Resident Evil Requiem is a mainline Resident Evil release, so the atmosphere matters as much as the action — thick fog, sharp shadows, and that signature “horror lighting” vibe. The problem is those same graphics settings can spike frame time and tank frame rate (FPS) on PC if you crank everything up. This guide keeps visual fidelity high while prioritising FPS stability at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Copy the settings below first, then tweak 2–3 options depending on your GPU, VRAM, and target refresh rate.
Best settings
Balanced High FPS preset (baseline)
- Frame Rate: Variable
- Motion Blur: Off
- Ray Tracing: Off
- Hair Strands: Off
- Texture Quality: Normal
- Texture Filter Quality: High (Anisotropic Filtering x4)
- Anti-aliasing: TAA
- Mesh Quality: Standard
- Screen Space Reflections: On
- Subsurface Scattering: Low
- Lens Distortion: On
- Depth of Field: On
- Upscaling: DLSS or FSR (pick mode as needed)
- Frame Generation: DLSS 2x or FSR 3
- NVIDIA Reflex: On (+Boost)
- DLSS Ray Reconstruction: On
- Volumetric Fog Resolution: Normal
- Shadow Quality: Normal
- Contact Shadows: Off
- Ambient Occlusion: Normal
- VFX Quality: Standard
Quick note: This preset protects FPS stability by switching off the biggest performance drains (Ray Tracing, Hair Strands, Contact Shadows) while keeping the mood intact via Screen Space Reflections, Depth of Field, and Volumetric Fog on sensible levels.
Presets (pick one)
| Preset | Who it’s for | What you change vs baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive FPS | 120/144Hz targets | Keep RT/PT off; keep Hair Strands off; drop VFX Quality and Volumetric Fog one step if you still dip; cap FPS to stabilise frame pacing and reduce frame-time spikes |
| Balanced (recommended) | Most PCs | Use the baseline “Balanced High FPS” list above |
| Cinematic (Path Tracing) | High-end RTX | Enable Path Tracing; expect heavier reliance on DLSS + Frame Generation (and often Ray Reconstruction) to maintain FPS stability |
Path Tracing callout: Switching Path Tracing on can automatically push you toward more aggressive upscaling and frame generation. In practice, DLSS typically remains required in some form if you want playable frame time at higher resolutions—especially at 1440p and 4K.
What to lower first (biggest wins with least visual loss)
- Ray Tracing / Path Tracing
The biggest FPS and frame time hit. Only enable if you’re comfortable leaning on DLSS/FSR plus frame generation to keep gameplay smooth. - Hair Strands
Often disproportionately expensive, especially in close-up character scenes. Keeping it Off is one of the cleanest performance wins. - Volumetric fog + VFX Quality
Horror scenes love fog, smoke, and particles — and they can crush GPU workload fast. Drop one notch before sacrificing overall image sharpness. - Shadow Quality + Ambient Occlusion
Great “quality-per-cost” settings. Reducing these usually improves FPS stability without instantly flattening the visuals. - Render scale / Upscaling mode
Adjust render scale or switch DLSS/FSR from Quality → Balanced/Performance before lowering textures. Upscaling is a smarter trade than nuking Texture Quality (especially if you have limited VRAM).
Resolution & upscaling (1080p / 1440p / 4K)
1080p
At 1080p, FPS stability and consistent frame pacing matter more than chasing max settings. Stick with TAA (it’s a solid default), keep the baseline preset, and only use upscaling if you need extra headroom. The main thing to watch is VRAM: if you’re getting stutter or sudden hitching, keep Texture Quality sensible for your GPU memory and avoid cranking texture-heavy options beyond what your card can comfortably hold.
Practical 1080p approach: RT/PT off, Hair Strands off, TAA on, textures set to match VRAM, then adjust VFX/volumetrics if heavy scenes dip.
1440p
1440p is the “sweet spot” for Requiem on PC: sharp enough to look great, but still realistic to run smoothly with smart upscaling. Start with the baseline and set DLSS/FSR to Quality first. If you need more FPS (or steadier frame time), move to Balanced before you start cutting atmosphere settings.
Practical 1440p approach: DLSS/FSR Quality → Balanced if needed, Frame Gen if you’re chasing high refresh rates, then lower volumetrics/VFX one step if dips persist.
4K
At 4K, you’ll usually want DLSS/FSR on even without ray tracing, simply to protect frame time in heavy scenes. If you enable Path Tracing, expect your “smoothness stack” to look like: DLSS + Frame Generation, and optionally DLSS Ray Reconstruction to keep lighting/reflections cleaner while maintaining performance. Treat native 4K path tracing as a “cinematic” target rather than a default.
Practical 4K approach: DLSS on (often Balanced/Performance depending on GPU), Frame Gen on if available, Ray Reconstruction optional, and keep PT as the first toggle to disable if you want stable gameplay.
