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The best Marathon settings depend on your display, PC, controller, and room—not on one universal preset. For PC performance, Bungie’s starting point is 1920×1080, VSync off, no frame-rate cap, and Medium graphics quality. For visibility, calibrate HDR and shadows against your own display and lighting. For controller aim, begin with the defaults and make small changes only when you can identify a specific problem.
These recommendations are starting points, not guarantees: Bungie has not published controlled comparisons that show how many frames per second an individual setting adds or establish one best visibility or sensitivity value for every player.
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Start with the settings that match your problem
Performance, visibility, and aim are related, but they are not the same tuning task. A lower render workload may help a PC deliver frames more consistently, while HDR calibration and shadow levels affect how the image looks on a particular display. Controller sensitivity and deadzones affect how aiming feels. Changing all of these at once makes it difficult to tell which adjustment helped—or made things worse.
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| If you want to improve… | Start here | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| PC frame rate | Use Bungie’s 1080p, VSync-off, uncapped, Medium-quality starting profile. | Actual FPS and whether CPU or GPU work is limiting the system. |
| Image visibility | Calibrate HDR, exposure, and shadows on the display and in the room where you play. | Whether dark areas are readable and whether bright areas and colors look acceptable. |
| Controller aim | Keep the default settings initially. | Whether turns feel too slow, aim feels twitchy, or the sticks drift or feel unstable. |
| Readable interface or comfortable controls | Review available UI, subtitle, and input-remapping options. | Whether your platform exposes the option and whether it improves your own use. |
Make one change at a time, then try it in the same kind of gameplay. That gives you a practical comparison without assuming that another player’s display, hardware, or preferences match yours.
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Best Marathon settings for PC performance
Use Bungie’s high-frame-rate starting profile
Bungie’s PC guide recommends this configuration as a starting point for a high-frame-rate setup targeting 120+ FPS:
| Setting | Starting value | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | A recommended starting resolution, not a requirement for every display or PC. |
| VSync | Off | Bungie’s value for this high-frame-rate profile. |
| Frame-rate cap | Disabled | Leaves the game uncapped; the FPS you actually get still depends on the system and conditions. |
| Graphics quality | Medium | Bungie describes this as a balance for many mid- and high-spec CPUs and GPUs, not a guaranteed result. |
The 120+ figure is the guide’s target for a recommended starting configuration. It is not an independently measured result or a promise that every PC will reach 120 FPS. Your actual frame rate depends on your hardware and what is happening in the game; compare results on your own system rather than treating the preset as a benchmark.
Measure before you tune
- Enable an FPS counter. In the game, open Settings > Gameplay > In-game FPS counter and turn it on. Bungie also points to the Steam overlay as an alternative.
- Apply the recommended starting profile. Set resolution to 1920×1080, turn VSync off, disable the frame-rate cap, and choose Medium graphics quality.
- Check the result in your usual conditions. Watch the counter while playing rather than assuming the settings page tells you the frame rate you will sustain.
- If performance remains unclear, run Bungie’s temporary isolation test. Disable anti-aliasing and set render resolution to 25% to reduce GPU workload. This produces substantially poorer image quality; use it only as a troubleshooting step, then restore a sensible render resolution and anti-aliasing choice.
The isolation test helps distinguish a GPU workload limit from a CPU performance limit. If reducing GPU work substantially changes performance, that points toward the rendering workload as a factor. If it does little, CPU work may be more constraining. This is a diagnostic clue, not a substitute for testing under normal image-quality settings.
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Bungie describes the game simulation and preparation of work for rendering as CPU tasks, while the GPU handles rendering. The slowest part of that work constrains the frame. As a result, a powerful graphics card alone does not guarantee a high frame rate: the CPU may limit how quickly each frame is prepared.
Marathon is multithreaded and is Bungie’s first shipped DirectX 12 title. Bungie also notes that dense environments, including Outpost and Cryo Archive, can involve work constrained by single-thread performance. Total CPU utilization therefore does not tell the whole story. A CPU can be a limiting factor even when the overall utilization figure does not look maxed out, because one thread or part of the work may be the bottleneck.
