Start with your game’s Low graphics preset, then adjust the most demanding options one at a time while testing a repeatable stretch of actual gameplay. If it still feels choppy, reduce antialiasing and ambient occlusion, then try a lower render scale or display resolution. There is no universal preset: the right balance depends on the game, your hardware, and how much image softness you can accept.
Start with a baseline you can compare
- Choose the Low preset. In the game’s graphics or video menu, apply Low or its equivalent. This gives you a consistent starting point, not a guarantee that every setting is optimal for your system.
- Test a representative section. Play the same demanding area, encounter, or route rather than judging performance from a quiet menu. Note whether movement feels smooth and whether details remain clear enough to read.
- Change one setting at a time. Replay that section after each change. Keeping the rest of the profile constant makes it easier to tell whether a visual compromise is worthwhile.
AMD’s Game Advisor can collect data during normal play and report average FPS and frame-time percentiles, including the 95th-percentile frame time. AMD says the feature supports Radeon RX 400-series and newer configurations, excludes APU graphics, and requires exclusive fullscreen. These measurements can help compare runs on supported systems, but they are not a promised FPS gain or a substitute for checking how the game feels.
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For each comparison, consider frame-rate consistency during the same gameplay, image clarity at your usual viewing distance, and compatibility with your hardware and display mode. When comparing upscaling, also check for artifacts and whether text and interface elements stay readable.
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Antialiasing
Reduce or disable antialiasing if performance is still poor after applying the Low preset. It smooths jagged edges; turning it down can make outlines look rougher, especially on fine geometry. The size of any performance change depends on the game and system, so compare rather than assume.
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Ambient occlusion
Reduce or disable ambient occlusion next. It adds subtle contact shadows where objects meet, helping scenes look grounded. Lowering it can make corners and object edges appear flatter, but may be a useful trade if the game remains difficult to play smoothly.
Render scale and display resolution
These are different controls in many games. Display resolution sets the output resolution sent to the screen; render scale changes the resolution at which the game draws its 3D scene before scaling it to that output. Lowering either can make the picture less sharp. If the game offers render scale, try lowering it first so you can retain the display’s output resolution; if not, test a lower display resolution.
AMD gives examples of changing render scale from 120% to 100%, or display resolution from 2560×1440 to 1920×1080. Those are examples of possible adjustments, not universal targets or evidence of a particular FPS improvement. Stop lowering resolution when the image becomes too soft or text and gameplay details are hard to distinguish.
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Try an upscaler if the game supports one
Some games include an upscaler that renders the scene at a lower resolution and reconstructs it for a higher-resolution output. Availability and image quality vary by title. Compare the result during movement as well as in a still scene: shimmering, ghosting, or soft interface text may make an upscaled image less comfortable even if it looks acceptable when paused.
When a game includes AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), AMD recommends using the built-in FSR option rather than driver-level Radeon Super Resolution (RSR), because game-specific optimization may produce better upscaling. Follow the game’s own menu labels and compare available modes; not every game offers FSR or another upscaler.
When Radeon Super Resolution may apply
RSR is a driver-level option for upscaling a game running below the display’s native resolution. AMD specifies Windows 10 or Windows 11 desktop systems with a discrete Radeon RX 5000-series or later, or select AMD Advantage systems, and Adrenalin 22.7.1 or later. It also has display-mode requirements; consult AMD’s current setup instructions before relying on it. If the game has built-in FSR, AMD recommends trying that first.
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Windows 11 windowed-game optimization
Windows 11 offers “Optimizations for windowed games” for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 titles running windowed or borderless windowed. Microsoft says the feature improves gaming performance for those games and modes; it does not tune the game’s own graphics settings or apply to every title.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteTo check it, open Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings and review “Optimizations for windowed games.” If an individual game behaves worse, Windows lets you select that app under Graphics and turn the optimization off for it. Windows also exposes a per-app graphics preference on systems with more than one GPU, which can help select the intended graphics processor; neither option replaces testing in-game settings.
Keep driver-wide changes conservative
Driver control panels offer additional graphics options, but a global change is not a reliable shortcut to better performance in every game. AMD’s guidance is explicitly about Radeon software: it says default driver settings provide most users with a balance of visual quality and FPS, and notes that texture-filtering quality has a small performance and image-quality impact. Prefer the game’s own controls for targeted adjustments, and avoid changing several driver options at once.
Quick Recap
Sources and compatibility details
- AMD: How to Use Game Advisor Within Radeon Overlay — gameplay measurements and support limitations.
- AMD: Configure AMD Radeon Settings for Ultimate Gaming Experience — Radeon driver guidance.
- AMD: Configure Radeon Super Resolution with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition — RSR requirements and AMD’s recommendation to prefer in-game FSR where available; updated June 25, 2025.
- Microsoft Support: Optimizations for windowed games in Windows 11 — supported game APIs and display modes.
- Microsoft Support: Automatic Super Resolution — separate Windows upscaling feature and compatibility details.
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