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For most PCs, start with the High preset at 1080p, turn ray tracing off, and use the native resolution until you establish a stable frame-time pattern. At 1440p, keep High and add an upscaler if needed. At 4K, plan to use an upscaler and be ready to drop to 1440p if frame times remain uneven. RTX owners should test DLSS first; Radeon, Intel and older GeForce cards should test TSR before FSR.
Ghostwire: Tokyo has separate ray-tracing requirements, no built-in benchmark, and a history of traversal stutter reported in testing. The reliable approach is to use a repeatable outdoor route, monitor average and 1% low frame rates with an external overlay, and change one setting at a time.
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Quick-start settings by target
Use these as starting profiles rather than guarantees. Your processor, graphics card, driver, VRAM capacity, background applications and chosen frame-rate target all affect the result.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Target | Preset and resolution | Ray tracing | Upscaler | First adjustments | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p, roughly 60 FPS target | High preset at 1920×1080 | Off | Native first; DLSS Quality, TSR or FSR if required | Disable Motion Blur; reduce Shadow Maps or Global Illumination if GPU-limited | 1% lows during outdoor traversal |
| 1440p, roughly 60 FPS target | High preset at 2560×1440 | Off initially | DLSS Quality on RTX; TSR first on non-RTX hardware | Lower Shadow Maps, Global Illumination or Level Streaming Distance when frame time is unstable | Frame-time spikes and VRAM use |
| 4K, cinematic image quality | High or Highest at 3840×2160 only if frame times permit | Off unless you have substantial headroom | DLSS Balanced or Performance, or another supported mode | Drop to 1440p with an upscaler if 4K remains uneven | Uneven frame times; an RTX 3080 test still found 4K problematic |
| Ray-traced 1080p | Use the RT tier appropriate to your GPU, then tune the base preset | Low RT tier | DLSS on RTX; Bethesda documents FSR 1.0 for AMD in its RT table | Keep an eye on reflections and shadows as well as average FPS | Large RT-related GPU load increase |
The High preset is the sensible baseline because Bethesda’s recommended specifications explicitly target up to 1080p High. “Highest” at 4K is a separate official tier, not a promise that every card capable of running the game at 1080p can drive it smoothly.
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Bethesda’s official hardware tiers
Bethesda publishes separate non-ray-traced and ray-traced targets. These are vendor recommendations for resolution and quality ceilings, not a guarantee of a locked frame rate. The 1080p High row calls for a Core i7-6700 or Ryzen 5 2600, 16 GB of RAM, and a GTX 1080, RX 5600 XT or Arc A750-class graphics card.
| Official tier | Resolution and quality | Hardware details stated by Bethesda | How to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-RT entry | Up to 720p, Low | Bethesda does not state specific processor and GPU values for this tier | Use this tier when you need the largest performance margin; raise individual settings gradually |
| Non-RT mainstream | Up to 1080p, High | Core i7-6700 or Ryzen 5 2600, 16 GB RAM, and GTX 1080, RX 5600 XT or Arc A750-class graphics | Use as the default starting point for a 1080p display |
| Non-RT top | Up to 2160p, Highest | Bethesda does not state exact processor and graphics values for this tier | Only select Highest after checking frame-time consistency at your desired resolution |
At least 16 GB of system memory is therefore the documented requirement for the 1080p High tier. Graphics-class labels are more useful than assuming a newer model is automatically faster: compare your card’s actual performance and VRAM behavior, then tune using the procedure below.
Ray-tracing tiers
Ray tracing has its own hardware ladder and should be treated as a different performance tier, not a small visual switch on top of the ordinary High preset.
| RT tier | Bethesda’s stated ceiling | Graphics hardware named | Upscaling note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low RT | Up to 1080p | RTX 2060, RX 6700 XT or Arc A770 | No universal mode is promised; choose an upscaler that meets your target |
| High RT | Up to 1440p | RTX 3070, RX 6800 or Arc A770 | Expect to tune resolution and upscaling together |
| Highest RT | Top ray-tracing tier | RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT | Bethesda’s row specifies DLSS Quality or FSR 1.0 Balanced |
The same Arc A770 appears in Bethesda’s Low RT and High RT rows, illustrating why the table is a starting point rather than a frame-rate guarantee: the achievable result depends on the rest of the system, the exact settings and the chosen resolution.
Choosing DLSS, TSR or FSR
DLSS for RTX graphics cards
NVIDIA says RTX users can combine ray-traced reflections and shadows with DLSS and advertises performance gains of up to 2×. That is a vendor claim, not a measured promise for every card, scene or setting. Start at 1440p with DLSS Quality because it usually preserves more detail than the more aggressive modes. At 4K, switch to DLSS Balanced or Performance only when the frame-rate target requires it; inspect fine geometry and distant signage after changing modes.
TSR for Radeon, Intel and older GeForce cards
For non-RTX hardware, test Temporal Super Resolution (TSR) first. TSR is the suggested alternative to FSR for non-RTX users. TSR is therefore the first comparison point for Radeon, Intel and older GeForce cards, but keep the mode that produces the best combination of clarity and stable frame time on your system.