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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.
Use the same location and general gameplay conditions when comparing settings. A difference between two areas may reflect their workloads rather than a change in your configuration. The official guidance does not provide hardware-by-hardware benchmark results or measured FPS gains for individual options, so avoid treating a single observation as a universal setting rule.
Use frame generation only above Bungie’s threshold
Update 1.1.0, dated June 2, 2026, added PC frame-generation support through DLSS (NVIDIA), FSR (AMD), and XeSS (Intel). Bungie recommends enabling frame generation only when the game is already rendering at 60 FPS or higher before frame generation. Below that rate, Bungie warns of possible input-latency and image-quality effects.
Frame generation is not a substitute for first establishing a healthy underlying render rate. Check the game’s actual performance before relying on it, and reassess after any game update: the threshold and support details here reflect Update 1.1.0, and later patches may change the relevant options or guidance. The same update described a round of CPU performance improvements as the first of more planned updates; it did not establish a specific frame-rate gain for every system.
Best Marathon settings for visibility
Calibrate HDR for the display and room
When HDR is enabled on an HDR-capable PC or console display, Marathon presents HDR controls during first-launch calibration. Bungie describes two controls that are easy to confuse:
| Control | What Bungie says it does | Practical starting approach |
|---|---|---|
| Midpoint | Controls overall exposure. The in-game range is 0–100, and its default is 50. | Start with the calibration screen, then adjust for how the image reads on your display. |
| Peak Brightness | Controls brightness in nits. The listed minimum is 500 nits. | Begin near your display’s peak HDR brightness, as Bungie recommends, then adjust to preference. |
Those values describe the controls, not a universal competitive-visibility preset. A Midpoint of 50 is the default, not proof that 50 is best for every screen. Likewise, the Peak Brightness control’s listed minimum of 500 nits does not mean every display has a 500-nit peak or that every player should use a particular value. The aim is an image you can read comfortably on the device you are using.
Rank #3
- 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.
Room lighting matters. Bungie notes that ambient light changes apparent contrast, so a calibration that looks clear in a dark room may not look the same in a bright one. If shadows are difficult to read, try raising the shadow levels on the in-game calibration screen. Change the setting in modest steps and look again in the scene where visibility is a problem.
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For a TV, Bungie suggests enabling Game Mode if it is available. It also recommends experimenting with display tonemapping that changes the image as little as possible, turning off Dynamic Tonemapping or Contrast Enhancer, and considering HGiG Off or Static. These are vendor-guidance examples, not universal menu instructions: labels and behavior differ between display brands and models. Check what your TV actually offers and compare the picture rather than assuming one label means the same thing on every screen.
If HDR causes a major color shift, Bungie suggests checking whether the display’s color-space setting can improve the picture. There is no single recommended color-space value in the guidance because display controls vary by brand. Change one display option at a time and return to the game image to assess it.
HDR is not mandatory for a readable image. The documented first-launch HDR calibration applies when HDR is enabled on a compatible display. If you prefer the picture with HDR off, or your display does not support HDR, the HDR controls are not the relevant place to solve a visibility problem; use the available in-game and display options that apply to your setup.
Consider refresh rate and VRR only when the chain supports them
A 120 Hz or variable-refresh-rate display may improve the experience if the system and display support the feature. Check which ports on the display support those modes and use a compatible cable. A high refresh-rate label on a screen alone does not establish that the connected system, selected port, and cable are all operating in that mode. The guidance does not prescribe a particular cable model or promise a specific improvement.
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Start with the default curve and sensitivity
The developer recommendations published by PlayStation Blog say the game’s defaults are a strong baseline and advise most players to keep them at first. They describe Classic as the standard aim curve used in Bungie action games. The same recommendations put the principle plainly: “There is no single perfect sensitivity setting for everyone.”
