Elden Ring, the acclaimed action RPG, recently received a significant update with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. This new content feels like an entirely new game, prompting many players to dive back into the Lands Between. Since its release, Elden Ring has benefited from numerous updates that improve performance, add features like ray tracing, and address various issues. This guide delves into optimizing Elden Ring on PC, covering the best settings, how to fix stuttering, and methods to remove the frame rate cap. We’ll also explore the game’s system requirements and benchmark results to help you get the most out of your gaming experience.
The Best Settings for Elden Ring
After extensive testing of individual settings, here are the recommendations for optimal Elden Ring performance:
*
Texture Quality:
Medium*
Antialiasing Quality:
Low*
SSAO:
Medium*
Depth of Field:
Off*
Motion Blur:
Off*
Shadow Quality:
High*
Lighting Quality:
Medium*
Effects Quality:
Medium*
Volumetric Quality:
High*
Reflection Quality:
High*
Water Surface Quality:
Low*
Global Illumination Quality:
High*
Grass Quality:
High*
Ray Tracing:
OffElden Ring’s Unique Performance Considerations
Elden Ring stands apart from many other games when it comes to performance optimization. Unlike most PC releases, Elden Ring is capped at 60 frames per second (fps). This makes testing with high-end hardware challenging since many modern rigs can easily hit the cap. However, there are methods to remove the fps cap and improve smoothness using frame generation, which we’ll discuss later.
For our testing, we assembled a PC using mid-range components from a few years ago: a Ryzen 7 1700X, an 8GB RX 580, and 16GB of RAM. This configuration falls below From Software’s recommended specifications, but we achieved playable frame rates at 1440p with optimized settings and a full 60 fps at 1080p with the Medium preset.
Depth of Field and Motion Blur: The Performance Killers
Depth of field and motion blur are two settings you should disable without hesitation. These effects not only detract from the visual quality but also significantly impact performance. They might even contribute to stuttering.
Balancing Visuals and Performance
While many settings can improve performance, there are a few that are essential for visual fidelity. We found a balance by keeping shadow, reflection, global illumination, and volumetric quality at high settings. If you need additional performance gains, focus on adjusting those settings first.
At 1440p, we saw a notable increase in performance, from an average of 29 fps with the Maximum preset to 37 fps with our optimized settings.
Ray Tracing: Not Worth the Effort
Elden Ring offers ray tracing for shadows and ambient occlusion. However, the visual improvement is minimal, and the performance impact isn’t worth it. We recommend leaving ray tracing off, even on powerful systems.
Elden Ring System Requirements
Elden Ring has relatively high system requirements, particularly for its visual style. While an older GPU can suffice, the CPU and RAM requirements are more demanding.
Here’s a breakdown of the minimum and recommended system requirements:
| | Minimum | Recommended |
|——–|———|————|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 3 3300X | AMD Ryzen 5 3600X |
| | Intel Core i5-8400 | Intel Core i7-8700K |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB | AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB |
| | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 8GB |
| | Intel Arc A380 6GB | Intel Arc A750 |
| RAM | 12GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 60GB | 60GB |
| OS | Windows 10 or 11 | Windows 10 or 11 |
CPU Requirements: Thread Count Matters
The CPU requirements are particularly interesting. Elden Ring calls for relatively recent processors, even surpassing the PC port of God of War in this regard. The issue seems to be related to the thread count of older Intel processors. Older Intel i5 models lack hyperthreading, while the Core i5-8400 is the first i5 model with six cores. The Ryzen 3 3300X, despite having only four cores, offers eight threads due to hyperthreading.
This suggests that a processor with at least six threads is more crucial than a processor from the last few generations.
GPU Requirements: Don’t Be Fooled
The GPU requirements, on the other hand, might be misleadingly low. Even with an 8GB RX 580, achieving 60 fps at 1080p was challenging. A 4GB model would likely encounter even more issues. Elden Ring performs best with 8GB of video memory, although a 6GB GTX 1060 would still function.
Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion: Updated Requirements
With the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, From Software updated the system requirements. While the CPU, GPU, and RAM requirements remain unchanged, you’ll now need 80GB of disk space for the base game and the expansion. From Software also added Intel GPUs to the list, with the Arc A380 for minimum and Arc A750 for recommended requirements.
Elden Ring PC Benchmarks
We conducted benchmarks using an 8GB RX 580, a Ryzen 7 1700X, and 16GB of RAM at 1440p. This configuration is better suited for 1080p, but we tested at the higher resolution to overcome the frame rate cap.
Our testing showed that the presets scale well, with the Medium preset offering a significant 40% performance improvement compared to the Maximum preset. Our optimized settings, while providing around 31% improvement over the Maximum preset, include several additional settings at High.
