Arc Raiders runs on Unreal Engine 5 and already performs well, but with the right in-game settings plus Nvidia/AMD driver tweaks you can gain a lot of extra FPS and smoother frame times on both brands of GPUs. Below is a detailed, blog-ready guide you can adapt for your site and expand up to your target word count.
Meta description
Learn how to optimize Arc Raiders on PC for maximum FPS, low input lag, and clear visuals on both Nvidia GeForce and AMD Radeon GPUs using the best in‑game settings, DLSS/FSR 3, and control panel tweaks.
Understanding Arc Raiders performance
Arc Raiders is relatively well optimized compared to many Unreal Engine 5 games, but it is still heavy on GPU due to global illumination, shadows, foliage, and post‑processing effects. CPU load is usually moderate, so most mid‑range and high‑end builds will be GPU‑bound at higher settings and resolutions.
Because the game supports modern upscalers like Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR 3, you can maintain near‑native image quality at much higher frame rates than raw native rendering. On top of that, features like frame generation and low‑latency technologies (Nvidia Reflex, Radeon Anti‑Lag) further smooth out the experience when configured correctly.
Basic prep for both Nvidia and AMD
Before tweaking game options, make sure the system itself is ready so you are not chasing avoidable bottlenecks.
Update GPU drivers to the latest Game Ready (Nvidia) or Adrenalin (AMD) version so Arc Raiders optimizations and bug fixes are applied.
Update Windows, motherboard chipset drivers, and close background apps like browser tabs, launchers, overlays, and recording tools you do not need.
Set Windows Power Plan to “High performance” or “Ultimate performance” on desktops and ensure your laptop is plugged in with performance mode enabled.
Make sure your monitor is set to its maximum refresh rate in Windows display settings for a smoother feel once FPS is improved.
These simple housekeeping steps often remove stutters and random dips that graphics settings alone cannot fix.
Best Arc Raiders display settings
The display section controls how the game presents the image to your monitor and has a big impact on stability.
Window mode: Use Borderless Fullscreen at your monitor’s native resolution for a good balance of stability and alt‑tab convenience.
Resolution: Keep native (for example 1920×1080, 2560×1440) and rely on DLSS/FSR for performance instead of dropping base resolution, which makes the image blurry.
VSync: Disable in‑game VSync if you use G‑Sync/FreeSync and prefer low input lag, then cap FPS with a frame limiter instead.
Frame rate limit: Set a cap slightly below your monitor refresh (for example 141 FPS on 144 Hz) to keep frame times stable and avoid excessive GPU heat.
If you do not have VRR (G‑Sync/FreeSync), enabling VSync and using a cap close to refresh rate can reduce tearing but will slightly increase latency.
Core graphics options to change in Arc Raiders
Several graphics settings cost a lot of performance while giving limited competitive benefit, so prioritize these sliders first.
Global illumination / Nvidia RTX GI:
Set Nvidia RTX Global Illumination to Static or Dynamic on High rather than Epic, which is heavy with limited in‑game advantage.
For Global Illumination Resolution, Medium is a good sweet spot that avoids big FPS drops.
Shadows:
Shadows are expensive; Medium or High usually looks good enough while saving many frames compared to Epic.
If your GPU is weak, drop them to Low to remove stutters in crowded fights.
Post‑processing and effects:
Keep Post‑Processing at Medium or High for decent visuals but disable unnecessary eye‑candy like Motion Blur and Chromatic Aberration to improve clarity in combat.
Effects can stay on High unless you are struggling; then lowering to Medium can help in heavy explosions or weather.
Textures:
Set Texture Quality to High if your GPU has enough VRAM; dropping textures is usually a last resort because it hurts visual clarity more than performance.
Foliage and view distance:
Foliage can be set to Low or High depending on your preference; lower foliage gives clearer visibility in competitive play and saves some GPU time.
View Distance should be High or Epic so enemies and objects are not popping in too close to you.
A good “balanced” preset for 1080p mid‑range GPUs is: High textures, High shadows, Medium global illumination resolution, Medium post‑processing, High effects, Low foliage, Epic view distance, motion blur off.
Using DLSS on Nvidia GPUs
If you have an Nvidia RTX card, DLSS is your main weapon for boosting FPS at higher resolutions.
Resolution scaling method: Select DLSS in the Arc Raiders graphics settings on RTX GPUs.
DLSS mode:
Quality: Best for 1080p and 1440p when you want near‑native sharpness with a moderate FPS boost.
Balanced: Good compromise between clarity and performance if you are slightly below your FPS target.
Performance or Ultra Performance: Better for 4K or very weak GPUs, but may introduce more image softness.
DLSS Frame Generation: If available, enable it on RTX 40‑series cards to generate extra frames on top of DLSS upscaling for a smoother feel.
Remember that frame generation increases the displayed FPS but can slightly increase input latency, so always combine it with Nvidia Reflex and a frame cap for the best experience.
