ARC Raiders Graphics Settings for Smoother Performance

For smoother performance in ARC Raiders, start with a 60 FPS cap, lower shadows and effects, and use DLSS or FSR upscaling if your system supports it. This combination usually improves frame consistency without making the image unnecessarily blurry; the best exact settings depend on your graphics card, resolution, and whether you value clarity or higher frame rates most.

What to Look For

Judge settings by more than the average FPS counter. A stable frame rate, fewer sudden dips during combat, and responsive controls matter more than a high peak that fluctuates constantly. Check performance in busy fights and populated areas, not only in a quiet scene.

• Resolution and render scale: Native resolution gives the clearest image. Lowering render scale or using an upscaler can recover performance, but may soften fine detail.
• Upscaling support: NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS can render internally at a lower resolution and reconstruct the image. Availability depends on the game version and hardware; choose the option actually shown in your graphics menu.
• Expensive visual effects: Shadows, reflections, volumetric effects, and post-processing can cost frames. Lower these before sacrificing texture quality, particularly if your graphics card has enough video memory.
• Frame pacing and display: A sensible FPS cap can reduce swings and heat. Match it to your monitor and leave some headroom if performance varies; a cap cannot make a system render faster than it can manage.
• Clarity and latency: Motion blur and depth-of-field effects are usually optional preferences. Competitive players often turn them down for a clearer view, while excessive sharpening can make edges look harsh.
• System limits: If lowering resolution barely improves FPS, the processor or another system limit may be responsible. Make one change at a time and compare in the same type of gameplay.

Recommended Starting Point: Balanced Custom Settings

For most players, use the game’s native resolution, set overall quality to Medium as a starting point, then lower shadows and effects to Low or Medium. Keep textures at Medium or High if video memory allows, and disable motion blur if you prefer a sharper view. Apply changes and check a demanding match before adjusting further.

Strengths: This avoids the unnecessary image-quality loss of an all-Low preset while targeting settings that commonly affect performance. It is easy to tune around either a modest or powerful graphics card.

Trade-offs: “Medium” does not guarantee the same results on every system, and texture quality can cause stutter when video memory is tight. Best for: players who want a reliable first configuration rather than a one-size-fits-all preset.

Recommended Option: DLSS, FSR, or XeSS on Quality

If the graphics menu offers an upscaler compatible with your system, try its Quality mode first. NVIDIA DLSS is designed for supported GeForce hardware; AMD FSR works across a broader range of GPUs when the game provides it; Intel XeSS is another option when listed. Use the option available in ARC Raiders rather than assuming every technology appears on every PC.

Strengths: Quality mode can improve frame rate while retaining more detail than a substantial manual resolution drop. Trade-offs: Reconstruction may introduce softness, shimmering, or other artifacts, especially in motion. Modes such as Balanced or Performance can give more speed but usually reduce image clarity further. Best for: players whose graphics card is the bottleneck and who want more FPS without immediately lowering their display resolution.

Recommended Option: Lower Shadows and Effects

Set shadow quality and demanding effects to Low or Medium before reducing every setting. If the menu separates reflections, volumetrics, or post-processing, lower those selectively and compare the result. Keep textures higher when possible: textures affect detail and video-memory use, but do not always deliver the same performance gain when lowered as costly lighting or effects settings.

Strengths: You can often gain performance while preserving crisp textures and a natural-looking scene. Trade-offs: Shadows and atmospheric effects may look less detailed, and the exact FPS gain varies by location and hardware. Best for: players who want a sharper image than an all-Low preset provides, or who need to reduce GPU load without changing resolution.

Recommended Option: Native Resolution with a Sensible FPS Cap

If your system already runs well, keep your monitor’s native resolution and cap FPS at a level it can sustain consistently. A 60 FPS cap is a practical starting point for a system that struggles to hold higher rates. Faster systems can test a higher cap suited to their display, but avoid setting one far above what the PC can maintain.

