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There is no developer-tested “best” preset that guarantees a specific frame rate on every PC. The most reliable approach is to start with a low overall preset, reduce the settings that are available in your current menu, and raise them one at a time while comparing the same scene. Resolution scale, shadows, vegetation, view distance, screen-space reflections (SSR), ambient occlusion (AO), and water quality are the key controls to check when they are present.
Use the Steam hardware tiers as a starting point rather than a performance promise. Then tune on your own system, keep the game current, and only consider an upgrade after confirming that your GPU, CPU, or memory is the actual limit.
What “best settings” means for this game
Used Cars Simulator is a Windows PC title from DreamWay Games, published by PlayWay S.A. The Steam listing shows the full release date as October 9, 2026. Its requirements and graphics menu can change, so verify the live listing and the options shown by your installed build before treating any preset as permanent: Steam game listing.
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A community-maintained settings reference mentions controls for resolution scale, shadows, vegetation, view distance, screen-space reflections, ambient occlusion, and water quality, among others. It is not an official or guaranteed-complete settings list; labels and available options may differ in your current menu. Use the list as a checklist of possible controls, not as proof that every option exists in every version.
Check your PC against the published tiers
Steam lists the following Windows 10 64-bit requirements. They are publisher specifications, not independent tests or guarantees of smooth play.
| Tier | Operating system | Processor | Memory | Graphics | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Windows 10 64-bit | Intel Core i3-4130 at 3.3 GHz or AMD FX-8350 | 8 GB RAM | NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon R9 280 | 20 GB available |
| Recommended | Windows 10 64-bit | Intel Core i7-9700 at 3.6 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 at 3.6 GHz | 16 GB RAM | NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 | 24 GB available |
The two tiers describe a wide range. A machine at the minimum tier is not expected to look or behave like one at the recommended tier, and a newer processor paired with an older graphics card can land between them. Compare your actual CPU, GPU, installed memory, Windows version, display resolution, and free space with the table. The listing also notes that requirements may change as development continues, so check the current page when you install a new build or change hardware.
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If your system is below the minimum tier, lowering settings may not remove every hitch. If it is between the listed tiers, begin conservatively and use the tuning process below rather than assuming the recommended graphics card is required. Even a system above the recommended tier can feel uneven if it is rendering at a high resolution or running out of memory in the background.
Build a safe starting preset
1. Record a repeatable test scene
Choose one location that normally exposes the problem: a busy outdoor area, a route with vegetation, or a place where reflections are visible. Use the same weather, camera view, and activity for each comparison. Drive the same short route or perform the same dealership task, then note whether motion feels steadier and whether image quality remains acceptable.
Short, repeatable tests are more useful than judging a setting while wandering randomly. A quiet interior can hide an outdoor foliage problem, while a reflective surface can reveal an SSR cost that is invisible elsewhere. If you use a frame-rate counter, record the result only as a comparison on your PC; no official benchmark establishes a target number for this game.
2. Select a lower overall quality preset
Start with the lower overall graphics option available in your build. This gives you a known baseline and reduces the chance that several high-cost options remain enabled. Do not treat the baseline as a final recommendation. Its purpose is to make later changes understandable: once the game is stable, restore quality option by option.
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Take a screenshot or write down the initial values. Menus sometimes reset after an update, a display change, or a driver change. Having a record lets you return to a known combination instead of guessing which adjustment produced a smoother result.
3. Set display resolution or resolution scale
If the baseline still feels slow, lower resolution scale first if the game exposes it. A lower scale reduces the number of pixels rendered while preserving the monitor’s output resolution, although the image becomes softer. If no scale control exists, test a lower display resolution instead.
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Inspect text, dashboard details, vehicle edges, and distant objects after each change. Stop at the lowest value that remains comfortable to read. If the picture becomes too soft, restore one step and recover performance by reducing shadows, SSR, AO, water, or scene-detail settings. A moderately sharp image with simpler effects is often more pleasant than a very low scale combined with maximum lighting effects.
