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Best graphics settings for smoother performance in ARC Raiders (PC)

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There is no single best ARC Raiders preset for every PC. The reliable approach is to start from Embark Studios’ hardware tier closest to your system, then tune for both average frame rate and frame-time consistency. A practical baseline is fullscreen mode, V-Sync off, NVIDIA Reflex enabled when available, a frame-rate cap your system can hold consistently, and an upscaler matched to your GPU. Leave frame generation off until you have tested responsiveness; it can raise the displayed FPS while adding latency.

Start with the performance target your hardware can realistically hold

Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders Help Center lists three PC performance tiers. The page was last updated on October 1, 2025, and describes targets rather than guarantees. Actual performance varies with the CPU, driver, memory, background applications, match activity, weather and the current game build.

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Official tier GPU examples Graphics target Resolution and frame-rate target
Minimum GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, Radeon RX 580 or Intel Arc A380 Low 1080p at 60 fps
Recommended GeForce RTX 2070, Radeon RX 5700 XT or Intel Arc B570 High 1440p at 60 fps
Epic GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, GeForce RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX Epic with resolution-scaling quality 1440p at 90 fps

Use the table as a starting point, not a promise that every match will hold the listed number. If your card is between tiers, begin with the lower tier at your intended resolution and raise individual settings only after checking frame-time behavior. A powerful GPU at 1440p can still feel less smooth than a modest GPU at 1080p if its frame times spike during combat.

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A dependable baseline before changing individual quality options

Display mode

Choose fullscreen if the current build exposes it. Fullscreen generally gives the game the clearest control over resolution and presentation timing. If your installation offers a different fullscreen variant, test it with the same scene and frame-rate cap rather than assuming the label guarantees better performance.

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Vertical synchronization

Set V-Sync to Off as a troubleshooting baseline. Both GameSpot and PCGamesN use V-Sync disabled in their starting recommendations. V-Sync can prevent tearing, but it can also make a frame-time hitch feel more obvious when the system misses the display’s refresh interval. If tearing is unacceptable, test it after establishing a stable cap and compare input response directly.

Latency reduction

Turn NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency On when the option appears for your hardware. GameSpot and PCGamesN both recommend Reflex as a starting point. Reflex does not replace a stable frame rate: it is a latency-oriented setting, so judge it by mouse response and frame-time behavior in the same route you use for other tests.

Frame-rate limit

Cap the game at a rate your PC can sustain through ordinary matches, not the highest number seen while standing still. GameSpot suggests limiting the frame rate to the monitor’s refresh rate. If the game provides no suitable limiter, use a driver-level or display-level limiter only after recording the in-game result, because different limiters can produce different frame pacing. A stable 60 fps is usually preferable to a 90 fps peak that repeatedly falls into the 50s.

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Resolution

Keep the monitor’s native resolution when image clarity is the priority, then use an upscaler or reduce quality settings to recover performance. Dropping from 1440p to 1080p is a larger visual change than moving one or two quality options from Epic to High, so make that decision deliberately. For a competitive mouse-and-keyboard setup, a clear and consistent image is often more useful than a higher but unstable counter.

Choose an upscaler that your GPU and current build actually support

A third-party guide published October 11, 2026 claims ARC Raiders supports DLSS, FSR and XeSS, but the official requirements page does not enumerate the current graphics-menu options. Treat those names as possibilities, not a guaranteed menu on every card or patch. Open the live installation and use only the upscalers it exposes.

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Quality first, then Balanced or Performance

Start with the Quality mode of a supported upscaler. Quality renders fewer internal pixels while preserving more detail than Balanced or Performance modes. If the GPU is still below the target, try Balanced and reassess distant geometry, foliage, particle edges and text. Performance modes can recover more GPU time but may make fine detail shimmer or look soft, especially at 1080p.

Match the technology to the installed GPU

  • Use the NVIDIA option when it is available and appropriate for an NVIDIA card.
  • Use the AMD option when it is available and appropriate for a Radeon card.
  • Use the Intel option when it is available and appropriate for an Intel Arc card.
  • If a preferred option is missing, select another supported mode rather than forcing an external override.

