DuckStation Settings for Gran Turismo 2 (PS1 Emulator)

My original PlayStation 1 (SCPH-7502) and physical copy of Gran Turismo 2 (711719723523) were still working in 2024. However, the emulated experience with DuckStation looks and feels amazing in 60fps 16:9 widescreen with functioning VRR at 144Hz and 2560&1440p resolution.

The best way I’ve found to run this iconic and revolutionary racing game from 1999:

Current DuckStation Version: From mid-2025 to late 2025 any “Latest Rolling Release” I tried worked brilliantly!; In 2024 some versions ran better than others for me.; I avoid the dev preview versions.

My System & Configuration

Skip to the hardware I’m using and the various system settings I use for Windows and my nVidia graphics driver.

In 2025 I normally use a giga-rig PC from 2023 for GT2 gaming and recording. 7800X3D with RX6800. Contact me for any settings it uses.

The settings below sometimes change names, move to other locations or merge into some other setting.

All my DuckStation settings as one big image (310kB 1600×5500px)

Summary

	Value	Reason
Image Path	`Gran_Turismo_2_-_Project_A-Spec_v1.2`	A-Spec is the best way to experience the game in 2025.
Serial	`SCUS-94488`	Just so you know the exact version I’m playing.
Region	`NTSC-U/C (US, Canada)`	30fps but with the GT Hi-Fi cheat code from Silent, unlocks true 60fps. PAL (UK) only has 25fps/50fps.

Interface

	Value	Reason
Pause On Controller Disconnect	`Ticked`	Batteries always run out during bumpy mid-corner oversteer corrections.
Enable Discord Presence	`Ticked`	Playing games from the 1990s makes you look cool on the Internet.
Render To Separate Window	`Ticked`	Game is on my big gaming screen, with everything else on my office screen.

BIOS

	Value	Reason
NTSC-U/C (US, Canada)	`SCPH1001.bin`	It’s usually called this so I called mine the same.
Fast Boot	`Ticked`	Skips some of the console boot animation, maybe? It’s a nice nostalgia trip every time so maybe untick this.

Console

	Value	Reason
Fast Boot	`Ticked`	Skips some of the console boot animation, maybe? It’s a nice nostalgia trip every time so maybe untick this.
Fast Forward Boot	`Ticked`	Reduces startup time by applying `Emulation` > `Fast Forward Speed` automatically.
Fast Forward Memory Card Access	`Ticked`	Reduces gamesave load/save times by applying `Emulation` > `Fast Forward Speed` automatically!
Enable 8MB RAM (Dev Console)	`Ticked`	A bigger help in GT2, it can still smooth out frame rates in GT.
Enable Cheats	`Enabled`	Native 60fps is unlocked by a cheat code using GT Hi-Fi mode left-overs.
Execution Mode	`Recompiler (Fastest)`	It says it’s the fastest.
Enable Clock Speed Control (Overclocking/Underclocking)	`1000%`	Helps complete all work every frame. Preventing late frames is nice at just 60fps.
Enable Clock Speed Control (Overclocking/Underclocking)	`350%`	A lower value sometimes makes frame timing more consistent, even if they are late more often.
Async Readahead	`32 sectors (213kB / 64ms)`	2025: Qt: Move async readahead sectors to advanced settings (Stenzek)
Read Speedup	`Maximum`	2025 fastest read speed.
Seek Speedup	`Maximum`	2025 value was renamed for clarity. Settings: Split read and seek cycles for maximum CD speedup (Stenzek)
Preload Image To RAM	`Ticked`	With the game loaded into RAM, menus are instant. A race loads in less than a second on my 2017 gaming laptop.

