Borderlands 4 – How to Boost FPS

Borderlands 4 is finally here, and its signature brand of mayhem is more visually spectacular and demanding than ever. The chaotic firefights, endless loot explosions, and sprawling new world of Kairos can put a significant strain on even high-end PCs. If you’re experiencing stuttering, low frame rates, or simply want to squeeze every last drop of performance out of your hardware, you’ve come to the right place.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to boost your FPS and achieve the smoothest possible gameplay experience. We’ll start with essential Windows and driver-level optimizations before diving deep into a full breakdown of the in-game graphics settings, explaining what each option does and which ones provide the biggest performance gains. Let’s get your game running perfectly.

The Foundation: Essential Windows and System Optimizations

Before you even launch the game, making sure your system is properly configured is the most important step for stable performance. These tweaks will ensure your PC is prioritizing the game and running at its full potential.

Windows Gaming Settings

First, open your Windows settings by searching for “Settings” in the Start Menu. Navigate to the Gaming tab.

• Xbox Game Bar: It’s highly recommended to turn this OFF. For most users, the overlay can cause performance issues and consume valuable resources.
  • Important Exception: If you own a specific AMD CPU with 3D V-Cache, such as the Ryzen 7 7900X3D or 7950X3D, you should keep the Game Bar ON. Windows uses this feature to correctly prioritize the gaming-optimized cores on these particular chips. For all other CPUs, disable it.
• Captures: In this sub-menu, turn everything OFF. Background recording and audio capture are resource hogs that you don’t need running while trying to maximize your frame rate.
• Game Mode: Make sure Game Mode is turned ON. While it was inconsistent in Windows 10, Game Mode in Windows 11 is now highly effective at prioritizing game processes and dedicating system resources to ensure a smoother experience.

Power and System Health

• Power Plan: Go to System > Power & Battery in your Windows settings. It is now recommended to use the Balanced power plan instead of “High Performance.” Modern CPUs are highly efficient at managing their own boost clocks, and tests have shown that the Balanced plan can often result in better and more sustained performance.
• System Health Checklist:
  • Enable XMP/EXPO: Reboot your PC and enter the BIOS to ensure your RAM’s XMP (for Intel) or EXPO (for AMD) profile is enabled. This allows your memory to run at its advertised speed, which can provide a significant performance boost.
  • Update Your Drivers: This is non-negotiable. Make sure you have the latest chipset drivers for your motherboard (from the Intel or AMD website) and, most importantly, the latest GPU drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel. Launch-day drivers often include specific optimizations for new games like Borderlands 4.
  • Update Windows and BIOS: Ensure you have all the latest Windows Updates installed and check your motherboard manufacturer’s website for any recent BIOS updates, as these can improve system stability and performance.

Driver-Level Tuning: NVIDIA and AMD Control Panels

Your GPU’s control panel offers powerful settings that can improve performance across all your games.

For NVIDIA Users (NVIDIA App / Control Panel)

• DLSS Override (Global Setting): In the new NVIDIA App (you may need to opt into the beta), you can force all games to use the latest DLSS files. Set the DLSS override to “Latest.” This ensures that Borderlands 4 uses the newest, most optimized versions of Super Resolution, Frame Generation, and Ray Reconstruction, even if the game’s default files are older.
• Low Latency Mode: Set this to ON to reduce input lag.
• Max Frame Rate: Capping your frame rate is an excellent way to ensure a smooth, tear-free experience with G-Sync. Set this to 3 FPS below your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 237 FPS for a 240Hz monitor). This keeps you within the G-Sync range and prevents your GPU from running at 100% load, which can also reduce input lag.
• Shader Cache Size: If you play a lot of different games, increase this from the default 5 GB to 10 GB or even higher. This prevents the cache from filling up and forcing your games to constantly rebuild shaders, which can cause stuttering.

