The driver has dozens of switches, and most “optimization guides” on the internet only move them back and forth. A handful really matter: adaptive sync, an FPS cap, low-latency modes and a few things that must stay at default. Below is a short, safe list for GeForce and Radeon cards.
Simplified scheme. Reflex and Anti-Lag keep the queue short, so the picture reacts to the mouse sooner.
1. Before you start
- Install the current driver from the manufacturer (NVIDIA App or AMD Software); how to do it cleanly is in our drivers guide.
- Make sure the monitor really runs at its full refresh rate: 144 Hz, G-Sync and FreeSync guide.
- Enable Resizable BAR if your hardware supports it (AMD calls it Smart Access Memory).
- Keep an FPS overlay (for example from MSI Afterburner / RivaTuner) to see what a change really does.
2. NVIDIA (NVIDIA App and Control Panel)
Open NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D settings → Global settings. Anything not listed here stays at default.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor Technology | G-SYNC Compatible | Turn it on under Set up G-SYNC if the monitor supports it. Removes tearing without V-Sync lag. |
| Vertical sync | On (with G-Sync) | Together with an FPS cap it is the cleanest setup. Without G-Sync keep “Use the 3D application setting”. |
| Max Frame Rate | Refresh rate − 3 (for example 141 for 144 Hz) | Keeps the game inside the G-Sync range, so V-Sync never adds delay. |
| Low Latency Mode | On (Ultra only for old DX11 games) | Reflex in the game replaces it. Do not stack Ultra with Reflex. |
| Power management mode | Normal or Optimal power | “Prefer maximum performance” only helps if clocks drop in games; it raises idle power and heat. |
| Shader Cache Size | Driver Default | Larger cache reduces shader stutter after the first run. Do not turn it off. |
| Texture filtering, AA, DSR | Leave default | The gain is within a couple of percent, and in-game settings do the same job. |
In the NVIDIA App you can also use DLSS Override to force the latest model; see our DLSS and FSR guide.
3. AMD Radeon (Adrenalin)
Open AMD Software → Gaming → Graphics. Again, only the lines below matter.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| FreeSync | On (also in the monitor menu) | Adaptive sync. Check in the monitor OSD that it is enabled. |
| Frame Rate Target Control or in-game cap | Refresh rate − 3 | Same idea as with NVIDIA: keep FPS inside the FreeSync range. |
| Radeon Anti-Lag | On in esports games (DX11) | Cuts the queue delay. Where the game has its own Anti-Lag 2 option, use that instead. |
| Radeon Enhanced Sync | Off | Often brings micro-stutters; adaptive sync does the job better. |
| Radeon Boost | Off | Lowers resolution during movement, which looks like blur. |
| Radeon Chill | Off (On for quiet play) | Limits FPS when you stand still: less heat and noise, but never use it in competitive games. |
| Smart Access Memory | On | This is Resizable BAR. |
| Tuning | Automatic only | Manual tuning is a separate topic: overclocking and undervolting guide. |
4. In-game settings that always matter
- Fullscreen or borderless: both are fine in modern games; pick the one that does not stutter on Alt+Tab.
- In-game V-Sync: off when you use G-Sync/FreeSync with an FPS cap.
- NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency (On or On + Boost) or AMD Anti-Lag 2: turn on whenever the game offers it. It is free delay reduction.
- Upscaler and frame generation: when the game is too heavy, start with the upscaler quality; see our DLSS, FSR and frame generation guide.
- Textures to High if there is enough video memory; shadows and volumetric effects are usually the most expensive and the least noticeable.
5. What not to do
- Do not install “optimizer” packs, registry cleaners or tweak scripts. They change dozens of values at once, and then nobody knows what broke.
- Do not copy somebody else’s settings from a video: they were tested on another monitor, another game and another CPU.
- Change one thing at a time and compare in the same scene. If nothing changes in FPS and in feel, put it back to default.
- If the game is still slow, the reason is usually elsewhere: go through the low FPS and stutters checklist.
Do not rely on numbers alone: after each change play for ten minutes and ask yourself whether the mouse feels more direct and the picture smoother. If you want hardware that is tuned and tested for your games, build it in our PC configurator.