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There is no single best graphics preset for every Soulslike on PC. The right settings depend on the game, your hardware, display resolution and frame-rate goal. For smoother gameplay, set those targets first, use the game’s own options, then change one demanding setting at a time and compare performance in the same difficult area or encounter.
How to tune graphics settings for smoother gameplay
- Choose your resolution and frame-rate goal. Start with the resolution you intend to play at and a specific frame-rate target. A setting that works for one PC or target may not suit another.
- Establish a baseline in the game. Play a demanding area or encounter and note whether performance is consistently low or instead interrupted by occasional stutter.
- Test demanding features individually. If the game offers ray tracing and performance is poor, try turning it off. Otherwise, lower one graphics option at a time and replay the same scene so you can judge the effect without changing several variables at once.
- Keep the change only if it helps your priority. Compare frame-rate consistency with visual detail. Recheck the scene after each adjustment, rather than assuming a preset or a change that helped another player will work on your system.
Elden Ring: turn ray tracing off if it is hurting performance
For Elden Ring specifically, Bandai Namco warns that ray tracing may affect performance, including frame rate and resolution. Its version 1.09 patch notes give this path to disable it: System → Graphics → Set Ray Tracing Quality → OFF. See the Elden Ring version 1.09 patch notes. Bandai Namco also issued a PC notice on April 18, 2023 advising players to switch ray-tracing quality off if it had been enabled unintentionally and was causing trouble.
This is game-specific guidance, not a general rule for the genre. It does not establish that ray tracing is available or behaves the same way in other Soulslikes. The official guidance also does not establish a universal order for reducing options such as shadows, effects or reflections.
Check requirements for the game you actually play
Published minimum graphics requirements differ by game. Steam lists the following GPU models and memory figures; these are each game’s stated minimum requirements, not a benchmark or a guarantee of smooth play at a particular resolution or preset.
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| Game | Steam-listed minimum graphics hardware | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB | Steam system requirements, accessed October 7, 2026 |
| Lies of P | AMD Radeon RX 560 4 GB or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4 GB | Steam system requirements, accessed October 7, 2026 |
Use the requirements for your chosen game as a starting point for checking compatibility, not as a promise about frame rate. The different listed GPUs also do not show that one game is better optimized than the other; the figures are not an apples-to-apples performance test.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Low frame rate and intermittent stutter are different problems
If performance is consistently below your target, test graphics changes one at a time and watch whether the same demanding scene becomes more consistent. If the issue is occasional stutter rather than a persistently low frame rate, graphics settings alone may not resolve it. The official sources cited here do not verify a broad stutter fix that applies across different games and PCs, so avoid treating anecdotal workarounds as universal remedies.
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