There is no universal best settings profile for Marathon: the right choices depend on your PC, display, room lighting, controller and comfort. On PC, Bungie’s high-frame-rate starting point is 1920×1080, VSync off, the frame-rate cap disabled and Medium graphics quality. For visibility, calibrate HDR and shadows on your own display. For controller aim, keep the defaults at first and change one setting at a time to address a specific problem.
Think of performance, visibility and aim as separate tuning jobs. A lower frame rate calls for performance diagnosis; unreadable shadows call for display and calibration checks; a slow turn or twitchy reticle calls for a careful controller adjustment. Treat each change as a test, not a guaranteed improvement: official guidance does not provide controlled FPS comparisons for individual settings or a single best preset across systems.
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Best starting settings by platform
Use the profiles below as starting points, not guaranteed performance targets. Bungie’s PC guide describes its graphics combination as a configuration aimed at 120+ FPS for many mid- and high-spec systems; it does not promise that every PC will reach that rate. The guidance does not establish a console graphics preset or a single brightness value that works for every screen.
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| Use case | Starting point | What to tune next |
|---|---|---|
| PC performance | 1920×1080 resolution; VSync off; frame-rate cap disabled; Medium graphics quality. | Measure FPS in representative gameplay, then determine whether CPU or GPU work is the constraint before changing more settings. |
| HDR visibility on PC or console | Use the game’s first-launch HDR calibration when HDR is enabled on an HDR-capable display. | Adjust Midpoint, Peak Brightness and shadow levels for the display and room rather than copying another player’s values. |
| Controller aim | Start with the game’s defaults, including the aim curve and sensitivity. | Make small, targeted changes. Optional controller hardware profiles are separate from in-game settings and are not available on every controller. |
The PC profile comes from Bungie’s Marathon Help performance guide. The controller recommendations were attributed to the Marathon development team in Jim Eldin’s PlayStation Blog article dated April 28, 2026. HDR ranges and display advice come from Bungie’s Marathon Help calibration guidance.
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These recommendations apply to different parts of the setup. Bungie’s high-frame-rate configuration is specifically a PC graphics starting point; it should not be read as a recommended console preset. The HDR calibration steps cover HDR-capable PC and console displays, while controller sensitivity and the DualSense Edge profile suggestions concern input. A player using a controller on PC can apply the controller advice without treating it as a graphics setting.
How to diagnose PC performance before tuning
FPS alone tells you whether performance is meeting your needs, but it does not identify the cause of a slowdown. Bungie explains that the CPU handles game simulation and prepares work for rendering, while the GPU renders the image. The slower part of that work can limit the frame. Overall CPU utilization is not enough on its own to rule out a CPU constraint, particularly when some work depends on single-thread performance.
Measure in the game you actually play
- Open Settings > Gameplay > In-game FPS counter and enable the counter. The Steam overlay is another option if you play through Steam.
- Apply Bungie’s PC starting profile: 1920×1080, VSync off, frame-rate cap disabled and Medium graphics quality.
- Check performance in representative conditions. Compare ordinary areas with demanding locations or encounters; Bungie specifically describes dense environments such as Outpost and Cryo Archive as relevant examples.
- Use the result to decide whether your goal is already met. A 120+ target is Bungie’s stated aim for its recommended starting configuration, not an independently verified outcome for every hardware combination.
Keep the test conditions as consistent as you can. If you change resolution, quality, VSync and the frame-rate cap together, an FPS change will not tell you which adjustment mattered. Start from the recommended combination, note what the counter shows in the same kind of gameplay, and then make a targeted change only if there is a specific reason. An uncapped counter can also show what the system is rendering without a cap, but that figure is not itself a guarantee of a smoother or more readable experience.
