The Tool Desk
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What Deadlock settings should I start with for more FPS?
Start with this profile, then judge both performance and image readability in actual matches. Steam Support says raising resolution or using video settings beyond recommended settings can hurt FPS; it does not publish a guaranteed gain for any particular Deadlock setting. The profile below follows the current menu guidance summarized by Hone’s Deadlock settings guide, which is based on Valve’s English setting definitions and tooltips tracked on September 30, 2026.
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| Setting | Starting choice | Why / when to adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Output resolution | Native | Preserves display clarity. Try a lower output resolution only as a comparison if your own tests justify the clarity trade-off. |
| Display refresh rate | Highest usable | Use the highest refresh rate your display and setup can reliably run. |
| Shadow quality | Low | A targeted cut; return to Medium if the added detail matters and performance has headroom. |
| Fog quality | Low | Reduces volumetric fog resolution without immediately shrinking the whole output image. |
| Screen Space AO | Off | Removes soft contact shadows. Valve’s tooltip is described as rating its cost moderate and consistent. |
| Texture quality | Medium | A restrained compromise. Try Low only if you still need performance and the image remains clear enough. |
| Upscaling | 1x initially | Compare 1.5x only if needed; lower internal resolution can soften fine and distant details. |
This is a starting profile, not a universal “best” preset. The Hone guide explicitly says its profile was not benchmarked on a PC, and available options depend on hardware.
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How to compare settings without guessing
Use Deadlock’s telemetry HUD to look at FPS and frame time, and compare the same gameplay workload after each change. Steam Support identifies the HUD as a way to monitor those values. Hone describes frame time as the worst recent frame time and FPS as the current average; neither should be treated as an exported 1% low statistic.
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- Open Settings > Game > Telemetry and enable the HUD options for FPS and frame time.
- Choose a repeatable, warmed-up replay segment or gameplay scene. If slowdowns happen in busy fights, use a similarly demanding scene rather than judging from a quiet menu.
- Keep the hero, camera, output resolution, graphics renderer, FPS cap, and synchronization settings fixed.
- Change one graphics option, repeat the same segment, and compare the HUD readings alongside distant geometry, silhouettes, and effects.
- Keep the change only if the result is useful on your system; restore it if clarity worsens without a meaningful performance benefit.
A binding FPS cap can hide a difference between settings. For a useful comparison, keep the cap and sync state identical across runs, and consider whether your system is hitting that cap in the scene you chose.
When should you use upscaling?
Try the targeted effect reductions first. If performance still falls short, compare an available upscaler at 1.5x before moving to a more aggressive ratio. Upscaling renders internally below the selected output resolution, so it can cost clarity in fine edges and distant detail.
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For a 1920 × 1080 output, 1.5x scaling corresponds ideally to 1280 × 720 internal rendering, or about 44.44% of the output pixel count. That is pixel geometry, not an FPS forecast. A 2x ratio is a larger clarity compromise. FSR scaling tiers and DLSS modes may appear in the tracked menu, but availability depends on hardware; DLSS requires a GeForce RTX GPU.
Which optional effects are worth testing later?
- Bloom and Area lights: Lower-priority experiments because the guide describes their costs as small overall, though Area lights may matter more on low-end systems. Turn them off only if your comparison shows a benefit, and restore them if you prefer the image and have performance headroom.
- Depth of field: Choose according to visual preference. The current tooltip is described as indicating negligible cost and no gameplay-performance effect.
- Textures: Medium is the conservative starting point. The guide says lower texture resolution may possibly help lower-end systems; it does not establish that Low reliably produces a large gain.
How should I choose sync, Reflex, FPS caps, and renderer?
These choices depend on the goal and system rather than a universal recipe. The current guide suggests Reflex Enabled when available; Boost can involve power and FPS trade-offs. VSync Off may suit players prioritizing responsiveness if they accept tearing. For NVIDIA G-Sync tear-free play, the guide describes Valve’s recommendation to combine G-Sync, V-Sync, and Reflex, while noting that actual behavior and caps should be checked with the chosen renderer. Keep a dashboard FPS cap distinct from a match cap.
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Keep your working graphics API unless a controlled comparison shows a useful change. The available evidence establishes no universal DX11-versus-Vulkan winner, upscaler winner, or frame-cap winner across GPUs and display setups.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the available evidence does—and does not—show
Valve’s Steam Support guidance says: “Increasing resolution, or any video option beyond your recommended settings will have an immediate negative impact on your FPS.” This is general performance advice, not a Deadlock-specific benchmark or a promise about the size of a gain from lowering an individual setting. Steam Support also notes that Valve games can auto-detect hardware and select reasonable graphics settings.
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Valve’s City Never Sleeps update page announces the update and customization options. Exact graphics labels and availability can change, so check the live client rather than assuming every option described in a guide is present for every system. The profile above reflects the Hone guide’s interpretation of tracked setting definitions and tooltips, not hands-on PC testing. No cited source establishes a controlled FPS improvement for these settings.
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