Latency & smoothness (feel, not just FPS)
High frame rate (FPS) is nice, but what actually feels smooth is consistent frame time (how long each frame takes to render) and stable frame pacing (even spacing between frames). If frame time spikes, the game can stutter even when your FPS counter looks “fine”. On top of that, settings like VSync and upscaling can change input latency (the delay between your mouse/keyboard input and what you see on screen).
Start here: NVIDIA Reflex
If you have an NVIDIA GPU that supports it, keep NVIDIA Reflex: On (+Boost) (as in the baseline preset). It’s one of the easiest wins for lowering system/input latency, especially when the GPU is the limiting factor.
VSync vs frame limiter (what to use and when)
Both can improve smoothness, but they solve different problems:
- Use VSync when you want to eliminate screen tearing
VSync synchronises frames to your monitor refresh rate (60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, etc.). It’s most useful if tearing distracts you and you don’t have a VRR display (G-SYNC/FreeSync).
Trade-off: if your FPS drops below your refresh rate, VSync can increase input latency and may introduce a “heavier” feel. - Use a frame limiter when you want steadier frame pacing
A frame cap prevents your FPS from bouncing all over the place, which often smooths out frame time spikes. This is especially useful in horror games where scene complexity changes rapidly (fog, particles, lots of shadows).
Rule of thumb: cap FPS to a stable number you can hold consistently (often slightly below your refresh rate) to reduce swings and improve perceived smoothness.
Why stable frame time matters more than peak FPS
Imagine two runs:
- Run A averages 120 FPS but has frequent frame time spikes (micro-stutter).
- Run B averages 95 FPS with consistent frame pacing.
Run B usually feels better — aiming and camera movement look smoother, and inputs feel more predictable. So when tuning settings, prioritise changes that reduce spikes (RT/PT, volumetrics/VFX, shadows) rather than chasing the highest possible average FPS.
Steam Deck settings
On Steam Deck, start with the Medium preset as your default and treat Resident Evil Requiem as a ~30–40fps experience depending on the scene (fog-heavy areas and effects will dip more). Prioritise FPS stability over sharpness: keep Ray Tracing/Path Tracing off, drop Volumetric Fog and VFX Quality one step if you see stutter, and use any available upscaling to maintain smoother frame pacing.
Troubleshooting (stutter, dips, “why does it feel bad?”)
If Requiem is stuttering, hitching, or just feels “off” even when the FPS number looks decent, work through these quick fixes first:
- Update your GPU drivers
New releases often get day-one (and week-one) driver optimisations and hotfixes that improve FPS stability, fix crashes, and reduce stutter. - Install the game on an SSD
Streaming assets (textures, effects, level data) off a slower drive can cause sudden dips and hitching. An SSD usually improves consistency, especially when moving between areas or during heavy VFX scenes. - Use performance overlays to identify the bottleneck
Watch GPU utilisation, CPU utilisation, VRAM usage, frame time, and frame pacing while you play.- NVIDIA: open the overlay with Alt + R (then track frame time/FPS/utilisation).
- AMD: use the AMD Software overlay/performance metrics (hotkeys vary by setup, but the goal is the same: monitor utilisation + frame time).
Shader compilation / cache stutter (what it is)
Some “first time in a new area” hitching can come from shader compilation. The game (and driver) may compile or cache shaders as new effects/materials appear, causing brief frame time spikes. It often settles after you’ve played an area once, and it’s usually reduced by keeping drivers updated and avoiding constant settings changes mid-session.
Only if you value lighting upgrades more than raw FPS stability. Ray tracing can noticeably increase GPU load and frame time, so most players are better off keeping it off and using DLSS/FSR + Frame Generation for smoother gameplay.
Path tracing is a much heavier lighting mode than standard ray tracing and can cause big FPS drops and frame time spikes. Expect to rely on DLSS (often plus Frame Generation, and optionally Ray Reconstruction) to keep frame pacing playable—especially at 1440p and 4K.
Keep Ray Tracing/Path Tracing off, Hair Strands off, and drop Volumetric Fog + VFX Quality one step first. Use DLSS/FSR (Quality → Balanced/Performance as needed) before lowering textures, and keep Texture Quality sensible for your VRAM to avoid stutter.
Start on Medium and aim for a stable ~30–40fps depending on scene complexity. Keep RT/PT off, reduce volumetrics/VFX if you see dips, and prioritise steady frame pacing over maximum sharpness.
It’s strongly recommended for smoother asset and texture streaming. Running from a slower drive can increase hitching, especially when entering new areas or during heavy effects.
Use an overlay to watch GPU utilisation and frame time. If GPU utilisation sits very high (often 90–99%) and lowering graphics settings improves FPS, you’re GPU bottlenecked; if GPU utilisation is low/uneven while FPS is still poor, you’re likely CPU bottlenecked (or background tasks are interfering).
Enable NVIDIA Reflex (On + Boost) where available, and avoid settings that cause big frame time spikes (RT/PT, heavy volumetrics). For smoother feel, use a frame cap to stabilise frame pacing; use VSync mainly to eliminate tearing, but note it can increase input latency if you can’t hold your monitor refresh rate consistently.
