For better performance in a PC game demo, start with a repeatable baseline, then change one graphics setting at a time and compare both frame rate and image quality. Lowering resolution or demanding quality options can help, but there is no setting that improves every demo on every PC. Use frame-rate and hardware overlays to identify the actual bottleneck before considering hardware changes.
Measure a baseline before changing settings
Choose a repeatable section of the demo or its built-in benchmark. Record the resolution, graphics preset, average FPS and 1% low FPS. Keep the same scene and conditions for each comparison so that a change in the numbers is more likely to reflect the setting you changed.
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Average FPS is useful, but it does not describe every kind of stutter. NVIDIA FrameView reports average FPS and 1% low FPS; the latter averages the slowest one percent of frames and can help reveal uneven performance. FrameView also supports latency and hardware telemetry. Some latency readings require a supported game and may not appear in menus. See NVIDIA FrameView.
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Make one change, replay the same section, and record the result before adjusting something else. Steam Support notes that manually changing a game’s video options can increase FPS, but the benefit depends on the demo and the system.
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- Lower output resolution or resolution scale. This reduces the amount of detail the game renders and may improve frame rate, especially on older or integrated graphics. The trade-off is a softer or less detailed image.
- Reduce demanding quality options. If resolution alone does not give a satisfactory balance, lower individual graphics options and test them separately. Which options matter most varies by game, so avoid assuming one preset is best for all demos.
- Compare upscaling with native rendering, if available. Test a moving scene as well as a still image: motion can reveal softness or artifacts that are easy to miss in a screenshot. The sources available here do not establish one upscaler or mode as best across demos.
Steam’s general guidance is that reducing video resolution may help older or integrated graphics. Its advice is not a promise of a specific FPS gain for every game or adjustment: Steam Support troubleshooting for low frame rates.
Test VSync and display behavior
VSync affects how the game’s frames are synchronized with the display. Turning it off can allow frames beyond the display’s refresh rate, but may cause tearing or other artifacts. Whether that trade-off is worthwhile depends on your display and whether you prioritize tear-free output, frame rate or responsiveness.
Test the setting in the demo’s graphics options and judge it during motion, not only in a static scene. AMD notes that for DirectX and Vulkan games, VSync is controlled in the game’s graphics settings. See AMD’s VSync guidance and Steam’s explanation of VSync and video options.
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Use overlays to find the bottleneck
An overlay can help distinguish a graphics-memory problem from a frame-rate or hardware-load issue. Steam’s performance monitor displays frame-generation information and can warn when game memory use exceeds available video memory; performance is likely to suffer when that happens. NVIDIA FrameView can show average and 1% low FPS, PC latency, GPU and CPU utilization, and temperatures. Treat these readings as diagnostic clues, not proof that a single component is responsible.
For example, high video-memory use is a reason to investigate memory pressure, not by itself a recommendation to buy a graphics card. A CPU limit, shader compilation, background processes, a game bug or poor demo optimization may need a different remedy. Overlay features and readings can vary by game and hardware; FrameView latency data may not be available in menus or unsupported games. See Steam’s performance monitor announcement and NVIDIA FrameView.
Try driver controls carefully
Graphics-driver software may offer application profiles and controls such as shader cache, filtering options or a frame-rate cap. These controls are vendor- and hardware-specific, so change them only when you understand what they affect and can compare the result in the same scene.
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AMD’s Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC) can reduce GPU power use, heat and fan noise when a game is rendering far more frames than the display needs. It applies only to supported hardware and API cases, and AMD says changes require restarting the application. Restore defaults if a driver change makes performance or image quality worse. AMD cautions that finding the right balance may take multiple adjustments. See AMD Radeon settings guidance.
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Compare the baseline and each trial across the same measures rather than choosing a setting based on one number:
- Average FPS: the overall frame-rate result.
- 1% low FPS: a useful indicator of slow frames and stutter.
- Image quality in motion: check clarity and visible artifacts while moving.
- Responsiveness: consider latency and how controls feel.
- Display artifacts: look for tearing or other synchronization problems.
Keep the change only if the combined result suits your priorities. A higher average FPS may not be a better experience if the image becomes too soft, frame pacing worsens, controls feel less responsive or tearing becomes distracting.
When hardware or other fixes may be relevant
Start with the game’s settings and current official driver support information. Consider hardware only when monitoring and the demo’s requirements point to a specific constraint. A graphics card with more video memory may be relevant when the game exceeds available video memory; it is not a universal fix for low FPS. If memory is not the issue, investigate CPU load, background applications, shader compilation, bugs or the demo’s optimization instead.
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