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For most PCs near the recommended specification, start at 1080p on High, cap the frame rate at a rate your display and system can hold, and keep textures high while VRAM is available. If large monster waves cause frame-time spikes, change settings in this order: use the highest-quality upscaler exposed by your build, disable ray tracing or similarly expensive lighting, lower shadows, then reduce effects. Lower textures only when you see VRAM-related stutter or texture-streaming problems.
That sequence is based on the published targets and general setting cost guidance, not an independent Ember & Blade benchmark. Your sustained result depends on the exact CPU, GPU, memory configuration, resolution, driver, and game build.
What performance target should you use?
The official Steam listing gives Ember & Blade two very different reference points:
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Hardware tier | Published hardware | Published target | What it means for settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Windows tier | Core i7-6700, Core i3-10100, or Ryzen 3 3100-class CPU; 8 GB RAM; GTX 1050 Ti, RX 570, Intel Arc A380, Radeon 680M, or Intel Iris Xe-class graphics with 4 GB VRAM | 720p at 30 fps on Lowest | This is an entry target, not a 1080p/60 recommendation. Use the Lowest preset and reduce resolution or enable an upscaler if the current build provides one. |
| Recommended Windows tier | Core i5-12400F or Ryzen 5 5600; 16 GB RAM; GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT; DirectX 12 | 1080p at 60 fps on High, including peak monster waves | Use 1080p High as your starting point, then tune for a frame rate your system can sustain rather than chasing a short-lived peak. |
The minimum graphics list includes parts with very different architectures and integrated-memory behavior, so “minimum” should not be treated as a uniform performance level. The listing also recommends 16 GB of RAM when using integrated graphics. The 60-fps statement is specifically tied to the recommended-class CPU and GPU combination and includes the demanding periods when monster waves peak.
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If your PC falls between these tiers, expect to make a compromise: 1080p with a lower preset, a quality upscaler, or a frame-rate cap below 60. There is no published independent Ember & Blade benchmark that supports a universal FPS table for every graphics card.
Start with a sensible baseline
Recommended-class desktop
Set the game to 1080p and High, then play long enough to reach a demanding combat sequence. Cap the frame rate at 60 fps if your display is a 60 Hz panel or if 60 is the highest rate your hardware can hold consistently. On a faster adaptive-sync display, select a cap that remains stable during the heaviest waves instead of allowing the rate to swing continuously.
Keep textures at the highest setting that fits comfortably in available VRAM. Texture quality usually changes memory use and image detail more than it changes shader workload, so it is a poor first sacrifice when the GPU is otherwise coping well.
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Use 1080p only if the frame time remains acceptable. Otherwise, move to the next lower output resolution or enable the highest-quality DLSS, FSR, or XeSS mode shown in your settings menu. Keep the preset at High initially and lower only the settings that are causing the frame-time problem; this preserves more image quality than dropping every option to Low.
Minimum-tier or integrated graphics
Select Lowest and begin at the listing’s 720p target. Integrated graphics users should pay particular attention to system memory because the game shares RAM with the GPU; the official listing recommends 16 GB for this configuration. A stable 30-fps cap is a more realistic first goal than 60 fps on this tier.
Change settings in this order
Change one group at a time and replay the same type of scene. Large waves are the most useful stress case because the official recommended target explicitly includes peak monster waves. Write down the original setting before each change so you can reverse a change that hurts image quality more than it helps performance.
1. Resolution and upscaling
Resolution determines how many pixels the GPU must shade, making it one of the fastest ways to change frame time. If the GPU is the limiting component, first select the best-quality upscaling mode available rather than immediately choosing a very low output resolution.
- Native 1080p: Use this when the recommended-class GPU can hold your cap and you want the cleanest image.
- Quality upscaling: Choose the highest-quality DLSS, FSR, or XeSS mode exposed by the current build. It renders internally below the output resolution and reconstructs the image, trading some fine detail for lower GPU work.
- Lower output resolution: Use this when no upscaler is available or when even the best-quality mode cannot hold the target. Expect softer text and edges.
Upscaling is not a guaranteed FPS number. It changes GPU workload, and the benefit is smaller when the processor, memory, or game thread is the bottleneck. If lowering resolution barely changes the frame rate, investigate CPU or frame-pacing limits rather than continuing to reduce image quality.