We also tested Elden Ring on a powerful system with an RTX 3090, 32GB of RAM, and a Core i9-10900K. At 4K resolution, regardless of the preset, we consistently hit the 60 fps cap. Elden Ring seems to have a narrow performance window; you either hit 60 fps or you don’t.
1% Lows: A Look at Stuttering
In addition to average frame rates, we measured 1% lows, which represent the average of the lowest 1% of frames. This metric indicates performance consistency. Our benchmarks revealed significant gaps in 1% lows, which is not surprising given Elden Ring’s known stuttering issues. Interestingly, 1% lows were higher than expected considering the stuttering problem. We also measured 0.1% lows, an average of even fewer frames, and most results were in the single digits.
Elden Ring’s stuttering issues are characterized by brief, intermittent stutters lasting a second or two before the game smooths out.
How to Remove the Elden Ring FPS Cap
While Elden Ring is capped at 60 fps, you can remove this limitation with some tweaking. The most effective tool for removing the frame rate cap is Special K. Special K is a versatile utility that has applications in various games. In Elden Ring, it automatically removes the fps cap without requiring any modification of game files.
To use Special K, simply download it (it’s free) and enable it through its app. Special K is a global injection mod, meaning it automatically injects itself into any game you launch.
Currently, Special K is not fully compatible with the latest Elden Ring patch. However, you can download the latest version (24.6.20) from the developer’s Discord server, although it may not include the frame rate unlock feature. This is expected to be added soon.
Flawless Widescreen: An Alternative
Another option for removing the fps cap is Flawless Widescreen. This tool is particularly useful if you have an ultrawide 21:9 monitor, as Elden Ring does not natively support aspect ratios other than 16:9. Flawless Widescreen circumvents this limitation.
Playing Online with FPS Unlockers: A Trade-Off
It’s important to note that using either Special K or Flawless Widescreen will prevent you from playing Elden Ring online. Both tools modify game files, which triggers Elden Ring’s anti-cheat software and forces you to play in offline mode. We recommend setting the game to offline mode and disabling the anti-cheat before launching the game with these tools enabled.
Lossless Scaling: Frame Generation and Upscaling
For players seeking higher frame rates without compromising online gameplay, Lossless Scaling is a worthwhile option. This Steam app, available for $7, adds frame generation to any game, working seamlessly without triggering the anti-cheat.
Lossless Scaling offers both 2X and 3X frame generation, allowing you to run Elden Ring at up to 180 fps.
How to Fix Stuttering in Elden Ring
Despite improvements since its release, Elden Ring still experiences stuttering issues, particularly while traversing the open world. While a complete elimination of stuttering is unlikely, there are ways to mitigate the problem.
Special K: Thread Affinity Fix
The best solution for stuttering is Special K. Special K includes a setting specifically designed to fix thread affinity, which addresses how the game schedules tasks on your processor. This toggle within Special K can alleviate the more severe stutters that cause temporary game freezes.
While there may still be minor stutters, the Special K fix ensures that critical moments, such as boss fights, won’t be interrupted by severe stuttering. This feature is currently disabled but is expected to be re-enabled soon.
Additional Tweaks for Stuttering
In addition to Special K, there are smaller tweaks you can make to improve stuttering, which we previously detailed for both Nvidia and AMD GPUs.
DLSS, FSR, and Upscaling in Elden Ring
Elden Ring lacks any built-in upscaling features like Nvidia’s DLSS or AMD’s FSR. While this is uncommon in modern games, there are ways to add upscaling to Elden Ring, although the results may not be as good as native implementations.
Lossless Scaling: Upscaling and Frame Generation
Lossless Scaling, the same tool mentioned earlier for frame generation, also provides various upscaling algorithms. You can use upscaling alongside frame generation for enhanced visuals.
Nvidia Image Scaling (NIS)
If you have an Nvidia GPU, you can use Nvidia Image Scaling (NIS) for free. NIS is accessible through Nvidia’s GeForce Experience app and offers five different quality levels. Enable it in the settings, launch Elden Ring, and it will work. While NIS is not as visually impressive as DLSS, it’s a viable option.
Radeon Super Resolution (RSR)
AMD users have access to Radeon Super Resolution (RSR). RSR is available through Radeon Software, either globally or on a per-game basis. It functions slightly differently from NIS. You need to enable RSR in Radeon Software and then lower the resolution in Elden Ring. RSR will then apply upscaling.
With these optimizations and solutions, you can enjoy a smoother, more visually pleasing Elden Ring experience on PC, even with a mid-range system. Remember to experiment with settings and find the best balance between visual quality and performance for your hardware. Happy Tarnished!