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If you need to investigate a performance bottleneck, Bungie’s guide describes a temporary test that minimizes GPU workload: disable anti-aliasing and set render resolution to 25%. If performance remains constrained under that reduced GPU load, CPU work may be relevant. This is a diagnostic procedure only. The image will look substantially worse, so restore normal render resolution and anti-aliasing after the test; 25% render resolution is not a visibility or play-quality recommendation.
Use this test to narrow the question, not to choose a permanent image-quality setup. Reducing the GPU workload can help distinguish a likely graphics-side limit from a CPU-side limit, but it does not replace checking performance in the scenes where you play. Marathon’s work is split between simulation, render preparation and rendering, and the slowest part constrains the frame. A result in a relatively simple scene may not describe a dense area such as Outpost or Cryo Archive.
Marathon is multithreaded and is Bungie’s first shipped DirectX 12 title, according to the performance guide. That context helps explain why neither a broad “CPU usage” reading nor one FPS figure necessarily tells the whole story: results depend on the CPU, GPU, scene and settings together. The guide does not provide controlled hardware-by-hardware benchmarks or measured FPS gains for individual options, so treat changes as tests on your own system rather than guaranteed boosts.
Frame generation: meet the baseline first
Update 1.1.0, dated June 2, 2026, added PC frame-generation support for DLSS (NVIDIA), FSR (AMD) and XeSS (Intel). Bungie recommends using frame generation only when the game is already rendering at 60 FPS or higher before frame generation. Below that baseline, Bungie warns of possible input-latency and image-quality effects. Frame generation is therefore not a substitute for diagnosing a system that cannot sustain a suitable rendering rate. The same update described CPU performance improvements as the first of more planned updates; patch-dependent behavior can change, so check the current in-game options and Bungie patch notes when applying advice to a later version.
The 60 FPS threshold refers to the rendering rate before frame generation is applied, not a promise that enabling the feature will produce a specific final rate. If your performance is below that baseline, first use the FPS counter and temporary GPU-load test to understand the limitation. If it is at or above the threshold, frame generation is an available option to evaluate, but the cited guidance does not guarantee the same result on every supported GPU or system.
Best Marathon settings for visibility
Visibility is a display-calibration problem as much as a game-settings problem. HDR controls, shadow detail, the display’s own processing and room light can all affect how readable dark areas and contrast appear. There is no evidence-supported universal brightness or HDR number that makes every display more competitive.
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- Aim and move with precision by swapping in fresh stick modules* so you’re always playing with equipment that’s in great shape. Plus, three types of changeable stick caps help you stay comfortable in-game without sacrificing grip or stability.
- Mappable back buttons The DualSense Edge wireless controller’s two swappable sets of back buttons can be configured to any other button input, so you’ve always got game-changing actions and essential controls at your fingertips.
- Adjustable trigger lengths Manually set the travel distance of your left and right triggers for an optimal experience with whatever you’re playing. Fast-paced FPS? Set a shorter travel distance to shoot faster on the field. Competitive racer? Set a longer travel distance for precise throttle control on the track.
- Remappable buttons Remap or even deactivate specific button inputs, so you can create a completely personalized control setup that’s ideal for the game at hand.
- Quick-swap control profiles Once you’ve found your ideal control settings, you can save them to unique profiles and swap between them on-the-fly, so your favourite configurations are always ready when you are.
Separate three things when an image seems hard to read: the game’s calibration controls, processing performed by the display, and the light in the room. Adjusting Midpoint or shadow levels changes the game calibration; turning off a TV enhancement changes its processing; changing the room lighting changes how contrast appears to you. If all three are altered at once, it becomes difficult to tell which change helped.
Calibrate HDR for your display
When HDR is enabled on an HDR-capable PC or console display, Marathon presents HDR controls during first-launch calibration. Bungie describes the relevant controls as follows:
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- Peak Brightness: brightness in nits. The control’s listed minimum is 500 nits. Bungie recommends beginning near the display’s peak HDR brightness, then adjusting to preference.
