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For the best balance in Modern Warfare 4, start with the competitive-focused profile, run the built-in Benchmark Tool, use the upscaler designed for your GPU, disable ray tracing, turn off World Depth of Field, and lower reflections, shadows, occlusion, lighting, volumetrics, or VFX only when the benchmark identifies a GPU limit. Use 1080p for maximum frame rate, 1440p for the best general balance, and 4K when detail matters more than speed.
Recommended starting point
Modern Warfare 4 has more than 800 graphics, gameplay, input, and interface options, so copying a single “best” preset is less reliable than starting with a sensible profile and measuring your own system. Activision’s competitive-focused settings are intended to prioritize frame rate and responsiveness. Use that approach as the baseline, then make one change at a time while watching the game’s Benchmark Tool.
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| Priority | Resolution | Upscaling | Ray tracing | Clarity choices | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum FPS | 1080p | GPU-matched upscaler, or Filmic SMAA T2X if you prefer native-style processing | Off | World Depth of Field off; conservative shadows, reflections, occlusion, lighting, volumetrics, and VFX | High-refresh competitive play or hardware below the recommended tier |
| Balanced | 1440p | GPU-matched upscaler with moderate sharpness | Off | Keep enough shadow and lighting detail to read surfaces; disable World Depth of Field | Most 1440p gaming PCs, including systems near the recommended specification |
| Image quality | 4K | GPU-matched upscaler at an image-quality setting | Optional, only if frame time remains comfortable | Retain higher reflections, shadows, and volumetric quality, but verify visibility in actual matches | 4K displays where detail is more important than the highest possible FPS |
These are starting profiles, not guaranteed frame-rate targets. The game’s benchmark reports average FPS, CPU and GPU behavior, input latency, ping, and results by zone. Use those measurements instead of assuming that a setting is always expensive or always beneficial on every graphics card.
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Modern Warfare 4 has separate minimum and recommended PC requirements. The recommended tier is explicitly designed to target 90 FPS in multiplayer on High settings, while the minimum tier is an entry point for running the game and should not be treated as a 90-FPS promise.
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- 8GB GDDR6 256-bit Memory
- 7680 x 4320 Maximum Resolution
- PCIe 4.0
- Full Height, Dual Slot
- DisplayPort 1.4a, HDMI 2.1
| Requirement | Minimum specification | Recommended 90-FPS High reference |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Windows 11 |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-8700 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics processor | Radeon RX 470, GeForce GTX 970 or GTX 1060, or Intel Arc A580 | Radeon RX 6600 XT, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, or Intel Arc B580 |
| Video memory | 3 GB VRAM | 8 GB VRAM |
| Storage | SSD with 115 GB available at launch | SSD with 115 GB available at launch |
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required. DirectX 12 compatibility and broadband internet are also required. Intel Arc users need Resizable BAR enabled. The listed launch driver versions are AMD 26.7.1, NVIDIA 616.56, and Intel 32.0.101.8974; driver requirements can change, so check Activision’s current PC support information when installing or troubleshooting.
Run the Benchmark Tool first
Do not change a dozen options at once. The Benchmark Tool is the fastest way to find out whether your problem is GPU load, CPU load, latency, or a specific scene in the map.
- Open the PC graphics settings and launch the built-in Benchmark Tool.
- Record the displayed average FPS, CPU and GPU readings, input latency, ping, and each zone’s result.
- Run the test with your normal display resolution and refresh rate. If you use an upscaler, test it in the mode you intend to play.
- Apply one change, run the benchmark again, and compare the same zones. Keep a setting only when it improves the target you care about without making target recognition worse.
- After the synthetic run, play a real multiplayer match. A setting that looks acceptable in one benchmark zone can still obscure opponents, produce shimmer, or cause frame-time spikes in a different environment.
Average FPS is useful for a broad comparison, but it is not the same as smoothness. If two profiles have similar averages, choose the one with steadier frame delivery and lower input latency. The official tool does not promise a 1% low figure, so do not treat an unreported 1% low as an official measurement.
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Choose the right upscaler
Modern Warfare 4 supports AMD FSR Redstone, NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, Intel XeSS 3, and Filmic SMAA T2X. The first three are upscaling options; Filmic SMAA T2X is the choice to test when you want a more native-style anti-aliasing and post-processing presentation.
NVIDIA RTX systems: test DLSS 4.5
Use DLSS 4.5 on supported NVIDIA RTX hardware as your first upscaling test. Compare its image at the resolution and quality mode you intend to use, then adjust the global sharpness slider gradually. If fine geometry shimmers or bright edges develop halos, reduce sharpness before lowering the resolution.
AMD systems: test FSR Redstone
FSR Redstone is the matching first choice for AMD hardware. Test it against Filmic SMAA T2X at the same output resolution. The better option depends on the scene, your chosen quality mode, and whether you value extra FPS or a cleaner native-looking image.
