The Tool Desk
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Start with the weakest component
The game’s first-launch hardware detection chooses settings automatically, but treat that selection as a baseline rather than a final verdict. The Bus Simulator team’s 2026 guide recommends comparing your CPU, GPU, and RAM with its hardware categories and using the weakest component as your starting point. Stronger components may still support higher settings in their respective areas. Official hardware, settings, and performance guide.
The guide describes the CPU as handling much of the city simulation. That distinction matters: simulation density can affect CPU load, while resolution and visual effects primarily affect the GPU. Change the settings associated with the component that is limiting performance.
Find out whether the CPU, GPU, or RAM is limiting performance
CPU-limited: reduce city simulation density
If performance worsens in crowded or busy areas, lower AI Vehicle Density and Pedestrian Density first. These settings affect the simulated traffic and pedestrians that add work for the CPU. Changing visual quality or enabling upscaling is unlikely to fix a slowdown caused by the CPU.
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GPU-limited: use DLSS, then reduce demanding graphics options
On a supported NVIDIA GPU, start with DLSS Quality for the guide’s recommended balance between image quality and performance. If you need more GPU relief, try Balanced; Performance prioritizes GPU relief further and is especially relevant at higher resolutions such as 4K.
If DLSS is unavailable or insufficient, lower Global Illumination, Shadows, or Reflections / Effects, then consider reducing resolution. DLSS and Frame Generation do not resolve a CPU bottleneck.
RAM-limited: reduce competing memory use
Close unnecessary background applications if available memory is constrained. The official guide says a RAM upgrade may be needed when a system has less memory than the category being targeted; that is conditional advice, not evidence that adding RAM will raise FPS when memory is not the limiting factor.
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- 3rd Generation Tensor Cores: Get up to 2X the throughput with structural sparsity and advanced AI algorithms such as DLSS. These cores deliver a massive boost in game performance and all-new AI capabilities.
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Choose a resolution target that fits your PC
The following figures are the Bus Simulator team’s 2026 guidance by PC category, not independently tested benchmarks or guaranteed results on every system. The guide notes that resolution affects GPU workload and suggests lowering resolution or using DLSS among the first steps when the GPU struggles.
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| Official PC category | Resolution and performance guidance |
|---|---|
| Low End PC | 1080p (FHD) |
| Basic PC | 1080p (FHD) |
| Standard PC | 1080p or 1440p (WQHD), depending on preferred graphics quality and frame rate |
| Performance PC | 1080p for 60+ FPS at High settings, or 1440p if you accept a lower frame rate |
| High End PC | 1440p at 60+ FPS, or 4K (UHD) at around 50 FPS at Epic settings |
Use these targets to set expectations, not to predict an exact result. If your GPU is weaker than the rest of your system, start with its category; a capable CPU does not guarantee that the GPU can sustain a higher resolution.
Check your hardware against the official requirements
The official FAQ lists the following PC requirements and identifies Unreal Engine 5. Meeting a listed requirement does not guarantee a particular frame rate.
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| Requirement tier | Operating system | CPU | Memory | Graphics | DirectX | Available storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Windows 11 64-bit | Core i3-12100 / Ryzen 5 2600X or better | 16 GB RAM or more | Nvidia GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580 or better | DirectX 12 | 20 GB |
| Recommended | Windows 11 64-bit | Core i7-14100KF / Ryzen 5 9600X or better | 32 GB RAM or more | Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT or better | DirectX 12 | 20 GB |
Use the official Bus Simulator 27 FAQ and store listing to check the published requirements. Consider an upgrade only after identifying a relevant limit: the recommended GPU or RAM figures are not proof that replacing either component will improve performance on a system where it is not the bottleneck.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apply changes in a controlled order
- Keep the detected settings as your baseline. The game’s integrated hardware detection selects settings at first launch.
- Identify where performance falls off. Drops in busy areas point toward simulation load; persistent difficulty at a demanding resolution points toward GPU load. Check whether available RAM is constrained before treating memory as the cause.
- Change the matching settings first. For busy-area CPU slowdowns, reduce AI Vehicle Density and Pedestrian Density. For GPU load on supported NVIDIA hardware, try DLSS Quality, then Balanced or Performance if needed.
- Trim GPU-heavy options only if the GPU remains the limit. Reduce Global Illumination, Shadows, or Reflections / Effects, and lower resolution if necessary.
- Reassess after each change. Keeping changes targeted makes it easier to tell which adjustment helped and which only reduced visual quality.
Check the installed version if problems persist
The official changelog records performance and stability improvements across updates. PC 1.09 hotfix notes include additional performance improvements and optimizations, and update notes also record an added shader-compilation indicator. Those notes do not quantify the gains, so they do not establish a specific FPS increase. Check the installed version and the official Bus Simulator 27 changelog before assuming a setting is the sole cause of low FPS or stuttering.
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