The exact names, quality modes and version behavior can change with patches. Record the build number and menu labels when comparing settings so that a later update does not invalidate the comparison.

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Frame generation: smoother motion or faster response?

Frame generation creates additional displayed frames between traditionally rendered frames. Those generated images can make camera motion look smoother and raise the FPS counter, but they do not cause the underlying game simulation and rendered frames to arrive sooner. The extra processing can also add input delay.

Keep it off when responsiveness is the priority

PCGamesN recommends frame generation Off as its baseline, and GameSpot warns that it may add input delay, particularly for mouse-and-keyboard play. Leave it disabled when precise aim, quick turns or a low-latency feel matter more than a smoother-looking counter.

Test it when your base frame rate is already stable

Frame generation is more sensible after the game can maintain a consistent underlying rate without it. Compare the same route with generation Off and On, keeping resolution, upscaler and cap unchanged. Watch for delayed mouse response, duplicated-looking motion during rapid turns, or uneven frame pacing. If those effects are more distracting than the extra smoothness is helpful, turn it back off.

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Vendor-specific support is not universal

NVIDIA describes DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Super Resolution, Reflex and RTXGI as technologies for ARC Raiders. Those are NVIDIA’s supported technologies and performance claims; they should not be generalized to AMD, Intel or unsupported GPU generations. The game’s own menu is the authority for what your installation can activate.

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Apply changes in an order that isolates the bottleneck

  1. Set the target. Decide whether you are aiming for 1080p/60, 1440p/60 or a higher refresh-rate experience. Write down the target before changing quality options.
  2. Load the closest official tier. Start at Low, High or Epic according to the hardware table, then choose your intended resolution.
  3. Set fullscreen, V-Sync Off and Reflex On. Confirm that each option remains active after restarting the game.
  4. Choose a supported upscaler at Quality. Test the same route for at least several minutes, including movement and combat rather than only a quiet menu area.
  5. Apply a sustainable frame cap. Use the refresh-rate limit suggested by GameSpot only if your system can hold it. Otherwise choose the highest rate that remains stable during encounters.
  6. Measure average FPS and 1% lows. Record both values, plus any visible hitching. An average alone can hide short but severe drops.
  7. Lower the largest performance cost one step at a time. Move from Epic to High or from Quality to Balanced before making several changes together. This preserves a clear cause-and-effect record.
  8. Recheck image quality. Inspect distant objects, foliage, shadows, particles and text while moving. Keep the change only if the performance gain is worth the visual loss.
  9. Test frame generation last. Compare latency and frame pacing with it Off and On. Keep it only when the smoother presentation outweighs the added delay for your play style.

Practical starting profiles by resolution

Use case Starting profile What to adjust first Decision point
Entry-level 1080p Low tier, 1080p, V-Sync Off, Reflex On when available, Quality upscaling if exposed Move to a lower upscaling mode or reduce individual quality options only after confirming the 60-fps target is missed Prioritize a consistent 60 fps over Epic visuals
Mainstream 1440p Recommended High tier, 1440p, V-Sync Off, Reflex On, Quality upscaling Try Quality upscaling first; PCGamesN reports that moving from Epic to High can also raise performance at 1440p Keep the profile that has the steadier 1% lows, not merely the higher average
High-end 1440p Epic tier with resolution-scaling quality, 1440p, V-Sync Off, Reflex On when available Test frame generation separately after the native rendered frame rate is stable Use the 90-fps official target as a reference, not a guaranteed result in every match

These are starting profiles assembled from Embark’s targets and published guides, not additional official presets. The actual menu may use different labels or offer fewer choices in a particular build.

Why average FPS is not enough

Average FPS is the arithmetic mean over a test period. It can look healthy even when a handful of long frames produce visible stutter. The 1% low reports the slower portion of the run and is a useful warning sign, while a frame-time graph shows whether delivery is even from frame to frame.