These figures describe the game’s control range and default, not a recommended competitive preset. Start with the display’s actual peak HDR capability where known, then judge the calibration in the room where you play. Bungie notes that ambient light changes apparent contrast. If shadows are difficult to read, try raising shadow levels on the in-game calibration screen. A change that helps in a bright room may not be right in a darker one.
Do not assume that a Midpoint of 50 or a Peak Brightness value of 500 is the right result simply because those numbers appear in the controls. Fifty is the listed Midpoint default, while 500 nits is the listed minimum for Peak Brightness. The guide’s recommendation is to begin near the display’s peak HDR brightness and adjust to preference. If you do not know the display’s peak capability, the available guidance does not supply a universal replacement value.
Bungie’s calibration guidance puts the choice plainly: “The best image is the one that allows you to enjoy the game the most.” The practical implication is to prioritize readable detail without washing out the image or making bright areas uncomfortable, rather than treating one copied value as correct for all screens.
Check the television’s image processing
For a TV, Bungie suggests enabling Game Mode if available. It also recommends experimenting with display tonemapping that changes the image least, and suggests turning Dynamic Tonemapping or Contrast Enhancer off. HGiG may be worth testing Off or Static. These are vendor-generic suggestions, not universal menu names or settings: television terminology and behavior vary by manufacturer and model. Change one display option at a time and keep the result that preserves useful detail on your screen.
These settings are a comparison to try, not a checklist that every TV must follow. If Game Mode or a tonemapping option is unavailable, use the closest relevant controls your display exposes rather than searching for an exact label that may not exist. The goal in the guidance is to avoid display processing that changes the image more than you want; the behavior of a given option depends on the manufacturer and model.
If colors shift substantially with HDR enabled, Bungie suggests checking whether the display’s color-space setting improves the picture. The setting cannot be named universally because brands use different options and terminology. Avoid assuming that matching another person’s menu choices will produce the same image on a different display.
Refresh rate and connections
A 120 Hz or variable-refresh-rate display may improve the experience when both the system and display support the feature. Check which ports on the display support the refresh-rate or VRR feature you intend to use, and connect with a compatible cable. A display’s advertised capability alone does not establish that every port supports it.
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- Aim and move with precision by swapping in fresh stick modules* so you’re always playing with equipment that’s in great shape. Plus, three types of changeable stick caps help you stay comfortable in-game without sacrificing grip or stability.
- Mappable back buttons The DualSense Edge wireless controller’s two swappable sets of back buttons can be configured to any other button input, so you’ve always got game-changing actions and essential controls at your fingertips.
- Adjustable trigger lengths Manually set the travel distance of your left and right triggers for an optimal experience with whatever you’re playing. Fast-paced FPS? Set a shorter travel distance to shoot faster on the field. Competitive racer? Set a longer travel distance for precise throttle control on the track.
- Remappable buttons Remap or even deactivate specific button inputs, so you can create a completely personalized control setup that’s ideal for the game at hand.
- Quick-swap control profiles Once you’ve found your ideal control settings, you can save them to unique profiles and swap between them on-the-fly, so your favourite configurations are always ready when you are.
Refresh rate, variable refresh rate and game rendering performance are related parts of the setup, but the display feature alone does not establish the FPS your PC will achieve. Confirm support on the system, display port and cable path, then measure game performance separately. This keeps a connection or display limitation from being mistaken for a graphics setting that needs changing.
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Best Marathon aim settings for controller
The Marathon development team’s recommendations, published by Jim Eldin in a PlayStation Blog article on April 28, 2026, favor the game’s defaults as a strong baseline. They advise changing controls selectively instead of tuning every value at once. The article captures the reason: “There is no single perfect sensitivity setting for everyone.”
That advice applies whether you use a standard controller or have extra hardware options. The relevant comparison is not one player’s sensitivity against another’s; it is whether your current setting lets you turn and track comfortably without unwanted overshooting. Keep the defaults long enough to establish what feels wrong, then make one small change and test it before adjusting another control.