Emulation

	Value	Reason
Emulation Speed	`100%`	Make sure the game is timing things correctly.
Fast Forward Speed	`Unlimited`	Memory card save/load runs as fast as possible.
Turbo Speed	`200%`	Doubles the game speed. Get through Race Results faster and Tuning Shop.
Vertical Sync (Vsync)	`Unticked`	G-Sync/Freesync monitors, like my Asus PG329Q, should use the below setting to control frame rate.
Optimal Frame Pacing	`Ticked`	Game will render strictly at 60fps. My screen is at 144Hz. Slightly late frames will be displayed in the next 144Hz interval, instead of frames being late/dropped/tearing with V-Sync.
Sync To Host Refresh Rate	`Unticked`	DuckStation says: `Users with variable refresh displays should disable this option.`
Reduce Input Latency	`Ticked`	With working VRR, the CPU can wait until the GPU is almost ready.
Reduce Input Latency	`Unticked`	2025 felt this setting was making frame pacing unstable, especially when recording.
Frame Time Buffer	`0ms`	Minimal latency as my screen will display the rendered output almost instantly. (Stopped using this in 2025.)
Enable Rewinding	`Unticked`	DuckStation says: `Please note that enabling rewind may significantly increase system requirements.`

Cheats

Taken from my SCUS-94488.ini profile in DuckStation:

[Cheats]
EnableCheats = true
Enable = Simulation Disc\Any Car Can Play Any Circuit
Enable = Silent\Full detail AI cars (Needs 8MB RAM)
Enable = Silent\L3 to toggle Mirror (tap) and HUD (hold)
Enable = Silent\60 FPS
Enable = Silent\Metric units (imperial to metric)
Enable = Silent\Use 8MB RAM for polygon buffers (Needs 8MB RAM enabled)
Enable = Silent\16:9 Widescreen 2.0
Enable = Silent\Slightly higher draw distance
Enable = Gran Turismo 2 ASpec 1.2 ('-')\2 laps for MaxSpeed Mod

Memory Cards

	Value	Reason
Memory Card 1	`Separate Card Per Game (File Title)`	Lets me have multiple installs, with and without mods, different versions of the same mod.
Memory Card 1	`Separate Card Per Game (File Title)`	As above but lets me save more 60fps replays to make videos showing my inputs.

Graphics

	Value	Reason
Renderer	`Direct3D 11`	Default choice and is the fastest.
Renderer	`Direct3D 12`	Tried this in 2025 on my GTX1060 (driver 450-ish) and it worked but was ~5% slower.
Renderer	`OpenGL`	About 10% slower. Frame timings and latency felt better.
Adapter	`NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060`	Make sure to select your actual GPU and not the CPU or APU graphics package.

