Engadget guide: how to boost gaming FPS without buying new hardware

The guide begins with basics: close background apps so they do not compete for resources, and clean the gaming rig. Excess dust in the case forces the system to work harder to cool itself rather than putting power toward performance.

In-game menus are the next stop. Engadget advised lowering texture quality, shadows and effects such as ambient occlusion to medium or low if a stable frame rate is difficult. It also suggested disabling motion blur and in-game V-sync to reduce input lag, then capping frame rate through the NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon software to prevent screen tearing.

The article noted that the difference between high and low settings is not always large, especially during fast-paced action. Unless graphical fidelity is the priority, a less demanding preset is a sensible choice for a locked 60 fps because graphics quality and performance have an inverse relationship. Many modern titles auto-detect optimized settings on first boot by calculating the hardware in use. Engadget said this removes much of the trial-and-error tinkering and works particularly well in Forza Horizon 6 and GTA V: Enhanced Edition.

There are less obvious steps that do not involve graphics menus. Turning off recording software such as the options offered by the NVIDIA app and Xbox Game Bar can help, though the gains will be smaller than lowering internal resolution, according to the guide. It also recommended regularly downloading the latest AMD or NVIDIA drivers and updating the NVIDIA or AMD app. If an update suddenly breaks a game, the driver should be rolled back.

Windows 11 also has settings worth checking. Engadget said users can go to Settings, System, Power [and battery], Power Mode and set the slider to Best Performance. This is especially useful on gaming laptops, though battery life should be monitored. Under Settings, Gaming, Game Mode, the feature should be turned on, as it de-prioritizes other processes during play.

For modern AAA games, supersampling has become a common crutch, and the guide said an upscaler is the best bet for higher fps. NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 is currently the most robust supersampling solution on the market, producing results that often look as good as native resolution while being far more performant, according to Engadget. AMD FSR 4 is a strong option for RDNA 4 cards such as the Radeon RX 9000 Series, while the older open-source FSR 3 remains a decent alternative for older GPUs. For systems with an Intel Arc card, XeSS is also worth enabling.

The article explained that supersampling uses AI and deep learning to take low internal resolutions and upscale them to a higher output. The GPU natively renders far fewer pixels, with AI handling reconstruction, which leads to higher frame rates. In NVIDIA DLSS presets, Quality mode renders 66.7 percent of the pixels while looking almost as good as native output, the guide said. Ultra Performance renders only 33 percent of native resolution but still provides a surprisingly clean image that should seriously boost frame rate.

Frame generation can raise fps further, but at a cost. Engadget noted that NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Multi Frame Generation can let players run Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing in 4K at upwards of 200 fps with the x6 multiplier. However, input lag can increase drastically when the technology is enabled, the article said.

Editor's Summary

Engadget's guide says PC gamers can improve frame rates without new hardware by lowering demanding graphics settings, disabling recording software, updating drivers, optimizing Windows 11 power and Game Mode, and using upscalers such as DLSS 4.5, FSR 4 and XeSS. It warns that frame generation can raise fps but may substantially increase input lag. The recommendations focus on settings and software rather than GPU or RAM purchases.