4. Reduce shadows
Move shadows down a step and repeat the same route. Shadow quality changes the sharpness and distance of cast shadows; lower values can make the scene less detailed but may improve consistency in areas with many objects. Compare both a sunlit outdoor route and a darker area, because the visual cost is easier to see when shadows are prominent.
The developer has specifically described reducing shadowcaster data on far vegetation and trees as part of its performance work. That makes distant foliage shadows an area worth testing rather than leaving at maximum by default. It does not mean shadows are the limiting factor on every PC, or that a particular shadow value is universally correct.
5. Test vegetation and view distance
Lower vegetation quality or density if that control appears. Then test view distance separately. Vegetation changes the amount or detail of foliage, while view distance controls how far objects remain fully represented. Lowering both can make distant scenery pop in sooner, so raise view distance again if the image becomes distracting and use the smallest change that solves your stutter.
Test vegetation on the same tree-lined route and view distance on a route with long sight lines. This separates foliage detail from the amount of world the game keeps visible. If either change helps only outdoors, keep interior and vehicle-focused settings higher where possible and spend your quality budget on options you see constantly.
6. Test screen-space reflections (SSR)
SSR affects reflections calculated from the visible screen. If your menu offers low, medium, high, or an off option, compare them in a scene with shiny vehicles, wet surfaces, or other reflective materials. Look for both smoother camera turns and acceptable reflections on the parts of the car you care about.
The developer has reported “significant FPS gains due to reflection optimization” in an update. That wording describes the update’s reported change, not a guaranteed gain on your hardware. Install the current game version, then test SSR again; an older setting recommendation may no longer represent the current balance.
7. Test ambient occlusion (AO)
Ambient occlusion adds contact shading where surfaces meet, helping objects look grounded. Lower AO or disable it if the visual difference is minor to you, then compare interiors, vehicles, and tightly packed objects. Keep it enabled at a lower quality if the added depth matters more than a small performance improvement.
Because AO is visible mainly around contact points, test it close to vehicles, furniture, walls, and other overlapping geometry rather than judging it from a distant road. If you cannot identify a meaningful visual improvement, it is a reasonable option to trade for steadier motion.
Rank #3
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8. Lower water quality when water is visible
Water quality is easy to test because the difference is obvious near water and largely irrelevant elsewhere. Use a lower value if water-heavy scenes are where frame pacing deteriorates. Compare the same shoreline, puddle, or reflective water view after each adjustment.
If your normal routes rarely show water, leave this option for last and spend your image-quality budget on settings you see constantly. Raising water quality may be worthwhile when you spend substantial time near it, but there is no reason to sacrifice overall clarity for an effect that seldom appears in your play session.
Raise quality without losing smoothness
- After establishing the low baseline, raise one option by one step.
- Run the identical test route and observe both average fluidity and short stalls when turning the camera or entering a new area.
- Keep the change only if the visual improvement is worth the performance cost.
- Continue with the next option until a change produces an objectionable hitch or slowdown.
- Revert that last change and leave the previous combination in place.
Change related options in separate passes: test shadows before vegetation, vegetation before view distance, and reflections before water. This does not prove which option is the “bottleneck”; it simply gives you a repeatable way to identify the trade-off on your own PC. Avoid changing resolution, shadows, and reflections simultaneously, because you will not know which adjustment helped.
Allow a few seconds after loading a scene before judging it, and repeat a test that gives an unexpected result. Your first pass can coincide with an area transition or background task. The goal is not laboratory precision; it is a consistent comparison that prevents random menu changes from becoming a false conclusion.
Use symptoms to choose the next test
Low performance everywhere
Start with resolution scale or display resolution, then lower the overall preset and shadows. A broad slowdown across interiors and exteriors can involve more than one component, so compare your CPU, GPU, and memory with the Steam tiers before deciding that a single graphics option is responsible.