Graphics > Rendering

	Value	Reason
Internal Resolution	`6× Native (for 1440p)`	Upscales menus far too much. Slightly below target resolution in races.
	`8× Native`	2544×1792 pixels is about right horizontally for 2560×1440 monitor. Downscales the vertical a bit. Heavy on GPU.
	`Automatic (based on Window Size)`	2025 improved a lot! Perfect horizontal size in races and most menus. Vertical overscan due to game engine.
Down-Sampling	`Unticked`	Gran Turismo is 3D during races.
Texture Filtering	`JINC2 (Slow)`	2025. Rounds the wheelarch textures brilliantly! Slightly cleaner than `Bilinear` and it can still Turbo to 120fps.
Texture Filtering	`Bilinear Sharp`	An efficient upscaling method without the blurry look of the simplest upscalers.
Sprite Texture Filtering	`JINC2 (Slow)`	2025. Mostly affects menus, especially the text. In-race HUD text and dials are also clean.
Sprite Texture Filtering	`Nearest Neighbour`	Bad. Edges of timing numbers and current position are blotchy.
Dithering (2025)	`Ticked`	2025 merged setting: GPU/HW: Add 'True Color (Full)' dithering mode (Stenzek)
Aspect Ratio	`16:9`	Works brilliantly!
Deinterlacing	`Disabled (Flickering)`	2025. Is ignored due to `Diable Interlacing` setting below.
Deinterlacing	`Progressive (Optimal)`	2025: Moves the `Disable Interlacing` tickbox into this drop-down list.
Crop	`Only Overscan Area`	Removes nearly all blank space down the sides. Aspect ratio was slightly stretched before 2025 DuckStation versions.
Scaling	`Bilinear (Sharp)`	An efficient upscaling method without the blurry look of the simplest upscalers.
Scaling	`Lanczos (Sharp)`	2025. About 15% less GPU and looks as good as `Bilinear (Sharp)`.
True Color Rendering	`Ticked`	Improves the smoothness of colour transitions, text, HUD and UI.
True Color Rendering	`Ticked`	2025 merged setting: GPU/HW: Add 'True Color (Full)' dithering mode (Stenzek)
PGXP Geometry Correction	`Ticked`	Very important! Solves much of the wobbly geometry that makes PS1 games look so odd compared to 2000s titles.
Force 4:3 For FMVs	`Ticked`	Not sure if Gran Turismo actually needs this. There is an intro movie and credits movie, though.
Disable Interlacing	`Ticked`	This forces progressive mode at all times. `Deinterlacing` setting earlier might not be needed.
Disable Interlacing	(Moved)	2025 the setting was merged into `Deinterlacing` drop-down list as `Progressive`.
Widescreen Rendering	`Unticked`	Yes, really. Widescreen 2.0 cheat code and the `Aspect Ratio` setting work best.
FMV Chroma Smoothing	`Ticked`	Makes video look slightly better, maybe?
Force NTSC Timings	`Unticked`	Just in case there’s any issue with region selection. It would make the game run 17% faster.
Force NTSC Timings	(Refactored)	2025 seems to be handled by the `Region` area?

Graphics > Advanced

DuckStation Settings > Graphics > Rendering.

	Value	Reason
Exclusive Fullscreen	`Borderless Fullscreen`	Lets the game fill my gaming monitor at the right picture size, even with DuckStation on a different screen.
Screen Position	`Center`	Balances out any hardcoded borders.
Multi-Sampling	`2× MSAA`	Reduces jaggies on the outside edges of 3D objects. Colourful liveries in bright tracks are improved.
	`4× MSAA`	2025. Very good edges on cars with shaped rears, such as Celica GT300. Makes the GPU work hard.
	`Disabled`	Jaggies around 3D objects are not really visible in a massively upscaled game which I record at half size.
Line Detection	`Disabled`	Isn’t needed for this game.
True Color Debanding	`Ticked`	Smoother gradients look better.
Threaded Rendering	`Ticked`	It’s just how GPUs work with contemporary software.
Scaled Dithering	`Ticked`	Blends the dithering techniques across the much larger picture size. (~6× the game’s original size for 1440p.)
Scaled Dithering	`Ticked`	2025 removed: GPU/HW: Add 'True Color (Full)' dithering mode (Stenzek)
Software Rendered Readbacks	`Ticked`	Not sure this does anything on my hardware. Potentially, it makes these enhancements run faster.
Software Rendered Readbacks	`Unticked`	2025. Seems to save a few fps.

Graphics > PGXP

DuckStation Settings > Graphics > Precision Geometry Transform Pipeline (PGXP).

	Value	Reason
Perspective Correct Textures	`Ticked`	Straightens out some wobble/warp/crooked effects across flat surfaces in PS1 games.
Culling Correction	`Ticked`	More accurately selects which things should or shouldn’t be drawn.
Perspective Correct Colours	`Ticked`	Not sure. Maybe to do with vertex pre-lighting effects at distance, where there’s often a fog or fade-out effect?
Preserve Projection Precision	`Ticked`	Improves the accurate placement of post-processing effects, maybe?

Graphics > OSD

DuckStation Settings > Graphics > On-Screen Display (OSD).