If aiming feels wrong, identify the symptom before changing values. Increase sensitivity carefully if you need quicker close-range turns. Reduce it if your aim feels twitchy or difficult to control. Make a small adjustment, play with it, then decide whether to keep it. A preset or sensitivity number from someone else cannot account for your preferred pace, controller, or comfort.
Adjust controller hardware only if you own supported hardware
The DualSense Edge recommendations use hardware profile options that are not available on every controller. If you use that controller, the developer guidance offers these possible starting points:
- R2 trigger stop: Try the medium stop for repeated firing, particularly with semi-automatic weapons. The short stop is an alternative if you want a more responsive trigger.
- L2 input range: Set the trigger input range from 0 to 70 to make aim-down-sights input engage sooner.
- Stick response: Try Precise on the right stick and Quick on the left as a starting combination.
- Deadzones: Lower them cautiously, and only if the controller feels stable. If the stick begins to register unwanted movement, raise the deadzone again.
These are Edge-profile suggestions, not settings that can be copied into every controller. If you do not have the hardware options described, use the in-game settings available to you rather than searching for a matching control that your device does not expose.
Put frequently used actions within comfortable reach
For controller layouts with rear buttons, the recommendations include mapping consumable and equipment radials so they can be accessed without leaving the sticks. Example shell-specific mappings include:
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| Shell | Example action to map |
|---|---|
| Destroyer | Jump or sprint |
| Assassin | Crouch |
| Recon | Push-to-talk and ping |
| Vandal | Crouch |
| Thief | Grapple |
| Triage | Consumables and ping |
These are example layouts, not a required competitive arrangement. Pick actions that you use often and can reach comfortably, then check that the mapping suits your shell and habits. The DualSense Edge can store up to three custom profile shortcuts, which can be useful if you prefer different layouts for different situations.
Update 1.1.0 also added controller cursor-friction settings. Those affect cursor behavior; they are not the same thing as in-combat stick sensitivity or an aim curve. Adjust them only if the cursor itself is the problem.
Use accessibility and interface options for readability
PlayStation Support lists in-game options that can help with interface readability or control comfort, including UI color modes, HUD opacity, subtitles for voice-over, ping, and text chat, and input remapping. Their availability and labels can vary by platform or change with updates, so check the current in-game menus on the system you use.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThese options address different needs. A UI color mode may help distinguish interface elements; HUD opacity changes how prominent the interface appears; subtitles can make voice-over information available as text; and input remapping can let you place supported actions where they are more comfortable. Try the option that addresses your particular difficulty rather than changing unrelated settings.
A practical tuning order
- Set a baseline. On PC, begin with Bungie’s recommended performance profile. On controller, begin with the default aim settings. On any platform, use your normal display mode before deciding what needs adjustment.
- Identify one issue. Separate low or inconsistent PC frame rate from poor shadow visibility, HDR color shifts, slow turns, twitchy aim, or cursor behavior.
- Change the setting tied to that issue. Use the FPS counter and temporary GPU-isolation procedure for a performance question; calibration and display controls for image visibility; or the relevant aim, deadzone, mapping, or cursor option for controller feel.
- Test under comparable conditions. Keep the location, display mode, and general play conditions similar when comparing a change. Otherwise, different workloads or room lighting can make the comparison misleading.
- Keep the change only if it helps. Revert settings that make the image harder to read or control less stable. Avoid stacking several changes before you can judge the first one.
- Recheck after updates. Patch notes can change settings and performance behavior. The frame-generation guidance above is specifically tied to Update 1.1.0, dated June 2, 2026.
What the available recommendations do—and do not—establish
Bungie’s guidance supplies useful starting values for PC graphics and HDR calibration, and the controller suggestions are attributed to the Marathon development team in an April 28, 2026 PlayStation Blog article. The available material does not establish a single best configuration across PC and console, measured FPS gains for each graphics option, or a sensitivity value that is best for a population of players. Treat the settings here as a structured way to tune your own setup, not as a guaranteed performance ranking.
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