2. Ray tracing and expensive lighting
MSI’s July 30, 2026 graphics guide places resolution and ray tracing among the highest-cost options. If Ember & Blade exposes ray tracing or another unusually expensive lighting control in your build, disable it before lowering textures. Reflections, shadows, and indirect-light effects can look attractive but often consume a large GPU budget, especially during scenes with many enemies and visual effects.
Do not assume that every build has ray tracing. If the switch is absent, move to the next step rather than searching for a hidden setting.
3. Shadows
Lower shadows from High to Medium as the next compromise. Medium usually removes a substantial amount of shadow-map and filtering work while retaining depth cues. Move to Low only if the frame rate still falls below your cap in heavy waves.
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Shadow changes are most useful when the GPU is busy. They will not solve a processor-limited slowdown, and they cannot compensate for an output resolution that is simply too high for the graphics card.
4. Effects and post-processing
Reduce effects when monster waves produce short, severe spikes rather than a consistently low frame rate. Particle-heavy attacks, fog, bloom, screen-space effects, and other post-processing can overlap during combat. Lower the relevant effects control if the menu separates it; otherwise use the next lower effects preset.
Motion blur is primarily a clarity preference. Disable it if you want sharper camera movement and clearer combat, but do not expect it alone to transform performance. Use a repeatable scene to verify whether a post-processing change actually improves the frame-time graph.
5. Textures
Textures belong later in the sequence because they are commonly more VRAM-intensive than compute-intensive. Keep them high when the GPU has enough VRAM and texture streaming is smooth. Lower them to Medium or Low when you see texture pop-in accompanied by hitching, delayed texture loads, or a VRAM warning.
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If lowering textures does not remove stutter, the cause may be elsewhere. Texture quality cannot fix a CPU limit, and it does not replace a stable frame-rate cap.
6. Frame pacing, VSync, and adaptive sync
A fluctuating frame rate can feel worse than a lower but stable one. Set a cap that the PC can maintain through the hardest scene you regularly encounter. Sixty frames per second is the official recommended target, but a lower fixed cap may feel smoother if the system repeatedly drops below 60.
MSI notes that frame-sync options affect smoothness and that VSync also caps FPS. If your monitor supports adaptive sync, enable the monitor and driver features as appropriate, then use an in-game or driver cap that stays within the display’s usable range. Avoid stacking several competing caps until you know which one is controlling the result.
Preset profiles for common PCs
| Use case | Output resolution | Upscaling | Ray tracing or expensive lighting | Shadows | Textures | Frame-rate approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended-class PC targeting the published result | 1080p | Off at first; use Quality mode if waves are unstable and the option exists | Off if exposed and the GPU cannot sustain the cap | High, then Medium if needed | High while VRAM remains comfortable | Cap at 60 fps or another rate the display and PC can hold |
| Mid-range PC below the recommended tier | 1080p if stable; otherwise reduce output resolution | Highest-quality DLSS, FSR, or XeSS mode available | Off | Medium | High or Medium, depending on VRAM behavior | Choose a stable cap below the worst-case wave rate |
| GPU-limited PC with severe combat drops | Keep output resolution only as high as the GPU can sustain | Quality first, then a more aggressive mode if necessary | Off | Medium, then Low | Lower only for VRAM or streaming symptoms | Use adaptive sync and a conservative cap |
| Minimum-tier or integrated graphics | 720p starting point | Use one only if the current build exposes it | Off | Low | Lowest or the setting that avoids streaming stutter | Target a stable 30 fps rather than assuming 60 |
The table is a tuning framework, not a performance guarantee. “Quality” and “Medium” can mean different internal values between builds, and the game may add or remove controls during development.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
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When the GPU is saturated
GPU-limited behavior usually appears as a repeatable slowdown that improves when you reduce resolution, enable a quality upscaler, disable expensive lighting, or lower shadows. Make those changes in that order. If the frame rate rises substantially after a resolution change, keep the new image target or try a less aggressive upscaler mode for a better balance.
When lowering resolution barely helps
If the frame rate barely changes at a lower resolution, the graphics card may not be the limiting component. A CPU or game-thread limit can dominate during dense waves, and visual settings cannot remove all of that work. Keep the resolution that gives you acceptable clarity, use a stable cap, and avoid sacrificing textures and shadows indiscriminately.
When you see hitching rather than a low average
Brief pauses point toward frame-time consistency rather than the headline average FPS. Test a lower effects setting, a lower shadow setting, or lower textures if the hitch coincides with texture streaming. Then apply a cap that leaves some performance headroom. Judge the result by how often the frame-time spikes occur during the same demanding sequence, not by a single high number in a quiet scene.