	Value	Reason
Show Emulation Speed	`Ticked`	Verify and capture that in-game time is matching realtime.
Show Frame Times	`Ticked`	Excellent frametime graph. Makes late processing or lag spikes really visible as they happen.
Show FPS	`Ticked`	Verify the game is at 60fps.
Show Resolution	`Ticked`	Lets me monitor the effect of auto resolution/upscaling on target output.

Post-Processing

Although some pretty useful filters seem to be in here, I haven’t played with them yet.

Audio

	Value	Reason
Backend	`Cubeb`	Seems to be the most feature-rich implementation and lowest latency.
Expansion Mode	`Disabled (Stereo)`	I only use earphones (Koss KSC75x) or laptop speakers for DuckStation. No surrround sound.
Stretch Mode	`Time Stretch (Tempo Change, Best Sound)`	Makes sounds seem correct even if frame rates are varying a bit.
Buffer Size	`16ms`	2025. Tightening this as I have better frame times.
Buffer Size	`38ms`	Increased in 2025 as background tasks were delaying the audio.
Output Latency	`9ms`	Might be ignored because I’m using Cubeb backend.
Output Latency	`Minimal`	Ticked this in 2025 when I increased `Buffer Size`.
Output Latency	`Unticked`	Was causing audio drift in Game Bar captures that corrupted sound after 10+ minutes.
Mute CD Audio	`Unticked`	The songs in Gran Turismo 2 are from commercial releases in the 1990s. I have this `Ticked` when recording.

The music can cause copyright checks if you share video — it happened to me on YouTube. There is a cheat code to enable/disable music on a button press. That will be good for streaming to make the menus more entertaining.

Controllers

	Value	Reason
Enable XInput Input Source	`Ticked`	XBox One wireless controller.

Controller Port 1:

	Value	Reason
Controller Type	`NeGcon`	8% steering deadzone instead of 33% is huge upgrade for ovals and overtakes.

Bindings to achieve radio control car controls, where left stick steers and right stick is gas/brake:

	Value	Reason
Steering/Twist > Left	`XInput-0/-LeftX`	Push left stick left to steer left.
Steering/Twist > Right	`XInput-0/+LeftX`	Push left stick right to steer right.
II	`XInput-0/+RightY`	Push right stick downward to throttle up.
I	`XInput-0/-RightY`	Push right stick forward to slow down.
L	`XInput-0/+LeftShoulder`	Gear up
R	`XInput-0/+RightShoulder`	Gear down.

Right stick is wrong way around so that right stick forward will confirm GT2 menus and right stick down will exit. GT2 uses button II is confirm and I is cancel. Even though I is Acceleration and II is Brake.

Settings:

	Value	Reason
Steering Axies Deadzone	`0%`	Default. Uses the smallest deadzone built into the game.
Steering Axis Saturation	`100%`	Default. Not sure what this does.
Steering Axis Linearity	`-0.25`	2025. Re-calibrated with the in-game options. Makes small steering inputs bigger while keeping full stick range. Almost GT6/GTA5 style.
Steering Scaling	`100%`	Default. Values below 100% reduce max steering.

1P Analog Settings

Options within Gran Turismo 2 to calibrate the controller!

When you first enter these settings, you’ll get a bar with a line that tracks your steering position.
Move the stick all the way left and press Start.
Now move the stick all the way right and press Start.
You’ll now see the calibration interface with the raw values – that you can change!
Use the D-pad Up and Down to select a setting.
Move the stick to where you want that setting then press Start.
Or use D-Pad Left and Right to scroll the values.
If you use my DuckStation mapping above, the Acceleration and Brake settings will use your right stick.

	Value	Reason
Steering > Center	`5`	My left stick drifts/rests a bit to the right so I move the midpoint to match.
Steering > Max	`122`	Move the steering all the way right then push `Start`.
Steering > Margin	`5`	2025. Controller deadzone fix! Choose the size of deadzone you want!
Acceleration > Max	`255`	Full range to feather accurately when hard on the gas.
Acceleration > Margin	`16`	Big deadzone to make sure I’m not on throttle mid-corner.
Brake > Max	`230`	Set this less than full stick movement to make sure I get full braking quickly.
Brake > Margin	`25`	Large deadzone because my right stick drifts/rests downward.