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Test vegetation, view distance, and shadows in that order. The developer’s note about far-vegetation shadowcaster data makes distant foliage a sensible place to experiment, but it does not establish that foliage is the limiting factor on every system. If reducing vegetation helps while lowering resolution does little, keep resolution higher and simplify scene detail instead.
Slowdowns near reflective surfaces
Compare SSR levels and any reflection-related option in the same reflective scene. Keep the lowest setting that preserves the surfaces you care about. The reported reflection optimization may already improve the current build, so update before judging the setting.
The picture is too soft after lowering scale
Raise resolution scale one step and recover performance elsewhere, such as shadows, AO, water, or SSR. Check small text and vehicle details at your normal viewing distance, not just a paused close-up. The comfortable setting is the one you can use for a full session without constant softness or stutter.
Short stalls while loading a new area
Repeat the route after closing unnecessary background applications and allowing the game to finish any first-run asset work. If the stall remains, test lower view distance and vegetation settings, then compare available memory with the 8 GB minimum and 16 GB recommended tiers. The published requirements do not identify a specific cause for loading stutter, so treat these as troubleshooting experiments rather than a confirmed fix.
Rank #4
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Only the camera feels uneven
Repeat the same turns at a fixed location and compare reflections, shadows, and view distance one at a time. Camera movement can make short frame-time spikes more noticeable than stationary scenes. Do not infer a universal culprit from one location; confirm the change on a second route before rebuilding your whole preset.
Keep the game and driver environment current
Install game updates before doing a fresh tuning pass. Developer updates have described optimization to distant vegetation shadows and reflection processing, so a preset that made sense in an earlier build may no longer be the best balance. Because no version-specific benchmark is supplied, record your own settings and retest after each substantial update.
Also check that Windows is using the intended dedicated GPU on systems with integrated and discrete graphics, and that the monitor is running at its normal refresh rate. These are general PC troubleshooting steps, not official requirements for Used Cars Simulator. Confirm that the game is launching on the hardware you compared with the Steam table; otherwise a careful settings test can produce misleading results.
Keep enough free storage for the listed installation size and updates. Steam lists 20 GB available at minimum and 24 GB at the recommended tier. Those figures describe storage capacity, not a guaranteed loading speed or frame-rate improvement.
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A graphics-card purchase is optional and should follow diagnosis, not precede it. Steam’s recommended tier names an RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 5700, but that listing alone cannot show whether either card would fix your particular issue, whether your processor is limiting performance, or whether your power supply and case can support an upgrade.
| Route | What to verify | What the published listing can establish |
|---|---|---|
| Tune current hardware | Actual CPU, GPU, RAM, resolution, and the setting that changes your repeatable test scene | It can identify a workable image/performance trade-off on your PC; no fixed FPS gain is established. |
| Investigate a hardware upgrade | Whether the GPU, CPU, memory capacity, power supply, case clearance, and display target are genuine limits | The recommended Steam tier provides reference parts and memory, not proof that buying them will solve the problem. |
If lowering resolution scale produces a clear improvement, graphics throughput may be involved. If it changes little but reducing view distance or other scene-detail options helps, investigate CPU and scene-processing limits as well. If reducing settings produces almost no change, check that the game is using the correct GPU and that another component is not already limiting performance. These observations guide your next check; they are not a substitute for a measured benchmark.
Memory capacity also matters to the decision. The listing names 8 GB as minimum and 16 GB as recommended, but it does not promise a specific benefit from adding memory. Check actual usage and other programs before buying parts. Likewise, a recommended graphics card is a reference tier, not a command to purchase that exact model.
What not to rely on
- Do not assume the minimum specification promises a particular frame rate or fixed frame pacing.
- Do not copy a single “ultra” or “low” preset as universal advice; displays, resolutions, and hardware differ.
- Do not treat a community post as a tested configuration. A Steam Community discussion using the phrase “Game Textures” reports trying very low graphics quality, lower resolution, and disabling high-end lighting; regard that as one player’s anecdotal starting point.
