Improve Skate Performance & Graphics Settings on PC

This guide helps you get smoother gameplay and better visuals in the early access version of Skate on PC. You’ll learn which settings to change, how to fix common performance issues, and what to avoid. Before you start, make sure your graphics drivers are up to date and that you’ve closed any background programs that use a lot of CPU or RAM.

What You’ll Need

• A PC that meets the minimum system requirements for Skate (early access)
• Updated GPU drivers (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel)
• Access to the in-game settings menu
• Optional: a frame rate monitoring tool like MSI Afterburner or the built-in Steam FPS counter

Step-by-Step

1. Update your graphics drivers. Go to the website of your GPU manufacturer (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest driver for your specific card. Outdated drivers are a common cause of stuttering and crashes in early access titles.
2. Launch the game and open Settings. From the main menu, navigate to the settings icon (usually a gear symbol). Look for the “Video” or “Graphics” tab.
3. Set the resolution to your monitor’s native resolution. If you have a 1080p monitor, set the resolution to 1920×1080. Running at a lower resolution makes the game blurry, while a higher one can hurt performance.
4. Choose a display mode. For most players, “Fullscreen” gives the best performance. “Windowed” or “Borderless” can cause input lag and lower frame rates. If you need to alt-tab often, borderless is convenient, but fullscreen is better for speed.
5. Turn off V-Sync. In the graphics settings, find “V-Sync” (or “Vertical Sync”) and set it to “Off.” V-Sync caps your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate (usually 60 Hz), which can cause input lag. If you see screen tearing, you can turn it back on later, but for performance, keep it off.
6. Cap your frame rate. If your PC can run the game faster than your monitor’s refresh rate, cap the frame rate to just below your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 60 FPS on a 60 Hz monitor). This reduces GPU load and keeps temperatures lower. Use the in-game FPS limiter if available, or use your GPU driver’s control panel.
7. Adjust the main quality presets. Start with the “Low” or “Medium” preset to see how the game runs. Then, gradually increase individual settings one at a time to find the sweet spot between visuals and performance.
8. Set specific graphics options:
   • Shadows: Set to Low or Medium. Shadows are very demanding on the CPU and GPU. High shadows can cause stutters in open areas.
   • Textures: Keep this at High if your GPU has enough VRAM (4GB or more). Lower it to Medium if you get texture pop-in or stuttering.
   • Anti-Aliasing (AA): Turn this off or use a lighter option like FXAA. MSAA is especially heavy in early access builds.
   • Ambient Occlusion: Turn this off or set to Low. It adds depth but costs a lot of performance.
   • Motion Blur: Turn off. It can make the game feel smoother but hides detail and can cause nausea for some players.
   • Depth of Field: Turn off. This is a cinematic effect that blurs distant objects and can cost FPS.
   • Post-Processing: Set to Low or Medium. This includes effects like bloom and chromatic aberration, which are not essential.
9. Change the rendering scale (if available). Some games have a “Resolution Scale” or “Render Scale” option. Setting this to 75% or 80% renders the game at a lower internal resolution, which boosts FPS significantly, but may look slightly blurry. You can combine this with sharpening if the game has it.
10. Apply the settings and test. After changing settings, apply them and play for a few minutes. Watch your frame rate and notice any stutters. If it’s smooth, you can try increasing a setting or two. If not, lower something else.
11. Restart the game. Some graphics changes may not take effect until you restart. Do this once you’ve set everything.

Common Mistakes

• Changing every setting at once. If you change everything and the game runs worse, you won’t know which setting caused it. Change one or two at a time.
• Setting everything to Ultra. Early access games are often not fully optimized. Ultra settings can be extremely demanding and may cause crashes.
• Ignoring the CPU. Skate is a physics-heavy game, so your CPU matters. If your GPU is not at 100% but your frame rate is low, your CPU is the bottleneck. Lowering shadow quality and physics-related settings can help.
• Keeping background apps open. Browsers, Discord, and other apps consume RAM and CPU. Close them while playing.
• Not checking for game updates. Early access games get patches frequently. An outdated version may have performance issues that are already fixed.

Tips

• Use the in-game benchmark if available. Some games include a benchmark tool that tests your settings and gives you a score. Use it to compare different configs.
• Monitor your temperatures. Use software like MSI Afterburner to check your GPU and CPU temperatures. If they’re above 85°C, improve your PC’s cooling.
• Turn on DLSS or FSR if supported. If the game supports NVIDIA DLSS or AMD FSR, turn it on. These upscaling technologies can boost FPS with minimal visual loss.
• Set the game to High Priority in Task Manager. While the game is running, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to Details, right-click on the game’s .exe, and set priority to “High.” This can help on older CPUs.
• Clear the shader cache. If you experience stuttering after updating drivers, clear the shader cache. For NVIDIA, use the control panel; for AMD, use the Adrenalin software.

Troubleshooting

• Game crashes on startup. Verify the game files through Steam (right-click the game, Properties, Local Files, Verify Integrity). Also, update your drivers and close overlays like Discord or GeForce Experience.
• Frame rate is low even on Low settings. Check if your power plan is set to “High Performance” in Windows. Also, make sure the game is using your dedicated GPU if you have a laptop with both integrated and dedicated graphics. In Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics, set the game to “High Performance.”
• Stuttering or hitching. This often happens when the game loads new areas. If you have an HDD, consider moving the game to an SSD. Also, lower the “Texture Quality” to reduce loading strain.
• Screen tearing. If you turned off V-Sync and see tearing, try capping your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate, or turn on V-Sync if tearing is unbearable.
• Settings not saving. Some early access games have bugs where settings reset. Check if the game’s config file is set to read-only. You can also try changing settings and then restarting the game to see if they stick.
• Game uses too much RAM. If you get out-of-memory errors, lower the texture quality and close background apps. Also, make sure your Windows page file is set to system managed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Skate early access optimized?

Early access means the game is not fully optimized. Performance can vary a lot between updates. The settings above help mitigate common issues, but you may still encounter bugs.

What’s the best graphics preset for a mid-range PC?

Start with Medium, then lower Shadows and Anti-Aliasing to Low. Keep Textures at High if you have 4GB+ VRAM. This usually gives a good balance.

Does Skate support DLSS or FSR?

Check the graphics settings menu. If these options are present, enabling them can significantly boost FPS. If not, you can’t force them without mods, which is not recommended.

Why is my CPU usage so high?

Skate simulates physics for the board and character, which is CPU-intensive. Lowering the “Simulation” or “Physics” setting (if present) can help. Also, close background apps.

Will lowering graphics affect my online gameplay?

No, graphics settings only affect your local rendering. Online performance depends on your internet connection and the game’s servers.

Can I play on a laptop?

Yes, but expect to run on Low or Medium settings. Make sure your laptop is plugged in and set to High Performance mode. Also, ensure the game uses your dedicated GPU, not the integrated one.

Related

• Railway PLB 78 Days: Cabinet Approval Year
• If I Delete Life360 Can I Still Be Tracked?
• Home vs Hosting Provider for Game Servers