Strengths: Native resolution stays clear, and a cap can reduce large frame-rate swings, heat, and unnecessary GPU work. Trade-offs: A cap will not fix severe dips, and a low cap can make a high-refresh display feel less responsive. Best for: players who prioritize stable, readable gameplay over chasing the highest possible number.

Recommended Option: Low Settings for Older or Entry-Level PCs

On a system that cannot hold a comfortable frame rate, begin with Low settings for shadows and effects, then test a supported upscaler in Quality or Balanced mode. Lower the render resolution only if those steps are not enough. Keep an eye on readability: a very low resolution can make distant objects and interface details harder to distinguish.

Strengths: This gives limited hardware the best chance of delivering a playable, more consistent experience. Trade-offs: The scene will look less detailed, and upscaling or reduced resolution can blur fine features. Best for: older graphics cards, laptops, and players who prefer smoother motion to visual detail.

Recommended Option: High Textures with Reduced Costly Effects

When your GPU has ample video memory and enough processing headroom, try High textures while keeping shadows and effects at Medium. This preserves surface detail without insisting that every costly effect stay at maximum quality. If you see texture pop-in, hitching, or memory warnings, lower textures and retest.

Strengths: A useful quality-performance balance for capable midrange and high-end systems. Trade-offs: High textures can overwhelm cards with limited video memory, and they are not a substitute for lowering GPU-heavy settings. Best for: players who have spare video memory and want detailed environments without maxing every option.

How to Choose

Start with your goal. For competitive responsiveness, lower effects, disable motion blur if preferred, and use an FPS cap your PC can hold. For a clearer cinematic image, keep native resolution and textures higher, then lower shadows or use an upscaler in Quality mode. For a struggling system, prioritize stable performance over maximum detail.

Consider your hardware and resolution. At higher resolutions, the graphics card has more work to do, so an upscaler may help. If changing graphics quality has little effect, lowering resolution may not solve the actual bottleneck. Close unnecessary background applications and make sure the game is using the intended graphics processor on a laptop.

Tune methodically. Record your baseline FPS and note whether dips happen in fights, traversal, or everywhere. Change one setting, repeat a similar gameplay test, and keep the change only if it helps without harming visibility too much. Avoid copying settings from another PC as if they guarantee the same result.

Balance the cap and display. A stable 60 FPS can feel better than a higher rate that repeatedly drops, but a high-refresh monitor benefits from more frames when the system can deliver them. If you use variable refresh rate, keep the cap within a range your display and system handle smoothly. Check the in-game options and your monitor settings rather than relying on a universal cap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use DLSS or FSR in ARC Raiders?
Use whichever compatible upscaler the game offers for your hardware. Start with Quality mode; try Balanced if you need more performance and accept a softer image.

Which graphics settings should I lower first?
Try shadows and demanding effects first, then compare. Lower render resolution or switch upscaling modes if the GPU remains the limit.

Is Low preset best for competitive play?
Not necessarily. A custom mix can preserve useful texture detail while reducing distracting or expensive effects. Prioritize stable frames and clear visibility.

What FPS cap should I use?
Start at 60 FPS if your system struggles to maintain higher rates. If it holds more consistently and your monitor supports it, test a higher cap; there is no best value for every PC.

Why does the game still stutter after lowering settings?
Stutter can come from CPU limits, background tasks, shader compilation, limited video memory, or other system issues—not just graphics quality. Check for repeatable patterns and change one factor at a time.

Bottom Line

For a practical all-around setup, keep your native resolution, start at Medium, lower shadows and effects, and use DLSS, FSR, or XeSS in Quality mode if available. Cap FPS at a rate your PC can sustain, then test in demanding gameplay and adjust based on whether your priority is steadier motion, sharper detail, or higher frame rates. ARC Raiders’ best settings depend on your hardware, so treat this as a starting point rather than a guaranteed preset.

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