Starfield FPS Optimization Guide
Starfield, the new action RPG developed by Bethesda Game Studios, has quickly become the talk of the town. The game’s high-quality graphics and intricate details set a new standard for PC performance. However, these features can be demanding on your PC, causing fluctuations in your Frames Per Second (FPS). This blog post will guide you through various methods to enable the FPS counter in Starfield, helping you to enhance your gaming experience.
Understanding FPS in Gaming
In the gaming world, FPS refers to the number of frames your computer can display per second. A higher FPS indicates smoother gameplay, which can significantly enhance your gaming experience. An FPS counter can help you assess your PC’s performance, allowing you to adjust settings for optimal gameplay.
Starfield: A New Benchmark in Gaming
Launched on September 6, the much-awaited Starfield has set new standards in the gaming world. The game’s rich graphical content and intricate details can demand a lot from even the most advanced PCs. This can lead to FPS drops, affecting the game’s performance.
Starfield’s graphics menu is relatively straightforward, with only four presets available. However, the game does not feature an in-built FPS counter. Therefore, players must resort to third-party applications like Steam and Nvidia GeForce Experience to monitor their FPS.
Enabling FPS Counter in Starfield using Steam
If you are playing Starfield on Steam, follow these steps to enable the FPS counter:
- Launch the Steam application.
- Click on the Settings option at the top left corner of the screen.
- Navigate to the In-Game settings.
- Look for the In-Game FPS Counter option.
- Choose the corner of the screen where you want the counter to appear.
- You can also choose a High contrast color for better visibility.
Enabling FPS Counter in Starfield using Nvidia GeForce Experience
For Nvidia users, the GeForce Experience app offers a detailed FPS counter. Here’s how to enable it:
- Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience application.
- Go to Settings.
- Under the General section, ensure that the In-Game Overlay is enabled.
- Click on Settings under the In-Game Overlay section to launch the overlay settings.
- Navigate to HUD Settings and select Performance.
- Now you can turn on the FPS counter and choose its position on the screen.
This app can display other stats as well, such as Latency, CPU, and GPU utilization, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of your PC’s performance.
Optimizing Starfield for Better FPS
While Starfield only offers four graphic presets, they provide an excellent balance between performance and image quality. To further optimize your performance, you can adjust the following settings:
| Parameter | Setting |
|---|---|
| Borderless Full Screen | On |
| Dynamic Resolution | Off |
| Render Resolution | 75% |
| Graphics Preset | Custom |
| Shadow Quality | Medium |
| Indirect Lighting | Medium |
| Reflections | Medium |
| Particle Quality | Low |
| Volumetric Lighting | Low |
| Crowd Density | Low |
| Motion Blur | Off |
| GTAO Quality | Low |
| Grass Quality | High |
| Contact Shadows | Medium |
| VSync | Off |
| Upscaling | FSR2 |
| Enable VRS | On |
| Depth of Field | On |
If you still experience FPS drops, you can reduce the render resolution further to 65%. Also, bear in mind that the graphic quality can affect FPS. Therefore, a medium setting is recommended for a balance between FPS and visuals.
System Requirements for Starfield
Before you dive into Starfield, ensure that your system meets the following minimum and recommended requirements:
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 version 21H1 | Windows 10 version 21H1 |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | Intel Core i7-6800K |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
| Graphics Card | AMD RX 5700 | Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti |
| DirectX Version | DirectX 12 | DirectX 12 |
Advanced Optimization Tips for Starfield
Here are a few additional tips to optimize your Starfield experience:
- Keep an FPS counter-active during gameplay.
- Choose a preset that delivers your desired framerate.
- Adjust one setting at a time to identify the ones affecting your FPS the most.
- Distribute your remaining resources to address the problematic settings.
- Use a CPU with at least eight cores for smooth gameplay.
- For your GPU, an RTX 3070 Tu is recommended to maintain 60 FPS without FSR 2 enabled.
Wrapping Up
Starfield offers an immersive gaming experience, but its high-quality graphics can be demanding on your PC. By enabling an FPS counter, either through Steam or Nvidia GeForce Experience, you can monitor and optimize your PC’s performance. Remember, the key to smooth gameplay in Starfield is a balance between performance and visuals. Happy gaming!