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FSR and the documented RT path
Bethesda’s official ray-tracing table documents FSR 1.0 as the AMD option and specifies FSR 1.0 Balanced in its highest RT row. FSR remains a valid fallback when TSR does not meet your performance target or when your selected RT tier calls for the documented mode. Because FSR 1.0 is an older spatial approach, check for shimmering and softened detail rather than judging it from the menu label alone.
What each graphics setting changes
The game exposes a small group of settings that matter most when the High preset is not holding your target. Adjust them in a controlled order so you know which compromise produced the improvement.
Motion Blur
Disable Motion Blur if you prefer a sharper view or if camera movement feels smeared. This is primarily a clarity choice; disabling it does not replace the performance changes from resolution, lighting or shadows.
Shadow Maps
Shadow Maps can be one of the first reductions when GPU load is high. Lowering them reduces shadow detail and distance, but generally leaves textures and reflections intact. Compare a busy street or courtyard with strong cast shadows before and after the change.
Global Illumination
Lower Global Illumination when frame time remains GPU-bound after choosing a suitable resolution and upscaler. The trade-off is less convincing indirect light and darker or flatter-looking areas. Make one step at a time so you can decide whether the visual cost is acceptable.
Level Streaming Distance
Level Streaming Distance controls how far ahead the game prepares world data. Reduce it when traversal hitching or memory pressure appears, especially if the overlay shows VRAM usage approaching the card’s capacity. A lower value can make distant world detail arrive later, so test it on a route that crosses several blocks rather than in a stationary room.
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Texture Streaming
Texture Streaming is another lever for VRAM pressure. Lower it when textures take a long time to appear, hitching coincides with new areas loading, or the card is repeatedly running out of headroom. The immediate cost is lower texture detail; the benefit can be more consistent traversal.
Screen-space reflections (SSR)
SSR affects reflections that are calculated from the visible screen. Keep it for the final tuning pass because reducing it changes reflective surfaces and can be more noticeable in wet streets and interiors than a small shadow reduction.
Subsurface scattering (SSS)
SSS controls light passing through materials such as skin. Lower it only after the larger GPU-cost controls have been tested if you want to preserve character-material quality while solving a performance problem.
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There is no built-in benchmark. A repeatable in-game route and an external monitoring overlay are therefore essential for meaningful comparisons.
- Set the display target. Choose 1080p, 1440p or 4K and decide whether your priority is a sustained 60 FPS target, a lower locked target, or maximum image quality. Do not change the target during the first comparison run.
- Load the appropriate base preset. Start with High for 1080p or 1440p. Use Highest at 4K only if your hardware has substantial headroom. Turn ray tracing off for the initial non-RT baseline.
- Choose an upscaler. Use native resolution first if it already meets your target. At 1440p, begin with DLSS Quality on an RTX card. On non-RTX cards, test TSR first. At 4K, move to DLSS Balanced or Performance, or the equivalent supported mode, only when necessary.
- Select a repeatable route. Use the same busy outdoor path with comparable movement, camera turns and weather. Traversal exposes streaming and shader-cache behavior that a quiet interior can hide.
- Record a baseline. Use an external overlay to record average FPS, 1% low FPS, GPU utilization, VRAM use and frame time. Run the route more than once if results vary substantially, and note whether a hitch occurred during a new area transition.
- Remove blur if desired. Disable Motion Blur when clarity is your preference, then repeat the route so visual and performance observations remain separated.
- Reduce GPU-heavy lighting and shadows. Lower Shadow Maps first, then Global Illumination, when GPU load is high. Keep the change that improves frame-time consistency without an unacceptable lighting or shadow loss.
- Address streaming pressure. If VRAM use is close to the card’s limit or traversal produces hitching, lower Level Streaming Distance and then Texture Streaming. Repeat the same route after each change.
- Make the final quality compromises. Reduce SSR and SSS last because they alter reflections and character-material appearance. Stop when the target is stable rather than chasing a single peak-FPS reading.
Changing one control at a time matters. If you lower resolution, switch upscalers and drop shadows in one pass, you cannot tell which change solved a hitch or which one caused the visible downgrade.
Recommended profiles in practice
1080p High without ray tracing
This is the broadest recommendation. Select High, leave RT disabled, and begin at native 1920×1080. If the 1% lows are poor while average FPS looks adequate, test DLSS Quality on RTX hardware or TSR on other cards before reducing several quality settings. Shadow Maps and Global Illumination are the first reductions when the overlay shows sustained GPU load. Keep SSR and SSS until the end.
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1440p High without ray tracing
Use High at 2560×1440 and start with DLSS Quality on RTX. On Radeon, Intel or older GeForce hardware, compare TSR first. If frame time is unstable, lower Shadow Maps or Global Illumination; if the spikes coincide with area transitions or VRAM pressure, lower Level Streaming Distance or Texture Streaming instead. This distinction prevents you from sacrificing lighting quality to solve a streaming problem.
