You can improve or stabilize PC game performance without DLSS by lowering demanding graphics settings, reducing render resolution, or using a game’s AMD FSR or Intel XeSS option when available. Make one change at a time and compare the same scene or benchmark; the best fix depends on whether the game is limited by the GPU, CPU, memory, or another component.
Start with a repeatable performance baseline
Before changing settings, choose a built-in benchmark or a gameplay scene you can repeat at your target resolution. Record the average frame rate and note whether motion feels uneven or image quality is already below your preference. Compare each change against that same scene; results from a different area of a game may not be useful.
Change one setting at a time. That makes it easier to tell which adjustment helped and which one degraded the image without a meaningful performance improvement. There is no universal ranking of graphics settings: the effect depends on the game and the PC’s limiting component.
Lower graphics demands in the game
Reduce render resolution
Rendering fewer pixels can ease GPU load, though the image may look softer or less detailed. Try a small reduction first, then compare both frame rate and image quality. If the game includes a resolution scale, adjust that rather than changing the entire desktop resolution when possible.
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Adjust demanding visual settings
Lower one visually expensive graphics option at a time and repeat your benchmark or scene. Keep settings that noticeably improve performance while preserving the details you care about. The settings with the largest effect vary by title, so avoid assuming a particular option will always be the best one to reduce.
Try FSR or XeSS if the game supports it
AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) and Intel XeSS Super Resolution (XeSS-SR) can render a game at a lower resolution and upscale the image. They are alternatives to DLSS, not universal driver switches: the game must implement the technology, and available versions and presets differ between games. Check the game’s graphics menu and its documentation for current options. AMD describes FSR as a set of graphics technologies in its FSR overview.
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Choose a preset based on image quality and resolution
If image quality matters, begin with a quality-oriented preset, then try more performance-oriented options only if you still need additional speed. Preset names often include Quality, Balanced, Performance, or Ultra Performance, but a game may offer only some of them or use different labels. Intel’s XeSS-SR Developer Guide 2.0 describes these as quality/performance choices and recommends performance-focused presets at higher output resolutions; actual results depend on the game’s implementation.
Compare the upscaled image in motion as well as the frame rate. A preset that raises FPS may introduce softness or other visual compromises that are not acceptable for your display or game.
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Use Radeon Super Resolution only when it fits
AMD Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) is a driver-level spatial upscaler intended for games without integrated upscaling. AMD says RSR activates when the game runs below the monitor’s native resolution, and recommends using in-game FSR when it is available because game-specific optimizations may provide better upscaling. See AMD’s RSR support information for current compatibility details.
AMD’s cited support article lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktop systems with discrete Radeon RX 5000 Series graphics or later, plus select AMD Advantage systems, using Adrenalin Edition 22.7.1 or later. Those requirements and interface details can change; check AMD’s current guidance for your hardware and driver. RSR is not a general option for every PC, and it may conflict with some Radeon features.
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Check targeted Windows and GPU settings
Windows 11: windowed-game optimizations
On Windows 11, Microsoft documents “Optimizations for windowed games” for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games running in windowed or borderless-windowed mode. The setting transitions compatible games from the legacy blt-model presentation to flip-model, which Microsoft says can reduce frame latency and enable features such as Auto HDR and variable refresh rate on supported displays. It does not apply as a general performance fix to every game or display mode. Microsoft’s Windows 11 guidance gives this path: Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default settings. Restart the game after changing the setting.
Choose the right GPU for a game on multi-GPU systems
If your PC has more than one GPU, check whether the game is assigned to the intended one. In Windows 11, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, choose the game, and select the appropriate graphics preference, such as High performance, where available. Restart the game for the change to take effect. Microsoft documents the per-app setting in its Windows 11 graphics guidance.
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NVIDIA also documents per-program GPU choices for supported power-saving GPU systems in its Control Panel reference. These controls are specific to supported hardware; there is no reason to force a high-performance GPU globally if the game is already using the right processor.
Driver controls are optional, not guaranteed boosts
AMD Adrenalin includes application profiles and options for texture filtering, tessellation, and shader cache. AMD describes Standard texture filtering as its best mix of image quality and performance, and notes that lower tessellation levels may reduce overhead. Their effect is game- and system-dependent, so treat them as targeted adjustments rather than guaranteed FPS gains. See AMD’s Adrenalin graphics settings reference.
NVIDIA Control Panel documents GPU upscaling for resolutions at or below native resolution and a maximum frame-rate control. A frame cap can help with goals such as battery life or reduced latency in some circumstances; it is not a way to increase peak FPS. NVIDIA’s 3D settings documentation explains these controls.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Find the bottleneck before considering a hardware upgrade
If the changes above do not address the problem, identify what is limiting performance before buying hardware. A graphics card upgrade is a plausible option only when the game is GPU-limited; the same purchase will not necessarily help a system constrained elsewhere. The right conclusion depends on your game, resolution, PC configuration, and measured performance.
Check your system’s capabilities and compatibility before choosing any upgrade. The available evidence does not establish a universally suitable GPU model or a guaranteed frame-rate increase for an individual PC, so a specific recommendation requires details about the system and the games you play.
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