen tearing.
- Courses differ a lot. Older courses look older and run smoother; newer ones look better and run heavier.
- Tested on Kapalua Plantation, Georgia Golf Club, Whispering Pines, DPC Sodgrass and Cabot Cliffs, at four presets from Medium up. SurfThing sees no reason to run GSPro on Low.
SurfThing's pick: at least an RTX 5070 for 60 frames a second, or an RTX 5080 for a display that shows 120. More on GSPro is on the GSPro compatible launch monitors page.
E6 Apex frame rates
The RTX 5060 could not hold 60 on Medium, so SurfThing tested it on Low and Epic. GSV is confirming those figures with SurfThing before adding them.
E6 Apex numbers as a table
| Graphics card (SurfThing PC) | 1080p | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 (SG3-5602) | Tested on Low and Epic | Tested on Low and Epic |
| RTX 5070 (SG3-5702) | 82 fps | 37 fps |
| RTX 5070 Ti (SG3-5702Ti) | 92 fps | 47 fps |
| RTX 5080 (SG3-5802) | 102 fps | 56 fps |
SurfThing says E6 Apex needs higher end hardware to run smoothly, and the chart shows it: at Medium in 4K, no card averaged 60. What SurfThing found:
- For 4K, the RTX 5080 gives the best experience. The Epic preset in 4K is not recommended, because of stuttering.
- E6 Apex has an option to cap the frame rate at 30. It plays well and avoids screen tearing, but if a PC only just makes 30, stuttering becomes quite noticeable.
- Premium courses looked and ran better than On-Demand courses.
- Tested on Teeth of the Dog, Pebble Beach, Cabot Links (Cliffs Course) and Teton Pines, at Medium and Epic.
FSX Play frame rates
SurfThing's write-up says even the RTX 5060 can usually run FSX Play at 60 at 1080p on Ultra. GSV is confirming the exact figure with SurfThing before adding it.
FSX Play numbers as a table
| Graphics card (SurfThing PC) | 1080p | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 (SG3-5602) | Usually 60 or more | 14 fps |
| RTX 5070 (SG3-5702) | 130 fps | 34 fps |
| RTX 5070 Ti (SG3-5702Ti) | 156 fps | 64 fps |
| RTX 5080 (SG3-5802) | 166 fps | 81 fps |
FSX Play is heavy software, by SurfThing, and it uses a lot of memory, both system and graphics. Graphics memory use sometimes climbed to 100% and the frame rate fell below 10, and in 4K the RTX 5060 and 5070 fell below 20 on some courses. The 16GB cards, the RTX 5070 Ti and 5080, had the memory and ran into a limit in the software instead. What else SurfThing found:
- Performance changes a lot from course to course.
- Shadows looked poor even on the highest settings, and there was some screen tearing.
- Tested on Teton Pines, Potters Park and Blue Bayou, at Low and Ultra, always with DLSS Ultra on.
SurfThing's pick: 4K at Ultra with DLSS Ultra, on at least an RTX 5070 Ti and preferably an RTX 5080. SurfThing also notes that FSX Play, as heavy software, works best at 1080p; on an RTX 5060 or 5070, that is the resolution to use.
Uneekor GameDay frame rates
GameDay numbers as a table
| Graphics card (SurfThing PC) | 1080p | 4K |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 (SG3-5602) | 184 fps | 72 fps |
| RTX 5070 (SG3-5702) | 286 fps | 127 fps |
| RTX 5070 Ti (SG3-5702Ti) | 311 fps | 158 fps |
| RTX 5080 (SG3-5802) | 322 fps | 183 fps |
GameDay is the easiest of the five to run. SurfThing found it well optimized for any hardware, with even the RTX 5060 above 60 in 4K. What SurfThing found:
- GameDay has no graphics presets and no settings at all, so there is no VSync. Some screen tearing cannot be avoided, but it was not usually noticeable on a projector.
- It plays at whatever resolution the display is set to.
- The RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 scored close together, and the 5070 was already not always at full load, so GameDay is near its own limit on the faster cards.
- Tested with a Uneekor EYE XO on three courses, including Pebble Beach.
SurfThing's pick: play GameDay in 4K when the display allows. The Uneekor golf simulator page covers the launch monitors and software.
Trackman Virtual Golf frame rates
Trackman needs a table rather than a chart. In the version SurfThing tested, Trackman Virtual Golf TPS 10.2.207 with a Trackman 4, the software caps the frame rate at 60 whatever the card, with VSync always on, and drops to 30 while the golfer stands on the tee. Over a full run that brought each average down to about 52 to 55. So the useful question is which cards reach the cap.
| Graphics card | 1080p, Max Quality | 4K, Max Quality |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 5060 (SG3-5602) | Reaches the 60 cap | About 45 to 50 fps |
| RTX 5070 (SG3-5702) | Not tested | Reaches the 60 cap |
| RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 | Not tested | Not tested |
- The RTX 5060 also reached the cap in 4K on Max Performance, the low preset, though SurfThing says that preset does not look great, shadows especially.
- With the RTX 5070 at the cap in 4K on Max Quality, SurfThing did not test further, and expects the RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 to reach it easily.
- Trackman sometimes hitched just after a shot, as the camera starts to follow the ball.
- Tested on Pebble Beach, Pinehurst 2.0 and the Old Course at St Andrews.