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Upscaler and frame-generation caveats
DLSS, FSR, XeSS, and frame generation are not guaranteed to be present in every Ember & Blade build. The official Demo 2.2 notes explicitly state: “The FSR upscaler option is hidden in this build.” That means a guide written for another demo cannot safely assume that FSR is visible in your menu.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Open the current graphics settings and use the labels that are actually available. If an upscaler is missing, lower output resolution or the conventional settings listed above. If frame generation is exposed, treat it as a way to increase displayed smoothness after the game is already producing a reasonably consistent base frame rate; it is not a substitute for fixing severe frame-time spikes.
Do not compare an upscaler’s name alone across builds. A mode can change its internal resolution, sharpening, or reconstruction behavior when the developers revise the renderer.
What changed in Demo 2.2
Demo 2.2 patch notes list screen-space reflections for water, fog changes, shader cleanup, expanded GPU instancing, and restored environment materials under “Graphics, Sound & Optimization.” These changes can alter both image quality and frame time, so settings that worked in an earlier demo may not produce the same result now.
The same notes describe continuing optimization work and invite performance feedback. Menu labels and actual performance can therefore differ between demos or early-access builds. Check the in-game settings screen after each update, especially for upscaling, ray-tracing, frame-generation, and lighting controls.
A repeatable tuning procedure
- Record your baseline. Note output resolution, preset, texture quality, upscaler state, frame cap, and whether VSync or adaptive sync is active.
- Choose one test scene. Use the same demanding combat situation, preferably a peak monster-wave sequence, rather than comparing a quiet area with a battle.
- Check whether the problem is constant or spiky. A consistently low rate points toward a sustained workload; brief drops point toward frame pacing, effects, streaming, or a build-specific issue.
- Apply the first relevant change. For a GPU limit, use a quality upscaler or lower resolution. For expensive lighting, disable ray tracing if present.
- Retest before changing anything else. Keep a change only if it improves the target scene without an unacceptable image-quality loss.
- Move through shadows, effects, and textures. Lower shadows next, reduce effects for combat spikes, and touch textures only when VRAM or streaming symptoms justify it.
- Set the cap last. Once the visual settings are chosen, cap the rate at a value the system can sustain through the hardest repeatable sequence.
This method prevents a common mistake: lowering every option at once and then having no way to identify which change helped or which one unnecessarily damaged image quality.
Can your PC run Ember & Blade at 60 FPS?
The only published 60-fps target is 1080p on High with a Core i5-12400F or Ryzen 5 5600, 16 GB of RAM, and a GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT-class GPU, using DirectX 12. That is the best evidence-based answer for a 60-fps expectation, and it includes peak monster waves.
A PC below that specification may still reach 60 fps with a lower resolution, an available upscaler, reduced shadows, and disabled expensive lighting, but there is no verified universal result for each lower-tier part. The official minimum target is 720p/30 on Lowest, so a minimum-spec machine should not be expected to deliver 1080p/60 without qualification.
Conversely, meeting the recommended specification does not guarantee a locked 60 in every future build or scene. Ember & Blade is still receiving optimization work, and the Demo 2.2 notes show that renderer features and options can change.
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Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting at the minimum preset on a recommended PC: Begin at 1080p High and reduce only the settings responsible for your drops.
- Lowering textures first: Textures often consume VRAM without being the primary cause of a GPU frame-time limit.
- Assuming FSR or another upscaler must be present: Demo 2.2 temporarily hid FSR, so inspect the current menu.
- Judging performance in a quiet area: The published 60-fps target includes peak monster waves; use a similarly demanding scene.
- Chasing an uncapped peak: A stable cap that the PC can hold generally produces better consistency than large swings between high and low rates.
- Claiming a result from specifications alone: Hardware tiers establish targets, not a guaranteed FPS number for every configuration.
Bottom line
Use 1080p High as the starting point for a recommended-class PC and target a stable 60 fps. When performance falls during monster waves, try the highest-quality upscaler available, disable ray tracing or costly lighting, lower shadows, and then reduce effects. Preserve texture quality until VRAM or streaming symptoms appear. Minimum-tier hardware is designed around 720p/30 on Lowest, and every upscaler or lighting recommendation must be checked against the current build because Ember & Blade’s graphics options are still changing.
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