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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteYou can improve or stabilize PC game performance without DLSS by lowering demanding in-game settings, using a game’s built-in AMD FSR or Intel XeSS where available, and checking a few targeted Windows or driver options. Start with reversible changes and compare the same scene before and after: the best fix depends on the game, your hardware, and whether the system is limited by the GPU, CPU, memory, or something else.
Measure a baseline before changing settings
Choose the resolution you actually play at, then record performance in a repeatable scene or the game’s built-in benchmark. Note average frame rate, whether motion feels uneven, and any loss of image quality. Use the same scene and conditions after each change; otherwise, it is difficult to tell whether a setting helped.
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Change one setting at a time. If lowering graphics options barely affects performance, the GPU may not be the limiting factor. A game can instead be constrained by its CPU workload, memory, or another system issue, and this sequence is not a universal ranking of which settings matter most.
Lower demanding game settings first
Try reducing render resolution or an expensive visual option in the game’s graphics menu, then repeat your baseline comparison. The available controls and their performance costs vary by game and renderer. Keep a note of each change so you can restore settings that make little difference or hurt image quality more than you prefer.
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If the game offers a resolution scale, reduce it modestly before changing several effects at once. If you use a preset, treat it as a starting point rather than proof that every option in it is necessary for your target frame rate.
Try FSR or XeSS if the game supports them
AMD FSR and Intel XeSS are alternatives to DLSS only in games that implement them. Check the game’s graphics menu and documentation; availability, version, preset names, and results differ by title and configuration. Neither technology is guaranteed to appear or work on every system. AMD describes FSR as a family of graphics technologies, with the implementation depending on the game (AMD FSR).
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Choose a preset by balancing clarity and speed
Start with a quality-oriented preset if preserving detail matters, then try a more performance-oriented choice if you still need additional frame rate. Intel’s XeSS-SR Developer Guide 2.0 describes presets including Quality, Balanced, Performance, and Ultra Performance; its guidance favors performance-focused presets at output resolutions of 1440p and above. Those are developer recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular game will look or perform the same way (Intel XeSS-SR Developer Guide 2.0).
Compare image quality as well as frame rate. A faster preset can make fine details look softer or less stable, and the trade-off depends on the game’s implementation and output resolution.
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Use Radeon Super Resolution when a game lacks built-in upscaling
On a compatible Radeon system, AMD Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) is a driver-level spatial upscaler to consider when a game does not provide integrated upscaling. AMD recommends using the game’s own FSR when available, because game-specific optimizations may produce better upscaling.
RSR stays inactive at the monitor’s native resolution: the game must run below native for the driver to upscale its image. AMD’s support article lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktop systems with discrete Radeon RX 5000 Series graphics or later, plus select AMD Advantage systems, and Adrenalin Edition 22.7.1 or later. Requirements can change; check AMD’s current compatibility information and instructions for your system before enabling it (AMD Radeon Super Resolution support).
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Check targeted Windows and GPU preferences
Windows 11 windowed-game optimization
If you use Windows 11 and play a compatible DirectX 10 or DirectX 11 game in windowed or borderless-windowed mode, try Optimizations for windowed games. Microsoft says the feature moves compatible games from the legacy blt-model presentation to flip-model, reducing frame latency and enabling features such as Auto HDR and variable refresh rate on supported displays. It is limited to that Windows version and those presentation modes, so it is not a general fix for every game.
- Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default settings.
- Turn on Optimizations for windowed games.
- Restart the game and compare the same scene.
See Microsoft’s Windows 11 windowed-game optimization guidance for scope and details.
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Choose the high-performance GPU for a specific game
On a Windows 11 PC with more than one GPU, check the per-game graphics preference rather than forcing a global setting. Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the game, open its options, and choose High performance if appropriate for that system. Restart the game for the selection to take effect. Microsoft documents this preference for multi-GPU systems; it is not a meaningful fix on every PC.
NVIDIA’s Control Panel also documents per-program GPU preferences on supported systems with power-saving GPUs. Its settings apply to programs launched after the change, so close and relaunch the game to test them (NVIDIA Manage 3D Settings reference).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Treat driver controls as optional, not guaranteed boosts
AMD Adrenalin offers application profiles and controls including texture filtering and tessellation. AMD describes Standard texture filtering as a balance of image quality and performance, and notes that lower tessellation levels may reduce overhead. Whether those options help depends on the game and system; do not assume a driver toggle will produce a measurable improvement (AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition settings reference).
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →NVIDIA Control Panel includes GPU upscaling for resolutions at or below native and a maximum frame rate control. A frame cap is useful for goals such as limiting power use or managing frame delivery, but it does not inherently increase peak FPS. These are optional NVIDIA-specific controls, not requirements for playing without DLSS (NVIDIA Manage 3D Settings reference).
Consider an upgrade only after identifying the bottleneck
If settings changes and supported software options do not address the problem, determine what is limiting performance before buying hardware. A graphics-card upgrade is a possible path only when the game is GPU-limited; the right choice also depends on the PC’s compatibility and the resolution and games you play. No particular card or frame-rate gain is appropriate to promise without those details.
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