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4K
4K is the least forgiving target. DSOGaming observed poor 4K frame times even on an RTX 3080 and found that moving to 1440p reduced, but did not completely eliminate, the issue. Use an upscaler at 4K and begin with DLSS Balanced or Performance when necessary. If the route still produces uneven frame times, 1440p with an upscaler is a defensible fallback: it usually provides more consistent pacing than forcing native 4K or the Highest preset.
Ray-traced reflections and shadows
Enable RT only after you have a stable non-RT baseline. Match your card to Bethesda’s RT rows: RTX 2060, RX 6700 XT or Arc A770 for up to 1080p Low RT; RTX 3070, RX 6800 or Arc A770 for up to 1440p High RT; and RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT for the highest RT tier. Use DLSS on RTX cards, and follow Bethesda’s documented FSR 1.0 option on AMD. If RT causes large frame-time spikes, lower the RT tier or disable RT rather than repeatedly cutting unrelated texture and streaming settings.
Understanding frame rate, frame time and VRAM
A single average-FPS number can hide the problem you feel. A game averaging 60 FPS can still hitch if its 1% lows collapse during traversal. Frame time measures the duration of each frame; consistent pacing often feels smoother than a higher but erratic average.
- GPU-limited behavior: GPU utilization remains high and lowering Shadow Maps, Global Illumination, resolution or upscaling mode improves frame time.
- Streaming or VRAM pressure: Hitches cluster around new areas, VRAM approaches capacity, or textures arrive late. Lower Level Streaming Distance or Texture Streaming and retest.
- Shader-cache or traversal stutter: The hitch repeats when entering particular areas even after ordinary quality reductions. Repeat the route after a clean launch and monitor whether the pattern changes.
Use VRAM headroom as a decision signal, not a reason to lower every setting. Texture Streaming and Level Streaming Distance are the controls most directly related to memory and traversal behavior among the game’s settings.
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1. Reproduce the hitch
Run the same outdoor route and note whether the hitch occurs when turning a corner, crossing into a new district or loading a detailed scene. Capture the overlay’s frame-time graph and VRAM reading at the moment it happens.
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2. Rule out an overloaded graphics profile
Temporarily disable RT, use the High preset, select the appropriate upscaler and lower Shadow Maps or Global Illumination. If the hitch disappears, restore settings one at a time to identify the expensive feature.
3. Reduce streaming pressure
If the hitch is tied to traversal and VRAM is near its limit, lower Level Streaming Distance first, then Texture Streaming. Test the same route after each change rather than judging from a stationary camera.
4. Account for shader-cache behavior
DSOGaming reported shader-cache and traversal stutters in its 2022 testing. A hitch that appears during the first pass through an area may not behave like a sustained GPU-load problem. Repeat the route after the game has revisited those areas and compare frame-time graphs.
5. Relaunch after severe degradation
The same testing reported major memory leaks and suggested saving, quitting and relaunching when performance degrades substantially. Treat this as an observed troubleshooting measure, not a guarantee that every current GOG build leaks memory. Save before quitting, relaunch the game, and check whether VRAM use and frame time return to their earlier levels.
6. Check the operating-system context
Do not assume a setting change can fix every compatibility issue. PC Gamer reported on 17 October 2026 that the GOG edition entered GOG’s Preservation Program, removed Bethesda.NET integration, and carries a promise that future stability problems caused by operating-system changes will be addressed in patches. That affects support expectations; it does not alter the graphics controls or the hardware tiers above.
GOG edition considerations
The GOG release’s removal of Bethesda.NET integration changes account and platform behavior, not the available resolution, quality, ray-tracing or upscaling controls. Use the same tuning workflow on GOG as on other PC releases: establish a non-RT baseline, measure a repeatable route, and then add features in order of their frame-time cost.
The Preservation Program report is relevant when a later operating-system update introduces a stability regression. Keep the game and platform updated, document the route and settings that reproduce a problem, and distinguish an OS-related failure from ordinary streaming or shader stutter before changing the graphics profile.
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Decision checklist
- Start at High rather than forcing Highest everywhere.
- Use 1080p High as the documented mainstream baseline when your system is around the Core i7-6700/Ryzen 5 2600, 16 GB RAM and GTX 1080/RX 5600 XT/Arc A750 class.
- At 1440p, try DLSS Quality on RTX; test TSR first on non-RTX hardware.
- At 4K, use an upscaler and move to 1440p if frame times remain uneven.
- Keep RT off while establishing a baseline, then match your GPU to Bethesda’s separate RT tiers.
- Lower Shadow Maps and Global Illumination for sustained GPU load.
- Lower Level Streaming Distance and Texture Streaming for VRAM pressure or traversal hitching.
- Leave SSR and SSS reductions until the final quality pass.
- Use an external overlay and a repeatable outdoor route because the game has no built-in benchmark.
- After substantial degradation, save, quit and relaunch before concluding that a permanent setting change is required.
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