Use a repeatable route

Repeat the same movement path, camera turns and combat type after each change. Keep the resolution, driver, cap, upscaler mode and background applications fixed. Record the average FPS, 1% low and your observations about clarity and input response.

Account for live-match variation

PC Gamer’s 2026 multi-GPU testing found that changing spawn points, weather and player encounters made reproducible runs difficult. Its results are therefore directional comparisons rather than guarantees. A single unusually quiet or busy encounter should not determine your final setting; repeat the route and look for a consistent pattern.

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What published tests actually show

The following figures are tied to the named outlets’ settings and hardware. They are not universal expectations for every PC.

Source and setup Average FPS 1% low Qualification
PCGamesN, RTX 4070 setup, 1080p with its recommended settings 104 fps 55 fps Outlet-reported test result from 2025
PCGamesN, same RTX 4070 setup, 1440p with its recommended settings 78 fps 51 fps Outlet-reported test result from 2025
PC Gamer, four listed GPU configurations, 1080p Epic with Quality upscaling 142–162 fps Varies by card in the published table 2026 comparison; changing game conditions limited reproducibility
PC Gamer, four listed GPU configurations, 1440p Epic with Quality upscaling 112–145 fps Varies by card in the published table 2026 comparison; use directionally rather than as a guarantee

The gap between an average and a 1% low in the RTX 4070 results illustrates why a high headline FPS can coexist with noticeable dips. Use the published numbers to understand relative scaling between resolutions and cards, not to predict your exact match performance.

Troubleshoot by symptom

The FPS counter is high, but movement still hitches

  • Check 1% lows or frame-time consistency instead of average FPS.
  • Repeat the test during a busier route, because weather and encounters can change the workload.
  • Remove frame generation temporarily and compare responsiveness.
  • Lower the overall tier from Epic to High before sacrificing resolution if the image remains clear at High.

The image is soft or shimmers after enabling upscaling

  • Return to Quality mode from Balanced or Performance.
  • Compare native resolution against Quality upscaling at the same cap.
  • Check fine geometry, foliage, particles and text while moving, not only in a static scene.
  • If the preferred upscaler is absent after a patch, use another option the current menu exposes rather than assuming the old label still applies.

Mouse input feels delayed

  • Turn frame generation Off and retest with the same cap.
  • Keep Reflex On when available.
  • Check whether V-Sync was re-enabled by a profile or after an update.
  • Use a sustainable cap instead of chasing a peak number that causes repeated saturation and drops.

You cannot hold the official target

  • Confirm that your resolution matches the tier you selected; the official 1080p and 1440p targets are not interchangeable.
  • Move down one graphics tier, then test Quality upscaling.
  • Lower the frame-rate target to the highest rate your system can sustain in ordinary encounters.
  • Only consider a GPU upgrade after these changes fail to meet your chosen target.

When a graphics-card upgrade is justified

Settings changes are the first step because they cost nothing and reveal whether the limitation is simply an aggressive preset or resolution. An upgrade becomes reasonable when the GPU cannot reach the desired target at the chosen resolution after using a lower tier, a supported upscaler and a stable cap.

Base the decision on the target rather than the game’s name alone. A card that is adequate for 1080p/60 may not be appropriate for 1440p/90 with Epic settings. Embark’s tier examples and PC Gamer’s multi-card comparison provide a resolution-specific frame of reference, but neither establishes a universal best-value card or a guarantee for future patches.

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Keep the settings stable after patches

ARC Raiders’ graphics menu can change as the game is updated. After a major patch or driver change, verify fullscreen mode, V-Sync, Reflex, the selected upscaler, frame generation and the cap instead of assuming the previous profile persisted. Re-run the same route and record average FPS, 1% lows, image clarity and input response. This small log prevents a new build from being mistaken for a hardware problem.

The strongest practical rule is simple: choose the lowest-cost visual compromise that keeps frame delivery consistent at your target resolution. That usually means starting at the official tier, using Quality upscaling, disabling V-Sync, enabling Reflex when offered, and treating frame generation as an optional smoothness feature rather than a substitute for faster rendered frames.

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