SurfThing's pick: on an RTX 5060, play at 1080p on Max Quality, or try the medium preset in 4K. In GSV's own test of the RTX 5080 build, Trackman Virtual Golf 3 ran its flyovers and previews at about 120 frames a second and dropped to 30 on the tee, so the 60 cap may depend on the Trackman version.
The test PCs
| SurfThing PC | Graphics card | Processor, memory, storage |
|---|---|---|
| SG3-5602 | RTX 5060 8GB | Core Ultra 5 225F, 16GB DDR5, 1TB |
| SG3-5702 | RTX 5070 12GB | Core Ultra 5 225F, 32GB DDR5, 2TB |
| SG3-5702Ti | RTX 5070 Ti 16GB | Core Ultra 5 225F, 32GB DDR5, 2TB |
| SG3-5802 | RTX 5080 16GB | Core Ultra 7 265F, 32GB DDR5, 2TB |
Specs as SurfThing's product pages list them, October 2026. SurfThing's write-ups name the graphics cards; they do not list the processor and memory of each test PC, so treat the processor column as the current build. In the current builds, the SG3-5702 and SG3-5702Ti share the same processor and memory, so the graphics card is the likely difference between those two.
What the numbers mean for a simulator
- Decide the resolution first. 1080p is easy for every card here in GSPro, GameDay and Trackman. 4K is where the card matters, and where E6 Apex and FSX Play need the faster cards.
- 60 is the target, not the ceiling. In GSV's view, frames above what the display shows add heat and power use rather than smoothness. A 4K display that shows 120 is where an RTX 5080 pays off in GSPro.
- Graphics memory matters. FSX Play can fill a card's memory, and SurfThing found the 16GB cards had enough.
- Leave room. Averages hide the heavier courses, and swing cameras, recording or a second display all take a share of the PC.
GSV's own RTX 5080 test
GSV ran the SurfThing SG3-5802 in a 4K studio with GSPro at Ultra and Trackman Virtual Golf 3, with two 4K displays, a third monitor and recording running. With GSPro capped at 60 and draw distance at maximum, it held 60 frames a second apart from a moment as each flyover starts, using about half to three quarters of the card. The readings and the video are in the SurfThing RTX 5080 review, and more on SurfThing is in the SurfThing golf simulator PC review.
Where to buy a SurfThing PC
SurfThing sells the four desktops above directly. Its PCs come set up for simulators: it can preinstall and activate the simulator software and helps with the first setup. GSV's link takes $100 off, applied automatically with no code. GSV does not list SurfThing prices; check them on SurfThing's site. More codes are on the golf simulator discount codes page.
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Golf simulator PC benchmark questions
What graphics card do you need for GSPro in 4K?
In SurfThing's tests at the Ultra preset, the RTX 5070 averaged 85 frames a second in 4K and the RTX 5060 averaged 51. SurfThing recommends at least an RTX 5070 for 60 frames a second, or an RTX 5080 for a display that shows 120.
How many frames a second does a golf simulator need?
SurfThing says 30 or more avoids noticeable jitter and 60 or more gives the best experience, and 60 is the target it measures against. Trackman Virtual Golf caps itself at 60 in the version SurfThing tested.
Can an RTX 5060 run a golf simulator in 4K?
It depends on the software. In SurfThing's tests, Uneekor GameDay averaged 72 frames a second in 4K on an RTX 5060 and GSPro at Ultra averaged 51, while FSX Play at Ultra averaged 14. Trackman ran at about 45 to 50 at 4K Max Quality. For 4K with most software, a bigger card is the safer pick.
Is an RTX 5080 worth it for a golf simulator?
For 4K in the heavier programs, it is the safest pick in SurfThing's tests: 56 in E6 Apex at Medium, the closest any card came to 60, 81 in FSX Play at Ultra, and 128 in GSPro at Ultra for a display that shows 120. At 1080p, GSPro tops out around the RTX 5070 and GameDay gains little over a 5070 Ti.
What PC do you need for E6 Apex?
SurfThing says E6 Apex needs higher end hardware to run smoothly. At 1080p on Medium the RTX 5070 averaged 82 frames a second; in 4K no card averaged 60 on Medium, and the RTX 5080 came closest at 56. SurfThing points 4K E6 players to a 5080.
What graphics card does FSX Play need for 4K?
At least an RTX 5070 Ti, depending on the course, by SurfThing. It averaged 64 frames a second in 4K at Ultra with DLSS Ultra on, and the RTX 5080 averaged 81. FSX Play uses a lot of graphics memory, and the 8GB and 12GB cards fell below 20 on some courses in 4K.
Does Trackman limit the frame rate?
In Trackman Virtual Golf TPS 10.2.207, SurfThing found it caps at 60 frames a second whatever the card, and at 30 while standing on the tee. In GSV's own test of the RTX 5080 build, Trackman Virtual Golf 3 ran its flyovers and previews at about 120, so the cap may depend on the Trackman version.
Is there a SurfThing discount?
Yes. GSV's SurfThing link takes $100 off, applied automatically with no code. GSV does not list SurfThing prices; check them on SurfThing's site, or ask about a package deal with a SurfThing PC through the free consultation.
Source: SurfThing's golf software performance results and its five test write-ups, dated January 19, 2026, checked October 14, 2026.
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