Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a visually stunning game, but it demands a lot from your hardware. Whether you’re running on a high-end rig or trying to squeeze out more performance on a mid-range or low-end system, optimizing the game’s settings is crucial. This guide breaks down the best pc graphics settings to improve performance, boost FPS, and achieve a smoother gameplay experience.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Best PC Settings for Maximum Performance and FPS
1. Accessing Graphics Settings
To optimize your settings:
- Launch the game and go to the main menu.
- Open System and the Video tab to change display and graphics settings.
- Run a test with the built-in Benchmark Tool (F1 key) after settings are changed.
Also Read: AC Shadows The Tea Ceremony Walkthrough
2. Display Settings
These will impact how the game performs on your monitor.
- Field of View (FOV): Set it to your liking. FOV increased can slightly decrease performance.
- Display Mode: Borderless Windowed is recommended. It provides flexibility without significant performance loss.
- Aspect Ratio: Select according to your monitor. Make sure it is the same as your screen’s native resolution.
- V-Sync: Disable it unless you notice screen tearing. Otherwise, use Adaptive V-Sync for minimized input lag.
- Frame Rate Limiter: Disable it unless you need to cap your FPS in order to conserve system resources.
3. Upscaler Options (Most Important for FPS Boost)
Upscaling can enhance FPS by rendering at a reduced resolution and upscaling with AI.
Best Options:
- Nvidia DLSS or AMD FSR at Quality for the optimal trade-off between visuals and performance.
- Dynamic Resolution: Disable unless you like the game to automatically adjust resolution for a desired FPS.
4. Advanced Graphics Settings
These settings have an effect on the game’s visuals and performance. Tweak according to your system’s capability.
Ray Tracing Settings (High Impact on FPS)
- Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI): Can’t be disabled. Set to Diffuse + Hideout for little performance hit.
- Ray Tracing Quality: Set to Low for improved FPS.
- BVH Quality: Determines reflections and shadow resolutions. Set to Low unless playing on a top-end GPU.
Lighting & Shadows
- Light Source Quality: Set to High for a mix of visuals and performance.
- Shadow Quality: Low provides the greatest FPS improvement with little visual trade-off.
Textures
- Texture Quality: Set according to your VRAM size. If you have enough VRAM (8 GB and above), set this to Ultra High for complimentary visual boosts.
- Virtual Texture Quality: Raise if you have some extra VRAM. Set to High for higher texture detail.
Water, Particles, and Post Effects
- Water Quality: Set to High unless you are experiencing low FPS.
- Particle Quality: Low impact on FPS. Leave at High.
- Post Effects:
- Motion Blur: Disable for a crisper experience.
- Chromatic Aberration: Turn off if you like sharper images.
Geometry & Draw Distance
- Geometry Quality: Use Very High or Ultra High if VRAM supports it.
- Draw Distance: Use Medium to minimize pop-in at the expense of saving FPS.
- Scatter Density: Determines grass and foliage density. Use High for low FPS cost.
More Settings
- Character Quality: Use Medium for balance of shadow detail and performance.
- Deformation Quality: Leave set to Low unless you see problems.
5. Frame Generation (For RTX 40 Series GPUs)
If you possess an Nvidia RTX 40 Series card:
- Turn on DLSS Frame Generation for a large FPS improvement, but it can raise input latency. Use with caution if playing fast-paced games using mouse and keyboard.
Also Read: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay Guide: Combat Tips, Season Changes & Expert Mode
6. Presets Recommended for Various Systems
Low-End Systems:
- Resolution: Utilize DLSS/FSR at Balanced or Performance.
- Overall Graphics Preset: Low or Medium.
Mid-Range Systems:
- Resolution: Utilize DLSS/FSR at Quality.
- Overall Graphics Preset: High.
High-End Systems (RTX 3080/4080 and up):
- Resolution: Native or DLSS/FSR Quality.
- Overall Graphics Preset: Ultra High with ray tracing tweaks.
7. Final Benchmark & Tweaks
After applying your settings:
- Run the Benchmark Tool (F1) and test for FPS and stability.
- If still low FPS, lower Ray Tracing and Shadow Quality further or the upscaler setting.
Conclusion
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a graphically intensive game, but with some settings adjusted, you can easily enhance performance and FPS without having to sacrifice too much visual quality. Read this guide, modify settings accordingly, and have a smoother, more engaging gaming experience.
