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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →You do not need maximum graphics settings for a smooth-looking PC game. The best balance depends on the game, your hardware and your display, so tune against a repeatable section of gameplay: measure frame rate and frame times, change one group of settings, then keep the change only if the game both feels smoother and still looks clear enough.
Start with a target and a repeatable test
Decide what “smooth” means for your setup before changing settings. You might want consistent pacing, a frame rate that suits your display, or more visual detail without distracting stutter. A maximum preset is not a useful target by itself.
- Choose a gameplay segment. Use a representative area with typical movement, effects and combat—not a static menu. Repeat the same segment after each change.
- Record a baseline. Note the graphics settings and, if available, average FPS and frame-time behavior. A high average can still feel uneven if frame times fluctuate.
- Change one category at a time. Apply a change, replay the segment and compare both smoothness and image quality. If it helps, keep it; otherwise restore the previous setting before trying another category.
On supported Radeon systems, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition’s Game Advisor can gather data during gameplay and show average FPS, 95th-percentile frame time and frame-time graphs. Its recommendations may include lowering preset quality, advanced rendering options, render scale or resolution; it can also suggest raising settings when there is headroom. Support depends on the Radeon hardware, software, API and display mode described in AMD’s Game Advisor documentation. These are suggestions for a particular game and system, not a universal recipe.
Which graphics settings should you lower first?
There is no cross-game ranking that guarantees the biggest FPS gain from a particular setting. Options and their costs vary by title and hardware. Use the settings menu to make controlled comparisons, starting with the effects you can most readily trade for clarity or detail.
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- Advanced rendering effects: Try reducing demanding options such as ray-traced effects, shadows or ambient occlusion if the game offers separate controls. Check the image in motion, since the visual impact differs by game.
- Texture resolution: Lower it only if the game is struggling and the difference is acceptable to you. Texture detail affects what surfaces look like; its performance cost is not the same in every title.
- Antialiasing: Compare the available methods and levels. They change how jagged edges appear, and their cost and visual result depend on the implementation.
- Preset quality: A lower preset is a quick starting point, but inspect its individual changes afterward. Presets can alter several options at once and may reduce details you would prefer to keep.
NVIDIA’s game-specific Control graphics and performance guide illustrates why settings need to be considered title by title: it discusses ray-traced effects, shadows, ambient occlusion, texture resolution and antialiasing for that game. Its guidance is not a universal cost chart for other games.
Use render scale, resolution and upscaling deliberately
If the game remains demanding after settings adjustments, test a lower render scale or display resolution. Render scale changes the resolution at which the game renders; lowering it can make the image less sharp, especially in motion. Compare the result during gameplay and inspect interface text and fine detail—not just a still screenshot.
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If the game includes an upscaler, test its available quality modes before relying on a driver or operating-system feature. The implementation and results depend on the game and your hardware, so compare moving detail and text at the resolution you actually use.
Driver-level GPU scaling
NVIDIA documents GPU upscaling for supported graphics APIs when the rendered resolution is at or below native resolution. Availability is conditional on a supported configuration; see NVIDIA’s GPU upscaling documentation for its scope. It is distinct from an upscaler built into a particular game.
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Windows Auto Super Resolution
Microsoft’s Auto Super Resolution (Auto SR) is not a general-purpose option for every PC or game. Microsoft’s current requirements specify eligible hardware and Windows 11 version 24H2 or later; its documentation also lists excluded cases, including games using DirectX 9, Vulkan or OpenGL. Check the full device, resolution, API and display-mode requirements in Microsoft’s Auto SR guide before expecting it to appear or work. Microsoft frames upscaling as a way to balance visual quality and frame rate, not a guaranteed FPS increase for every system.
Manage frame rate, VSync and variable refresh rate
Graphics quality controls how the game is rendered; presentation controls affect how frames are delivered to the display. A frame-rate cap, VSync and variable refresh rate (VRR) address related but different concerns.
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- Frame-rate cap: A cap can avoid rendering frames beyond a useful target. AMD says its Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC) can reduce GPU power use, heat and fan noise in applicable fullscreen use. NVIDIA also provides a maximum frame-rate setting. The available controls and their effects depend on the game, driver and setup. See AMD’s FRTC guidance and NVIDIA’s maximum-frame-rate guidance.
- VSync: Synchronization options may be controlled in the game rather than the graphics driver. AMD notes that for DirectX and Vulkan, VSync is controlled in the game’s graphics settings; consult AMD’s VSync guidance for the relevant driver context.
- VRR: A compatible variable-refresh-rate display can adjust its refresh rate in response to the displayed frame rate. Microsoft describes support involving technologies such as AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-SYNC and VESA DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync in its DirectX VRR explanation. The display and graphics configuration must support the feature.
VRR is optional, not a substitute for tuning a game that runs poorly. If you are considering a variable refresh rate monitor, verify that its VRR technology and connection are compatible with your graphics hardware and intended setup.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check Windows and multi-GPU settings only when relevant
Windows and driver controls can help in specific configurations, but they are not universal performance switches.
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Windows 11 windowed-game optimizations
Windows 11’s windowed-game optimizations apply to compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games running in windowed or borderless mode. If you change the setting, restart the game for the change to take effect. Microsoft explains the scope and steps in its windowed-game optimization guide.
Per-app GPU preference
On a system with more than one GPU, Windows’ per-app graphics preference can matter if a game is assigned to the less suitable adapter. Use the app-specific graphics preference documented by Microsoft at Change graphics performance preferences for apps. This is relevant to multi-GPU selection, not a general quality-setting optimization.
Keep changes that improve the actual experience
After each adjustment, return to the same gameplay segment and compare average FPS, frame-time behavior and visible quality where those measures are available. There is no general percentage gain to expect from a given setting change: results are specific to the game, system and scene. Keep the balance that feels consistent and remains visually acceptable rather than chasing a preset label or a single peak-FPS number.
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