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You can improve PC game performance without DLSS by lowering demanding in-game settings, reducing render resolution, or using another upscaler the game supports, such as AMD FSR or Intel XeSS. Start with reversible changes and compare the same scene before and after; the right fix depends on the game, graphics hardware, Windows version, and what is limiting performance.
Start with a repeatable performance baseline
Before changing settings, record how the game performs at your usual resolution and graphics preset. Use its built-in benchmark if available; otherwise, replay the same area with similar activity. Note average frame rate, whether frame delivery feels uneven, and any loss of image quality. Change one setting at a time, then repeat the comparison. This helps distinguish a useful adjustment from one that merely makes the picture worse.
Performance may be limited by the GPU, CPU, memory, or another part of the system. A graphics setting is most likely to help when it affects the component that is holding the game back, so there is no universal ranking of settings that works for every title.
Lower demanding graphics settings first
In the game’s graphics menu, try reducing render resolution or a visually expensive setting, then test the same scene again. Lower render resolution can raise frame rate, but it also makes the image less sharp. Other settings’ costs vary with the game’s renderer and your hardware, so adjust them individually rather than applying a broad low preset and assuming every change helped.
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If the game has a built-in frame-rate limit, use it when your goal is steadier frame pacing or lower power use rather than maximum peak FPS. A cap does not inherently increase the game’s peak frame rate.
Try FSR or XeSS when the game offers it
AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) and Intel Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) can render at a lower internal resolution and upscale the image, but support is implemented by individual games. Look for the option in the game’s graphics or display menu, and consult the game’s documentation if it is unclear which version or presets are available. A game may not offer either technology, and its options can differ from those in another title.
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Choose an upscaling preset by balancing clarity and speed
If image quality matters, begin with a quality-oriented preset. If performance is still short of your target, try a more performance-oriented preset and inspect fine detail, edges, and motion for image degradation. Intel’s XeSS developer guidance describes presets including Quality, Balanced, Performance, and Ultra Performance, with performance-focused presets recommended at 1440p and above; the actual choices and results depend on each game’s implementation. AMD likewise describes FSR as a set of technologies whose availability and generation depend on the game.
These options are not guaranteed to deliver a particular FPS gain. Compare the same scene at the same output resolution, and keep the preset that provides an acceptable balance of frame rate and image quality.
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Use Radeon Super Resolution only when it fits
AMD Radeon Super Resolution (RSR) is a driver-level spatial upscaler for games that lack integrated upscaling. AMD says it activates only when the game runs below the monitor’s native resolution, so changing the game’s resolution is part of using it. If the title supports FSR, AMD recommends trying its in-game FSR option first because game-specific optimizations may provide better upscaling. RSR can also conflict with some Radeon features.
AMD’s support article lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktop systems with discrete Radeon RX 5000 Series graphics or later, as well as select AMD Advantage systems, and Adrenalin Edition 22.7.1 or later. The article’s illustrated setup uses Adrenalin 25.6.1 and an RX 9070. Requirements and menus can change; check AMD’s current RSR support instructions for your hardware and driver before enabling it.
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Check relevant Windows and GPU settings
Windows 11: optimizations for windowed games
Microsoft documents “Optimizations for windowed games” for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games running in windowed or borderless-windowed mode. The feature moves compatible games from the legacy blt-model presentation to flip-model, which Microsoft says reduces frame latency and can enable Auto HDR and variable refresh rate on supported displays. It is not a general fix for every game or fullscreen mode.
- Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default settings.
- Turn on Optimizations for windowed games if the option is available.
- Restart the game for the change to take effect.
See Microsoft’s Windows 11 guidance for the feature’s scope and details.
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Windows 11: choose the high-performance GPU for a game
On a system with more than one GPU, Windows lets you set a graphics preference per game. Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics, select the game (or add it if needed), open Options, and choose High performance where appropriate. Restart the game after changing the preference. Use this only if the system has multiple GPUs and the game is using the wrong one; it is not a universal setting for single-GPU PCs.
NVIDIA and AMD driver controls
NVIDIA Control Panel documents a per-program preferred graphics processor option on supported systems with power-saving GPUs. A program already running continues to use its existing processor, so restart it after changing the setting. NVIDIA also offers GPU upscaling for resolutions at or below native, along with a maximum frame-rate control. These are optional NVIDIA-specific controls; a frame cap can suit goals such as reduced power use, but does not inherently raise peak FPS. See NVIDIA’s Control Panel reference.
AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition includes application profiles and options such as texture filtering, tessellation, and shader cache. AMD describes Standard texture filtering as its best mix of image quality and performance, and says lower tessellation levels can reduce overhead. Effects vary by game and system, so do not assume a driver toggle will produce a measurable improvement in every title. See AMD’s graphics settings reference.
Decide whether a hardware upgrade is warranted
Consider a graphics-card upgrade only after checking that the GPU is the limiting component in the games and settings that matter to you. If lowering GPU-heavy settings does not improve performance, a GPU purchase may not address the actual bottleneck. Check your PC’s compatibility before buying; the evidence here does not establish a particular graphics card, price, or guaranteed frame-rate improvement for an unspecified system.
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