Adjust sensitivity and aim curve only to solve a problem
Marathon includes the Classic aim curve, described as the standard curve used in Bungie action games. Begin with the default curve and sensitivity. If turning in close-range fights feels too slow, raise sensitivity in small steps and reassess. If your aim becomes twitchy or you overshoot, lower it again. Make changes one at a time so you can tell which adjustment helped.
There is no supported numerical sensitivity range in the cited recommendations that serves as a universal target. Avoid copying a value without considering how it feels with your controller and habits. A setting that speeds up close-range turns may also feel harder to control if it makes your aim twitchy; the useful result is the one that addresses the problem you actually notice.
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Optional DualSense Edge profile suggestions
The following are hardware-profile recommendations for DualSense Edge, not settings found on every controller. They are options to test if you own that controller and want its adjustable triggers, sticks or rear buttons:
- R2 trigger stop: try Medium for repeated firing, especially with semi-automatic weapons. Short is a more responsive alternative.
- L2 input range: set the trigger range from 0 to 70 to make aiming down sights (ADS) engage sooner.
- Stick response: try Precise on the right stick and Quick on the left.
- Deadzones: reduce them carefully, and only if the sticks remain stable.
These are starting suggestions, not required competitive settings. Trigger travel, stick response and dead-zone comfort vary by player and controller condition. The game defaults remain a reasonable baseline if you do not have this hardware or do not want to maintain a separate profile.
The distinction between these hardware options and the game’s own settings matters: an R2 trigger stop or a stick response profile is not an in-game aim-curve recommendation, and none is necessary to use the default controls. If you test a hardware profile, change only the option tied to your complaint. For example, the medium R2 stop is suggested for repeated firing, particularly with semi-automatic weapons, while the short stop is presented as the more responsive alternative.
Map rear buttons around your shell and habits
Rear-button layouts can keep frequently used actions accessible without taking a thumb off a stick. The team’s examples include consumable and equipment radials, as well as shell-specific actions:
| Shell or use | Example action mapping |
|---|---|
| Destroyer | Jump or sprint |
| Assassin | Crouch |
| Recon | Push-to-talk and ping |
| Vandal | Crouch |
| Thief | Grapple |
| Triage | Consumables and ping |
These mappings are examples to adapt to your shell, hand comfort and habits, not a prescribed layout. DualSense Edge can store up to three custom profile shortcuts, which can make it easier to switch between layouts.
Consider which actions you want to reach without releasing the sticks, then test the mapping in a low-pressure setting. A rear button is useful only if it is comfortable and easy to press deliberately. The examples show that preferred actions can vary by shell: a jump or sprint mapping for Destroyer is not the same as a grapple mapping for Thief, for instance. Keep your own layout if a suggested one feels awkward.
Do not confuse cursor friction with combat aim
Update 1.1.0 added controller cursor-friction settings. These affect cursor behavior; they are distinct from in-combat stick sensitivity and aim curves. If a menu cursor feels wrong, adjust cursor friction rather than changing combat aim values to compensate.
Readability and input comfort options
PlayStation Support lists in-game accessibility features that can help with readability and control comfort, including UI color modes, HUD opacity, subtitles for voice-over, ping, text chat and input remapping. Exact availability and current menu labels can differ by platform or game version, so check the options shown in your game. These settings can complement display calibration—for example, a UI color mode or HUD opacity change addresses interface readability rather than HDR exposure.
Use the control that matches the thing you want to make easier to read or operate. HDR Midpoint and shadow levels concern image calibration; UI color modes and HUD opacity concern the interface; input remapping concerns controls. Treating those as separate options helps avoid changing a global picture setting to solve an interface problem, or changing combat sensitivity to fix a cursor that only feels wrong in menus.
A practical tuning order
To avoid chasing settings that solve different problems, tune in this order:
- Establish a baseline: on PC, use Bungie’s 1080p, VSync-off, uncapped, Medium profile. On controller, retain the game defaults initially.