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- NVIDIA Reflex delivers the ultimate competitive advantage. The lowest latency. The best responsiveness. Powered by Geforce RTX 30 Series GPUs and NVIDIA G-SYNC monitors. Acquire targets faster, react faster and increase aiming accuracy with a revolutionary suite of technologies to measure and optimize system latency for competitive gaming.
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Intel Arc systems: test XeSS 3
XeSS 3 is the matching option for Intel Arc hardware. Confirm that Resizable BAR is enabled because Activision lists it as a requirement for Arc GPUs. If XeSS produces distracting motion artifacts in a particular map, compare it with Filmic SMAA T2X and use the benchmark plus a live match to decide.
When Filmic SMAA T2X makes sense
Choose Filmic SMAA T2X when you prefer native-style post-processing or when an upscaler’s reconstruction artifacts are more noticeable than its performance benefit. It may not deliver the same frame-rate improvement as an upscaler, so validate the choice with the benchmark rather than assuming it is faster or slower on every system.
Disable ray tracing for an FPS-first profile
Ray tracing is supported in Campaign, Multiplayer, and DMZ. It is a visual-fidelity feature, while competitive-focused settings prioritize frame rate and responsiveness. For that reason, turn ray tracing off when your main goal is high and stable FPS, lower input latency, or clearer target acquisition. Enable it only after your non-ray-traced profile already meets your frame-time target and you have confirmed that the added lighting quality is worth the performance cost in your preferred mode.
Settings that improve visibility
Enhanced FOV
Enhanced FOV uses lens effects to increase the field of view near the edges of the monitor without changing the center FOV. This is useful if you want more peripheral awareness but still prefer a relatively small center view for aiming. Test it while strafing and checking doorways: a wider edge view can reveal movement sooner, but excessive distortion may make distant targets harder to judge.
World and Weapon Depth of Field
World Depth of Field and Weapon Depth of Field are separate controls. Disable World Depth of Field for the clearest view of the environment and distant opponents. Weapon Depth of Field is a preference choice: some players like the cinematic blur on the weapon, while others find any foreground blur distracting during quick target changes. Change them independently rather than assuming one switch controls both.
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Modern Warfare 4 adds a global sharpness slider that works with any upscaler. Increase it in small steps while looking at foliage, railings, and high-contrast edges. Stop when the picture becomes crisp; excessive sharpness creates halos, crawling pixels, and shimmer that can make movement harder to read.
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Weapon VFX masking
Muzzle effects are dynamically masked at the point of aim so that firing remains visually intense without completely covering the target area. Because the masking is built into the presentation, do not expect to gain visibility simply by removing all weapon effects. Concentrate instead on depth of field, sharpness, reflections, shadows, and volumetric settings that affect the whole scene.
Shadows, reflections, occlusion, and screen-space lighting
These options influence both readability and GPU load. Shadows can add useful grounding cues, but overly expensive filtering can reduce frame rate. Reflections and screen-space lighting may improve material detail while also adding processing cost. Occlusion can make spaces look more dimensional but may deepen dark corners. Compare these options in the benchmark and in a map you know well; there is no universal setting that is best for every GPU or visual preference.
FPS-first graphics profile
Use the following as an orderly baseline rather than a promise of a specific number. It is designed around competitive priorities and the controls Activision documents for Modern Warfare 4.
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- Select 1080p if your only goal is the highest possible FPS, or 1440p if your monitor and GPU can sustain it.
- Select the upscaler that matches your graphics hardware. Use Filmic SMAA T2X only when you prefer its presentation and the benchmark confirms acceptable performance.
- Turn ray tracing off.
- Disable World Depth of Field. Decide separately whether Weapon Depth of Field helps or distracts you.
- Start with Screen Space Reflections, Shadow Filtering Quality, Occlusion and Screen Space Lighting, and volumetric or VFX quality at conservative levels.
- Run the Benchmark Tool. If the GPU is the limiting component, lower the most expensive of those options one at a time. If the CPU is the limiting component, lowering visual quality may produce little improvement, so focus on a stable frame cap and background-process cleanup instead.
- Adjust the global sharpness slider until edges are clear without halos or shimmer.
- Set a frame-rate cap that your system can hold consistently on your monitor. A stable cap with predictable frame times is preferable to an unstable peak that repeatedly falls during fights.
Visibility-first profile
Players who lose opponents in clutter should not automatically select every setting at Low. Excessive reductions can remove shadows and surface cues that help you understand where an opponent is standing. Start at 1440p when your hardware permits it, disable World Depth of Field, use Enhanced FOV if its edge distortion is comfortable, and tune sharpness with your chosen upscaler.
- Keep enough shadow detail to distinguish players from walls, stairs, and floor transitions.
- Reduce reflections when bright glare or unstable reflected detail competes with silhouettes.
- Reduce occlusion or screen-space lighting if dark corners hide movement, then recheck the same room in a live match.
- Lower volumetric or VFX quality if smoke, haze, or effects dominate the scene and your GPU is under pressure.
- Leave Weapon VFX masking to its dynamic system and judge the result at the point of aim rather than from a menu preview.
