PC FPS & Stutter Fixes (Universal Checklist)

Aug 29, 2025 • 80 views • NPolls Staff

This is the practical playbook we use to stabilize frame times and raise average FPS. Work top-down; don’t change ten things at once. Keep screenshots of your baseline and improvements.

Step 0 — Snapshot & diagnose

Overlay

Use an in-game/OSD to watch FPS, frametime (ms), CPU/GPU usage, VRAM, RAM, and temp.

CPU-bound vs GPU-bound

Symptom	Likely bound	What to try first
GPU < 80% usage; CPU 1–2 cores pegged	CPU-bound	Lower CPU-heavy settings (crowds/shadows), cap FPS
GPU 95–100% usage	GPU-bound	Lower resolution/upscaler; shadows/volumetrics
VRAM near max + hitching on turns	VRAM pressure	Lower textures; disable texture streaming

Step 1 — Drivers & GPU control panel

Clean install drivers (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel). If you upgraded major versions, use a clean-install option.
Disable “optimal power” modes that throttle: set Prefer maximum performance (per-game).
G-Sync/FreeSync: enable at the display; keep V-Sync on in the control panel and off in-game when using a frame-cap (see below).
Shader cache: leave enabled; clear only if corrupted.

Step 2 — Windows baseline

Power plan

Set to Balanced/High performance on desktop; laptops use Best Performance while plugged in.

Game Mode & Scheduling

Windows Game Mode: On. Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling: test On (some titles prefer Off).

Background apps

Disable overlays/recorders you don’t use (browser helpers, RGB suites). One capture tool at a time.

Storage

Install games on an SSD/NVMe. Keep 15–20% free space. Move shader cache/temp folders off full drives.

Step 3 — In-game settings that actually matter

Upscaler: DLSS/FSR/XeSS Quality for clarity; Balanced for heavier games. Nudge sharpening 0.2–0.4.
Textures vs VRAM: keep 500–1000 MB headroom. Lower textures before anything if stutter appears on turns.
Shadows & Volumetrics: cut to Low/Medium—big FPS win, tiny visual hit.
Crowds/Particles/Post-FX: lower these; disable film grain, motion blur, depth of field.
API: If a game offers DX11/DX12/Vulkan, try each; pick the smoothest frametime, not the peak FPS.

Step 4 — Frame-cap & pacing rules

Micro-stutter often vanishes with a smart cap. Aim for a cap your GPU can hold under load.

Display	Suggested cap	Notes
60 Hz	58–59 FPS	Frees GPU headroom; with VRR, try 60 w/ V-Sync off
120 Hz	117–118 FPS	Good for shooters; reduce input spikes
144 Hz	141 FPS	Popular cap; combine with Reflex/Anti-Lag

Use the game’s cap if stable; otherwise RTSS/driver cap. Avoid double-capping (driver + game).

Step 5 — Network & “online stutter”

Wired Ethernet or strong 5/6 GHz Wi-Fi. Close cloud sync/streaming tabs.
Limit background downloads (launchers). Disable metered connection caps if they throttle bursts.

Advanced checks (if stutter remains)

Pagefile/RAM

Don’t disable the pagefile. If RAM usage hits 90%+, close apps or add RAM.

Thermal throttling

GPU/CPU > 85–90°C + sudden clocks drops = clean fans, improve case airflow, repaste if needed.

Conflicting overlays

Disable extra OSDs (RGB, chat, recorders). Keep one OSD and one capture method.

Shader compilation

First-run stutter can be normal while shaders compile; let the menu pre-compile finish.

Quick triage flow

Watch usage/frametime → identify CPU/GPU/VRAM bound.
Cap FPS; pick upscaler; lower shadows/volumetrics.
Ensure drivers/Windows baseline; kill overlays.
Move game to SSD; keep free space; test API.
If still bad: temp/thermal, RAM/pagefile, clean driver reinstall.