- Do not install a generic PC-cleaner or optimization utility expecting an approved, game-specific fix. No evidence establishes that such a tool is necessary or effective for this title.
- Do not leave every option at minimum after the first test. Raise settings individually until the image quality is worth the measured cost.
- Do not assume a developer note about optimization guarantees the same improvement on your hardware. It describes work in a game update, not a universal result.
- Do not compare two scenes with different weather, camera position, or activity and call the difference a settings gain.
A practical checklist
- Open the current Steam listing and note any changed requirements or release information.
- Confirm Windows, processor, graphics card, RAM, and free storage against the published tiers.
- Choose a repeatable scene that exposes your slowdown.
- Select a lower overall preset.
- Test resolution scale or display resolution.
- Test shadows, vegetation, and view distance separately.
- Test SSR, AO, and water quality where those controls are present.
- Raise one option at a time and revert the last change that causes unacceptable stutter.
- Update the game, then repeat the route after optimization updates.
- Check that the intended GPU and display refresh rate are active.
- Record the final values so an update or driver change can be compared with the same baseline.
- Consider hardware only after identifying a genuine component limitation and checking compatibility.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one confirmed best preset?
No. The developer and Steam listing do not provide a universal preset or controlled settings benchmark. Start low, then raise individual options against a repeatable scene.
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Neither tier is a frame-rate guarantee. Minimum lists an i3-4130 or FX-8350, 8 GB RAM, and GTX 1050 Ti or R9 280; recommended lists an i7-9700 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, and RTX 3060 or RX 5700. Use those parts as reference points while diagnosing your own limit.
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Which setting should I lower first?
Use resolution scale or display resolution for a broad slowdown, then test shadows, vegetation, view distance, SSR, AO, and water according to where the problem appears. No source establishes one universal largest bottleneck.
Does the reflection update guarantee more FPS?
No. The developer reported “significant FPS gains due to reflection optimization,” but that is an update description, not a promise for every PC. Update the game and test your current build.
Is a PC optimizer required?
No approved or necessary utility is identified. Diagnose the game settings and hardware first rather than relying on a generic cleaner or optimizer.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
When should I buy a new graphics card?
Only after testing shows a genuine graphics limitation and you have checked CPU, memory, power-supply, case, and display compatibility. RTX 3060 and RX 5700 are named as recommended reference cards, not guaranteed solutions.
Bottom line
For smoother Used Cars Simulator performance, begin with a lower overall preset, test resolution and scene-detail options in a repeatable location, and raise one control at a time. Pay particular attention to shadows and distant vegetation outdoors, SSR near reflective surfaces, and water quality where water dominates the scene. Keep the game updated because the developer has reported optimization work, but judge every change on your own PC. Use the Steam minimum and recommended tiers to frame expectations, and upgrade only after identifying the component that actually limits your play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one confirmed best preset for Used Cars Simulator?
No. The developer and Steam listing do not provide a universal preset or controlled settings benchmark. Start low, then raise individual options while repeating the same scene.
Which setting should I lower first?
Use resolution scale or display resolution for a broad slowdown, then test shadows, vegetation, view distance, SSR, AO, and water according to where the problem appears. No source establishes one universal largest bottleneck.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Do the recommended RTX 3060 or RX 5700 guarantee smooth performance?
No. They are Steam’s recommended reference cards, not a promise of a specific frame rate or a guarantee that an upgrade will solve your particular issue.
Does the reflection optimization update guarantee more FPS?
No. The developer reported “significant FPS gains due to reflection optimization,” but that describes the update and is not a guarantee on every PC. Update the game and test your current build.
Is a PC-cleaner or optimizer required?
No approved or necessary utility is identified. Diagnose the game settings and hardware first rather than relying on a generic cleaner or optimizer.
The Bottom Line
Start low, test one setting at a time in the same scene, keep the game updated, and upgrade hardware only after confirming the real limitation.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Quick Recap
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