📋 Quick Reference
1. Update Your GPU Drivers
Impact: ★★★★★ High
This is the single easiest and most impactful fix. NVIDIA and AMD regularly release driver updates that can improve performance by 5-20% in specific games. These "Game Ready" or "Adrenalin" drivers include optimizations for newly released titles.
- NVIDIA: Download from GeForce Experience or nvidia.com/drivers
- AMD: Download from AMD Adrenalin or amd.com/support
- Intel Arc: Download from Intel Download Center
2. Lower In-Game Graphics Settings
Impact: ★★★★★ High
Not all graphics settings are equal. Some have a massive performance impact while others are barely noticeable visually. Here's what to lower first:
| Setting | FPS Impact | Visual Impact | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | Very High | High | Keep native if possible |
| Shadows | Very High | Medium | Medium or Low |
| Anti-Aliasing (MSAA) | High | Medium | Use FXAA or TAA instead |
| Ambient Occlusion | High | Medium | SSAO or Off |
| Ray Tracing | Very High | High | Off unless using DLSS |
| View Distance | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Texture Quality | Low (VRAM) | High | Keep High if VRAM allows |
| Volumetric Lighting | High | Medium | Low or Off |
3. Enable DLSS, FSR, or XeSS
Impact: ★★★★★ High
These AI/algorithmic upscaling technologies are game-changers for FPS:
- NVIDIA DLSS: Uses AI neural networks to upscale lower resolution rendering. DLSS 3 adds frame generation for even higher FPS. Requires RTX 20-series or newer.
- AMD FSR: Works on any GPU (including NVIDIA). Uses spatial upscaling. FSR 3 adds frame generation for supported AMD GPUs.
- Intel XeSS: Intel's upscaling solution. Works best on Intel Arc GPUs but supports others too.
These can deliver 40-100% FPS improvement with Quality mode and even more with Performance mode, with surprisingly little visual quality loss.
4. Lower Your Resolution
Impact: ★★★★★ High
Resolution is the single biggest factor in GPU workload. Reducing it dramatically decreases the number of pixels your GPU must process:
- 4K (3840×2160): 8.3 million pixels — extremely demanding
- 1440p (2560×1440): 3.7 million pixels — ~55% less work than 4K
- 1080p (1920×1080): 2.1 million pixels — ~75% less work than 4K
5. Close Background Applications
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium
Common resource hogs to close before gaming:
- Web Browsers: Chrome can use 2-4GB RAM with multiple tabs
- Streaming Software: OBS, Streamlabs use significant GPU resources
- Communication: Discord screen sharing, video calls
- Cloud Sync: OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox
- Antivirus: Schedule scans for when you're not gaming
6. Set Windows to High Performance
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium
Windows Power Settings → High Performance prevents your CPU from downclocking to save power. On laptops, plug in the charger while gaming.
7. Disable Game Overlays
Impact: ★★☆☆☆ Low-Medium
Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay, NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay, and Windows Game Bar can each add small amounts of input lag and consume GPU resources. Disable any you don't actively use.
8. Monitor & Manage Temperatures
Impact: ★★★★☆ High (if throttling)
If your GPU exceeds 85°C or CPU exceeds 90°C, they will throttle performance to prevent damage. Solutions:
- Clean dust from fans and heatsinks
- Improve case airflow (add intake/exhaust fans)
- Reapply thermal paste (every 2-3 years)
- Adjust fan curves using MSI Afterburner
9. Upgrade RAM
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium
16GB is the minimum for modern gaming. 32GB provides headroom for multitasking. RAM speed matters too — DDR5-6000 CL30 is the sweet spot for latest platforms.
10. Use an SSD
Impact: ★★☆☆☆ Low (for FPS)
An SSD won't directly increase FPS but eliminates stuttering caused by slow asset loading. NVMe SSDs provide the fastest load times and smoothest streaming of game textures.
11. Optimize Windows Settings
Impact: ★★☆☆☆ Low
- Disable Windows visual effects (transparency, animations)
- Disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling if experiencing stuttering
- Keep Windows updated for the latest performance fixes
- Disable Game Mode if it causes issues (most systems benefit from it being ON)
12. Overclock Your GPU
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium (5-15%)
Use MSI Afterburner to increase core clock and memory clock speeds. Start with small increments (+50MHz core, +100MHz memory) and test stability. Modern GPUs have good thermal protection, but monitor temperatures closely.
13. Cap Your FPS
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium (stability)
Counter-intuitively, capping your FPS slightly below your average can make the game feel smoother by reducing frame time variance. Use NVIDIA Control Panel's Frame Rate Limiter or RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server).
14. Clean GPU Driver Install
Impact: ★★★☆☆ Medium
Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely remove old GPU drivers, then install the latest version fresh. This resolves many unexplained performance issues caused by driver conflicts.
15. Upgrade Your Hardware
Impact: ★★★★★ Highest
If you've exhausted software optimizations, hardware upgrades provide the biggest improvements:
- GPU Upgrade: The single biggest gaming performance upgrade. A new generation GPU can double your FPS.
- CPU Upgrade: Important for CPU-bound games (strategy, simulation). Also enables higher minimum FPS.
- Monitor Upgrade: A 144Hz monitor makes your existing high FPS visible and removes the visual ceiling.