Resolution choices: 1080p, 1440p, or 4K
| Resolution | Advantages | Trade-offs | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Lowest pixel workload and the best chance of reaching a very high frame rate | Less fine detail and a softer image on larger displays | Competitive players, entry-level hardware, and high-refresh monitors where speed is the priority |
| 1440p | Sharper image than 1080p while requiring less rendering power than 4K | Higher GPU load than 1080p; upscaling may still be useful | The general-purpose choice for a balanced image and responsive play |
| 4K | Highest supported detail and cleaner fine geometry on a 4K display | Greatest GPU workload and usually lower frame-rate headroom | Players who value image detail over the highest FPS |
| Ultrawide | Supported wider aspect ratio and additional horizontal view | More pixels to render and possible edge-distortion sensitivity | Players who prefer a wide desktop and can maintain stable frame times |
Activision confirms support for 1080p, 1440p, 4K, and ultrawide displays. The practical ranking above is guidance: the correct resolution depends on your GPU, monitor refresh rate, viewing distance, and tolerance for reconstruction artifacts.
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GPU-limited result
If the benchmark shows the GPU carrying the load and average FPS falls below your target, reduce output resolution or use a more performance-oriented upscaler mode first. Then lower Screen Space Reflections, Shadow Filtering Quality, Occlusion and Screen Space Lighting, and volumetric or VFX quality in separate tests. Ray tracing should already be off in this profile.
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- 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1, DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan RT API, OpenGL 4.6
CPU-limited result
If the CPU is the limiting component, reducing resolution may barely change the result. Keep a stable frame cap, close unnecessary background applications, and avoid chasing a higher peak through increasingly low visual settings. Multiplayer scenes with many players or effects can expose CPU limits that a quiet benchmark zone does not.
Good average FPS but distracting hitching
An acceptable average can hide inconsistent frame delivery. Compare the benchmark’s latency and zone results, then test a lower cap that your system can sustain. Check whether one specific zone causes the problem before changing every setting. A profile with a slightly lower average but steadier response is usually easier to aim with.
Image looks sharp but enemies are hard to read
Reduce excessive sharpness, disable World Depth of Field, and compare reflections, occlusion, and screen-space lighting in the same area. Clarity is not the same as edge enhancement: halos and shimmer can make a high-contrast target less stable while standing still.
Arc performance is unexpectedly poor
Confirm Resizable BAR, DirectX 12 compatibility, and the current Intel driver. Activision lists Resizable BAR as required for Intel Arc GPUs, so a disabled setting can invalidate comparisons with the published Arc tier.
Frame caps, latency, and monitor matching
Use the benchmark’s input-latency readout alongside FPS. Once you know the frame rate your PC can hold during demanding scenes, cap the game near that sustainable level instead of allowing large swings between an uncapped peak and a fight-time drop. Match the cap to the monitor’s refresh capability and your preferred latency behavior. The best number is the one that remains stable in real matches, not the largest number shown for a quiet test area.
A high-refresh monitor is most useful when the PC can consistently render enough frames to feed it. A 1440p high-refresh display is a sensible category match for a system near the recommended 90-FPS tier, but the game also supports 1080p, 4K, and ultrawide screens. Choose the display after deciding whether your priority is responsiveness, pixel detail, or a wider field of view.
Driver and installation checklist
- Install the game on an SSD with at least 115 GB available at launch; both the minimum and recommended specifications list that requirement.
- Use Windows 10 at minimum, or Windows 11 for the recommended tier.
- Verify TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are enabled.
- Confirm DirectX 12 compatibility and a broadband internet connection.
- For Intel Arc, enable Resizable BAR.
- Check the current driver release before launch. The published launch references are AMD 26.7.1, NVIDIA 616.56, and Intel 32.0.101.8974, but driver versions are volatile and may be replaced.
- After a driver change, rerun the benchmark. A new driver can change frame pacing or image quality, so do not assume an old result still applies.
How to settle on your final settings
- Choose your target resolution based on whether FPS or detail is more important.
- Pick the GPU-matched upscaler and disable ray tracing.
- Disable World Depth of Field and set a moderate sharpness level.
- Run the Benchmark Tool and note average FPS, CPU/GPU behavior, input latency, ping, and zone results.
- Change only the controls connected to the bottleneck: resolution or upscaling for broad GPU pressure, then reflections, shadows, occlusion, lighting, volumetrics, or VFX for targeted GPU savings.
- Set Enhanced FOV and Weapon Depth of Field according to your visual comfort, testing them during movement rather than from a static menu.
- Apply a stable frame cap, then play several real matches.
- Keep the profile only if opponents remain readable and frame delivery stays predictable in the busiest scenes you encounter.
The strongest general recommendation is 1440p with a hardware-matched upscaler, ray tracing off, World Depth of Field off, carefully controlled sharpness, and benchmark-driven reductions to expensive lighting and reflection effects. Move to 1080p when every frame matters, or to 4K when image detail is worth sacrificing frame-rate headroom.
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