- Identify the symptom: separate low or inconsistent FPS from unreadable shadows, color shifts, slow turns, overshooting, stick drift or awkward menu navigation.
- Change the matching control: use graphics and the performance diagnostic for frame-rate concerns; HDR and shadow calibration for image visibility; sensitivity or aim curve for combat aiming; cursor friction for menu cursor behavior.
- Test under the same conditions: use a representative scene, display mode and room lighting. Change one setting at a time, then keep or revert it based on the result.
- Restore diagnostic settings: if you used 25% render resolution and disabled anti-aliasing to isolate GPU load, restore normal image settings before playing.
This order prevents a common tuning mistake: changing display brightness to compensate for a control issue, or lowering visual quality when the actual problem is a display’s HDR processing or room contrast. The official guidance supports targeted adjustments, but it does not provide controlled before-and-after measurements for each setting.
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It also gives you a sensible stopping point. If the PC baseline meets your needs, there is no requirement to keep lowering quality. If the HDR image is readable in your room, a different player’s brightness values are not automatically better. If the controller defaults feel comfortable, extra tuning is optional. The aim is to identify a real issue, make the smallest relevant change, and keep it only if it improves your own experience.
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Version notes
Some advice is tied to game updates and can change. Update 1.1.0, dated June 2, 2026, introduced PC frame generation for DLSS, FSR and XeSS, added controller cursor-friction settings, and described CPU performance improvements as the first of more planned updates. Check current patch notes and the options available in your version before relying on those details. Bungie’s performance and HDR help pages do not show publication dates, so the in-game menus and later official updates are the practical reference points for current labels and behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best PC settings for Marathon performance?
Bungie’s starting profile for a 120+ FPS-targeted configuration is 1920×1080, VSync off, the frame-rate cap disabled and Medium graphics quality. It is a starting point for many mid- and high-spec systems, not a guaranteed frame rate. Measure performance in representative gameplay and diagnose CPU versus GPU limits before changing more settings.
Should I use frame generation if Marathon runs below 60 FPS?
Bungie recommends PC frame generation only when the game is already rendering at 60 FPS or higher before frame generation. Update 1.1.0 added DLSS, FSR and XeSS frame-generation support. Below the baseline, Bungie warns of possible input-latency and image-quality effects.
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There is no universal value for every display. The HDR Midpoint range is 0–100 with a default of 50, and Peak Brightness has a listed minimum of 500 nits. Bungie recommends starting near your display’s peak HDR brightness and adjusting to preference; room lighting and the display itself affect the result.
What is the best controller sensitivity or aim curve?
The developer recommendations advise starting with the defaults, including the Classic curve, then changing one setting at a time. Raise sensitivity in small steps if close-range turns feel too slow; lower it if aim becomes twitchy or you overshoot. There is no single perfect sensitivity for everyone.
Are DualSense Edge settings required for good aim?
No. The Edge suggestions are optional hardware-profile choices, while the game defaults are a strong starting point. If you use an Edge, the suggestions include a Medium R2 stop for repeated firing, an L2 range of 0 to 70, Precise right-stick response, Quick left-stick response and cautious dead-zone reductions.
How can I make Marathon’s shadows or menus easier to read?
For hard-to-read shadows, try raising shadow levels in the in-game calibration screen and consider room lighting and TV processing. For interface readability, PlayStation Support lists UI color modes and HUD opacity among the available features. Check your platform’s current menu labels and options.
The Bottom Line
Start with Bungie’s PC baseline—1080p, VSync off, uncapped frame rate and Medium quality—then measure performance in representative scenes. Calibrate HDR and shadows for your display and room, and leave controller defaults in place until a specific aim or comfort issue gives you a reason to change them. The best settings are the ones that address your actual bottleneck without assuming one profile fits every PC, screen or player.
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