Achievements

	Value	Reason
Enable Achievements	`Ticked`	Gotta catch ’em all.
Show Achievement Notifications	`Ticked`	Gotta know when I catch ’em.
Show Leaderboard Notifications	`Ticked`	Doesn’t seem to do anything? (Probably a skill issue.)
Enable In-Game Overlays	`Ticked`	Shows progress on a challenge or preset achievement. Haven’t used this yet.

My System Specs

For context, here are the 2017 gaming laptop components I use the emulator on:

CPU:: Intel i7-7700HQ (4 cores, 8 threads)
RAM:: 16GB DDR4 2400MT/s Kingston HyperX
GPU:: nVidia GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile (6GB)
GPU Driver Version:: 451.67
GPU Driver Date:: July 2020 via Windows Update
OS Storage:: 500GB Samsung 960 Evo-like (NVMe m.2)
Game Storage:: 500GB Crucial MX100 (SATA SSD)

My System Tuning

Laptop Performance

Power mode:: Better performance (6× resolution)
Power mode:: Best performance (recording)

Throttlestop

Speed Shift EPP:: 0
Disable Turbo:: Ticked (heat and laptop power budget)
Non Turbo Ratio:: 27 (cannot edit)
1 Core Turbo Ratio:: 38
2 Cores Turbo Ratio:: 36
3 Cores Turbo Ratio:: 32
4 Cores Turbo Ratio:: 30
CPU Core Offset Voltage:: -99.6mV (-0.0996V)
CPU Cache Offset Voltage:: -99.6mV (-0.0996V)

Afterburner

Core Clock Curve:: Flat-lined above 1050MHz
Core Clock Curve:: 8× Resolution in 2025: Flat-lined at 1202MHz

G-Sync

These settings can be found by right-clicking your desktop and clicking NVIDIA Control Panel:

From the left menu, Set Up G-SYNC:
1. Apply the following changes:
  - Enable G-SYNC, G-SYNC Compatible
  - Enabled for windows and full screen mode
2. Select each screen to apply this to them all.

Global 3D Profile

Do these matter?

Image Sharpening:: Sharpening Off, Scaling disabled (registry tweak)

Low Latency Mode:: On
Max Frame Rate:: Off
Power management mode:: Optimal power
Preferred refresh rate:: Application-controlled
Threaded optimisation:: On
Triple buffering:: On
Vertical sync:: Use the 3D application setting
Vertical sync:: Use the 3D application setting

DuckStation profile

Firstly, how to create a profile for DuckStation:

Start DuckStation and then close it.
Return to nVidia Control Panel.
From left menu Manage 3D settings.
Tab Program Settings.
Button Add – can take several seconds to respond.
Window called Add appears
Make sure Sort by is set to Recently used.
Select DuckStation PS1 Emulator.
Button Add Selected Program.

Now, settings which seem to matter. Latency gains are very nice with such a low frame rate:

Low Latency Mode:: Ultra (started in 2025; previous was 1)
Max Frame Rate:: 60
Monitor Technology:: G-Sync (Global)
Power management mode (previously called GPU Power):: Prefer maximum Performance
Preferred refresh rate:: Application-controlled
Texture filtering - Negative LOD bias:: Allow
Texture filtering - Quality:: High Quality
Texture filtering - Trilinear optimisation:: Off (maybe should be on?)
Vertical sync:: Off

Remember that my monitor is running at 144Hz in Windows and in the nVidia panel and in its hardware OSD. The game runs at 60Hz with slower frame pacing at times. Sending all the frames the game renders and letting the screen display them all in its shorter intervals is achieved with these settings. It’s a unique advantage to having VRR support in a low-refresh game with a high-refresh monitor. Made possible by DuckStation. It really is a fast and modern emulator.