Using FSR 3 and frame generation on AMD and older GPUs
Arc Raiders supports AMD FSR 3, which works on both Radeon and many Nvidia GPUs, giving a big performance boost without vendor lock‑in.
Resolution scaling method: Select AMD FSR 3 in the in‑game settings instead of native rendering when you need more FPS.
FSR quality preset:
Quality: Recommended starting point for most players; keeps good sharpness.
Balanced or Performance: Use if you have a low‑end GPU and need substantial FPS gains.
FSR 3 Frame Generation:
Turn AMD FSR 3 Frame Generation on if your GPU and driver support it, then cap FPS around your monitor refresh to avoid uneven frame pacing.
Note that when FSR frame generation is active, VRR/G‑Sync type sync can behave differently, so hitting the refresh limit becomes more important.
FSR 3 uses a combination of upscaling, frame interpolation, and optical‑flow data to insert synthetic frames, which greatly increases perceived smoothness when your base FPS is already decent.
Nvidia Control Panel settings for Arc Raiders
Fine‑tuning the Nvidia Control Panel can free a few extra frames and improve input response, especially on RTX 20/30/40 series GPUs.
Key options under “Manage 3D settings” (per‑game profile for Arc Raiders is recommended):
Power management mode: Set to “Prefer maximum performance” to stop down‑clocking mid‑match and keep frame times consistent.
Low Latency Mode:
Use “On” or “Ultra” to reduce render queue and input lag, especially if you are not using Reflex, though Reflex generally overrides this in supported games.
Texture filtering – Quality: Change this to “High performance” or “Performance” to gain some FPS with minimal visual loss.
Anisotropic filtering: Leave “Application‑controlled” and adjust in game, or set a moderate forced value like 8x if you prefer sharper textures at oblique angles.
Vertical sync: Leave “Use the 3D application setting” and handle VSync/capping in game or with an external limiter like RTSS based on your preference.
Preferred refresh rate: Set to “Highest available” for your monitor so Arc Raiders always runs at the max refresh.
These global tweaks combined with DLSS and decent in‑game presets usually eliminate most hitching on Nvidia systems.
AMD Radeon Software settings for Arc Raiders
On AMD GPUs, Radeon Software (Adrenalin) includes several features that directly improve responsiveness and FPS if used correctly.
Important options in the per‑game profile for Arc Raiders:
Radeon Anti‑Lag / Anti‑Lag+:
Enable this to reduce the gap between your input and what appears on screen, especially when the GPU is the bottleneck.
Radeon Boost:
Turn this on if supported; it dynamically lowers resolution during fast camera movement to gain FPS with minimal visual impact.
Radeon Chill:
Optional FPS limiter with Min/Max sliders; set Min close to your desired idle FPS and Max near your monitor refresh to save power and heat in quieter scenes.
Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) / HYPR‑RX:
HYPR‑RX can automatically enable RSR/FSR, Anti‑Lag, and Boost for a quick “one‑click” performance profile; you can then fine‑tune per game.
When Arc Raiders has native FSR 3, prioritize in‑game FSR first, then use HYPR‑RX mainly for the latency and Boost components.
Combining in‑game FSR 3 with Anti‑Lag and a sensible FPS cap often yields smooth, responsive gameplay even on mid‑range Radeon cards.
Competitive vs cinematic presets
Depending on your playstyle, you can emphasize either clarity and FPS or visuals and immersion.
Competitive preset (aim: maximum FPS, clear visibility):
Display: Borderless Fullscreen, native resolution, VSync off, FPS capped slightly below refresh.
Upscaling: DLSS/FSR on Quality or Balanced; frame generation on if supported and stable.
Graphics: Low or Medium shadows, Medium global illumination, Low foliage, motion blur and film grain disabled, textures High.
Driver: Nvidia Low Latency “On/Ultra” or AMD Anti‑Lag, power mode set to maximum performance.
Cinematic preset (aim: visual quality with acceptable FPS):
Display: Native resolution, optional VSync or VRR with frame cap to avoid stutter.
Upscaling: DLSS/FSR on Quality with frame generation if needed for extra smoothness.
Graphics: High or Epic global illumination and shadows if your GPU can handle it, High post‑processing, High foliage, motion blur optional based on taste.
Driver: Standard quality profile, power mode balanced or maximum depending on thermals.
You can offer these as two separate presets in your article and then show users how to tweak them up or down based on their hardware class.
Final practical tips
A few last adjustments often turn a “good” setup into a great one for Arc Raiders.
Test changes in the same area or mission each time so your FPS comparisons are consistent.
Watch frametimes (via tools like Afterburner) as well as FPS; smooth frametime graphs matter more for feel than raw average FPS.
If you get micro‑stutters despite high FPS, try slightly lowering global illumination and shadows, then tighten your frame cap.
On both Nvidia and AMD, always prioritize upscalers (DLSS/FSR 3) over dropping base resolution; the image will usually look cleaner with better performance.
