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If Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is stuttering or dropping FPS on PC, first compare your PC with Steam’s system requirements, then check the game’s Ray Tracing Quality setting. Bandai Namco has documented a ray-tracing issue that can cause unstable performance in some PC versions, but neither that note nor a symptom alone identifies the cause on every system.
Start by recording your PC and the pattern of the drops
Before changing settings or buying hardware, note your CPU, graphics card, RAM, Windows version, and graphics-driver version. Also record when the problem occurs: in particular scenes, after a game or driver update, or in other games too. Those details help distinguish a requirements mismatch from a setting or version-specific issue.
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Steam’s listed requirements provide a compatibility baseline, not a guarantee of stable frame rates in every area or scene. Compare your components with the listing below, accessed in 2026.
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 3 3300X | Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X |
| Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8 GB |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Available storage | 60 GB | 60 GB |
Source: Steam listing. Being below a listed minimum is a reason to investigate compatibility, not proof that it explains a particular stutter. Meeting recommended specifications likewise does not guarantee a steady frame rate in every situation.
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Check Ray Tracing Quality
Bandai Namco’s version 1.15 patch notes, published September 11, 2024, say: “In some PC versions, Ray Tracing may be unintentionally enabled and cause unstable performance.” The note directs players to check the setting rather than asserting that ray tracing explains all performance problems.
- Open the title screen or the in-game menu.
- Go to System > Graphics > Ray Tracing Quality.
- Check whether ray tracing is enabled. If you do not intend to use it, turn it off and see whether the symptom changes.
See Bandai Namco’s version 1.15 patch notes. If the setting was already off, or changing it makes no difference, continue with diagnosis rather than repeating the same adjustment.
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Check the driver against your graphics card and version
Driver notes can matter, but they are specific to a GPU family and release. Intel’s December 26, 2024 release notes list “Elden Ring* (DX12) may exhibit stuttering during gameplay in certain scenes.” That is evidence of a dated, scene-specific issue in Intel’s notes—not evidence that every current stutter is an Intel driver problem.
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- Identify your GPU model and installed driver version before acting on a driver note.
- Check the graphics vendor’s current release notes for your specific card and driver; the Intel notes above are dated examples, not current guidance for every system.
- If the stutter began immediately after a game or driver update, include that timing when checking official support information.
Sources: Intel graphics driver release notes and downloads and Intel release-note information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use the symptom pattern to narrow the cause
- Drops in particular scenes: Record where they happen and whether they began after an update. Intel’s dated note shows why scene-specific context can be useful, but it does not establish the cause on another GPU or driver.
- Stuttering across the game: Recheck the requirements and Ray Tracing Quality setting, then verify your exact driver version against current vendor notes.
- Stuttering in other games too: The issue may not be specific to Shadow of the Erdtree. Include those other symptoms when seeking help instead of assuming the game alone is responsible.
- Problem started after an update: Note which update and when it was installed. Check official game and graphics-vendor information for that version before changing several settings at once.
When the first checks do not help
Gather your CPU, GPU, RAM, Windows version, driver version, the affected scenes, and whether other games show the same issue. Use those details to consult current official game and graphics-vendor support information for your installed versions. The available system requirements, patch note, and dated Intel notes do not establish one universal cause or a guaranteed fix.
Do not infer from stuttering alone that you need a new GPU, CPU, memory kit, SSD, cooling component, or peripheral. A purchase decision depends on the diagnosed limitation; the published requirements and notes do not establish that any one upgrade will fix an individual case.
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