For AMD Users (Radeon Software)

• FreeSync: Ensure this is enabled in the Display settings to synchronize your monitor’s refresh rate with your GPU’s output.
• Radeon Chill (Frame Rate Cap): This is the best way to cap your frame rate on AMD. Just like with G-Sync, set the “Max FPS” to 3 below your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 167 FPS for a 170Hz monitor). This keeps you in the FreeSync range for a smoother image and helps lower input lag by preventing 100% GPU utilization.
• Fluid Motion Frames: If you are playing a game without native FSR and struggling for frames, this driver-level frame generation can provide a 30-40% boost. However, it adds significant input lag, so it’s not recommended for fast-paced shooters like Borderlands 4.
• Reset Shader Cache: If you experience random, unexplainable stuttering, use the “Perform Reset” option under the Shader Cache settings. This will clear any corrupted files and force the game to rebuild them on the next launch.

In-Game Graphics Settings for Maximum FPS

Now, let’s dive into the in-game settings to find the perfect balance between visual quality and performance.

Display and Upscaling: Your Most Important Choice

The upscaling setting is the single most important decision for your performance. Borderlands 4 offers four methods.

1. DLSS (NVIDIA RTX GPUs): This is the best option hands-down, offering the best image quality and great performance. The game uses the latest DLSS 4. Use the Quality preset for a ~10% FPS boost over native with excellent image quality. Balance offers a ~15% boost and is a great choice for 1440p and 4K, but can look a bit blurry at 1080p.
2. XeSS (All GPUs): This is the second-best option and the recommended choice for non-NVIDIA users. It offers better image quality than FSR in this title. The Quality preset will give you a solid ~8% FPS boost.
3. FSR 3.1 (All GPUs): While FSR provides a slightly higher FPS boost than XeSS (~10-11%), its image quality is noticeably worse. Use this only if you need every possible frame.
4. TSR: Avoid this option; its image quality is poor.

• Frame Generation (RTX 4000/5000 Series Only): This can provide a massive 40% FPS boost but may introduce some input lag. It’s worth testing if you’re struggling to hit your target frame rate, but for a responsive feel, keeping it OFF is recommended.
• NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: Always set this to ON.

Optimized Graphics Settings

Here is a recommended baseline of settings to achieve a great mix of performance and visual fidelity.

• The Biggest FPS Gains (Turn These Down First):
  • Volumetric Clouds: High. Set this to Low. (Performance Gain: ~8%)
  • Reflections: High. Set this to Low. (Performance Gain: ~7-9%)
  • Volumetric Cloud Shadows: High. Set this to Disabled. (Performance Gain: ~6%)
  • Volumetric Fog: High. Set this to Medium. (Performance Gain: ~6%)
• Balanced Settings for Quality and Performance:
  • Geometry Quality: Medium (Gain: ~3%)
  • Shadow Quality: Medium (Gain: ~6%)
  • Directional Shadow Quality: Low (Gain: ~5%)
  • Lighting Quality: Medium (Gain: ~4%)
  • Foliage Density: Medium
  • Shading Quality: Medium
• VRAM-Dependent Settings (Adjust Based on Your GPU):
  • Texture Quality, Texture Streaming Speed, Anisotropic Filtering:
    • 8GB+ VRAM: Set to High/Ultra.
    • 6GB VRAM: Set to Medium.
    • 4GB VRAM: Set to Low.
• Post-Processing (Turn Off for Clarity):
  • Post-Processing Quality: Low
  • Motion Blur: Disabled
  • Motion Blur Quality: Off The game can look blurry with these settings enabled, so turning them off not only saves a few frames but also provides a much clearer image.

• Borderlands 4 – How to Enable DLSS 4, NVIDIA GPU, and Optimize G-SYNC
• Borderlands 4: How to Unlock the ‘Cut That Out’ Secret Achievement
• Borderlands 4 – How to Fix Resolution Bug: Stuck at 4K or 1080p (PC Guide)
• Borderlands 4 – Save File Location
• Borderlands 4 – How to Increase Your FOV in (Beyond the 110 Limit)
• Borderlands 4’s New World and Map
• Borderlands 4 – Combat Guide: Dashing, Grappling, and Gunning