Optimize Nvidia App Settings for Max FPS and Low Latency

2026-06-08 · Video guide + written steps · By kitsunefix

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If your games feel sluggish or your frame rates aren't hitting what your hardware is capable of, your Nvidia driver settings are likely holding you back. Instead of guessing with every slider, we're focusing on the specific global tweaks that force your graphics card to prioritize raw performance over power savings.

Why these settings matter

Windows and Nvidia defaults prioritize energy efficiency, which causes the card to downclock during minor load drops and increases input latency. These manual adjustments lock the card into a high-performance state and force global driver overrides that individual games cannot ignore.

Steps

01

Open the Nvidia App from your system tray, click the Graphics tab, and select Global Settings.
02

Set Power Management Mode to Prefer Maximum Performance to prevent your GPU from downclocking during matches.
03

Set Low Latency Mode to Ultra to reduce the delay between your input and the action on screen.
04

Scroll to the bottom, toggle Show Legacy Settings, and set Texture Filtering Quality to High Performance.
05

Set Shader Cache Size to Unlimited to reduce micro-stutters in open-world games.
06

Locate the DLSS overrides section and set Frame Generation, Super Resolution, and Ray Reconstruction to the Latest recommended model.
07

Set Max Frame Rate to 2-3 FPS below your monitor's refresh rate to eliminate tearing without adding extra latency.
08

If you have a VRR monitor, navigate to System then Displays and enable G-Sync for full screen modes.

Still not working?

If you are still seeing stutters, check your GPU temperatures using the Alt+Z overlay to ensure you are not thermal throttling. If your FPS remains low after these changes, perform a clean install of your drivers using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to rule out corrupted driver files from a previous installation.

Frequently asked questions

Will setting Shader Cache to Unlimited take up too much disk space?

It will take up more space over time as you play more games, but it is the most effective way to eliminate 'stutter' caused by loading assets into memory.

Do these settings affect my GPU longevity?

Running your GPU at 'Prefer Maximum Performance' generates slightly more heat than the default 'Normal' setting, but it is well within safe operating temperatures for any modern RTX card.

Should I use these settings for desktop applications?

These global settings are designed for gaming. If you notice your GPU fans running high while only browsing the web, you can revert these to defaults or create a specific profile for your browser in the Program Settings tab.