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Unleash the Beast: How to Get Unlimited FPS in Witcher 3

So, you want to see Geralt carve through monsters at lightning speed? You want to push your rig to its absolute limit in the visually stunning world of The Witcher 3? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Getting unlimited FPS in The Witcher 3 is relatively straightforward, but maximizing your actual frame rate and ensuring a smooth experience requires a bit more finesse.

The simplest way to unlock the FPS cap is directly through the in-game graphics options. Navigate to the Graphics settings menu, and you’ll find an option to set the Frame Rate Limit. The choices are usually 30, 60, or Unlimited. Select Unlimited to remove the cap. However, keep in mind that simply removing the cap doesn’t guarantee a super-high frame rate; it just allows your system to render as many frames as it can. Achieving a truly high and stable frame rate involves optimizing your settings and understanding your hardware’s capabilities.

Maximizing Your FPS: A Deep Dive

Simply unlocking the FPS cap is only the first step. To truly maximize your frame rate and enjoy a smooth, responsive experience in The Witcher 3, you need to dive into the game’s graphics settings and understand how they impact performance. Remember, the goal is to find a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

Graphics Settings: The Key to Performance

Here’s a breakdown of the key graphics settings and their impact on FPS:

Graphics Preset: This is the easiest way to adjust overall graphics quality. Starting with the Low or Medium preset is a good idea, and then gradually increasing individual settings to find your sweet spot.
Texture Quality: This setting affects the clarity and detail of textures throughout the game world. Lowering this can significantly improve performance, especially on systems with limited VRAM (video memory).
Shadow Quality: Shadows are notoriously demanding on performance. Reducing shadow quality or disabling them altogether can provide a substantial FPS boost.
Water Quality: Similar to shadows, realistic water effects can be resource-intensive. Lowering water quality can improve performance, especially in areas with large bodies of water.
Level of Detail (LOD): This setting controls the distance at which objects are rendered in full detail. Reducing LOD can improve performance, particularly in densely populated areas like Novigrad.
Ambient Occlusion (AO): AO adds depth and realism to scenes by simulating the way light interacts with surfaces. However, it can also be quite demanding. Consider turning it off or using a less intensive AO method.
Anti-Aliasing (AA): AA smooths out jagged edges on objects, but it can also impact performance. Experiment with different AA methods or disable it completely for a noticeable FPS boost.
HairWorks: Geralt’s luscious locks are powered by NVIDIA HairWorks, which is a visually impressive but also quite demanding technology. If you’re struggling with performance, consider disabling HairWorks or reducing its quality.

Beyond the Game: System-Level Optimizations

Optimizing your game settings is crucial, but don’t neglect system-level optimizations that can further boost your FPS.

Update Your Graphics Drivers: Ensure you have the latest drivers for your graphics card. NVIDIA and AMD regularly release driver updates that can improve performance in games.
NVIDIA Control Panel/AMD Radeon Settings: These control panels offer advanced settings that can further fine-tune your graphics card’s performance. Experiment with settings like V-Sync, Anti-Aliasing settings (force off or override game settings), and Power Management Mode (set to “Prefer Maximum Performance”).
Disable Background Processes: Close any unnecessary applications running in the background, as they can consume system resources and impact game performance.
Overclocking (Caution Advised): If you’re comfortable with overclocking, you can potentially boost your CPU and GPU performance. However, proceed with caution, as overclocking can also damage your hardware if not done correctly.
Monitor Refresh Rate: Make sure your monitor’s refresh rate is set correctly in Windows display settings. If you have a 144Hz monitor, ensure it’s actually running at 144Hz.
Consider Frame Generation (DLSS 3): If you have an RTX 40-series NVIDIA GPU, consider using DLSS 3 Frame Generation. While it introduces some latency, it can significantly boost your frame rate. This is especially useful at higher resolutions like 4K.

Addressing Common Performance Issues

Even with optimized settings, you might still encounter performance issues. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

Stuttering: Stuttering can be caused by a variety of factors, including driver issues, background processes, or insufficient system resources. Try updating your drivers, closing unnecessary applications, and ensuring your system meets the game’s recommended specifications.
Frame Rate Drops in Specific Areas: Certain areas, like Novigrad, are more demanding than others due to their density and complexity. Lowering graphics settings in these areas can help maintain a more stable frame rate.
Overheating: Overheating can cause performance throttling, which can lead to reduced FPS. Ensure your system has adequate cooling and clean any dust that may be blocking airflow.

The Ray Tracing Dilemma

The Witcher 3’s Next-Gen update introduced ray tracing, a visually stunning technology that simulates realistic lighting and reflections. However, ray tracing is incredibly demanding on performance.

Ray Tracing On vs. Off: Enabling ray tracing will almost certainly reduce your FPS, even on high-end hardware. If you prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, consider disabling ray tracing altogether.
Balancing Visuals and Performance with Ray Tracing: If you want to use ray tracing, experiment with different settings to find a balance between visual quality and performance. Lowering other graphics settings can help offset the performance impact of ray tracing.
Hardware Requirements for Ray Tracing: Ray tracing requires a powerful graphics card, such as an NVIDIA RTX 30-series or AMD RX 6000-series card.

Remember to stay informed and research continually. Websites like GamesLearningSociety.org offer additional information about gaming technology.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about increasing FPS in The Witcher 3:

Can The Witcher 3 run higher than 60 FPS? Yes, on PC, The Witcher 3 is not inherently locked at 60 FPS. You need to set the Frame Rate Limit to “Unlimited” in the graphics settings.
Is The Witcher 3 CPU or GPU heavy? The Witcher 3 is both CPU and GPU-intensive, but the GPU is generally more important for achieving high frame rates. A powerful GPU will have a greater impact on FPS than a powerful CPU, but a weak CPU can still bottleneck performance.
How much FPS does Witcher 3 run on RTX 3090? An RTX 3090 can easily achieve 200+ FPS at 1080p with High settings in The Witcher 3. At 4K, you can expect around 80-90 FPS with High settings. However, with Ray Tracing, the FPS will drop significantly depending on the specific settings.
Is ray tracing worth 30 FPS? Whether ray tracing is worth the 30 FPS trade-off depends on your personal preferences. Some players prioritize visual fidelity and are willing to sacrifice frame rate for the enhanced graphics, while others prefer a smoother gaming experience and disable ray tracing.
Is The Witcher 3 locked at 30fps on PS5? The Witcher 3 on PS5 offers a 60 FPS performance mode. The Ray Tracing mode often dips below 30 FPS, and is not a stable lock.
Can I run Witcher 3 on 144hz 1440p G-sync monitor with a 1080 ti graphics card? You should be able to run The Witcher 3 on a 144Hz 1440p G-Sync monitor with a 1080 Ti, but you may not achieve a constant 144 FPS, especially in demanding areas like Novigrad with Ultra settings. Adjusting the graphics settings will be essential to find a balance between visual quality and performance.
What is the FPS limit in The Witcher 3? In the Graphics options, you can set it to unlimited, 30, or 60. Yes you can cap it to 30 or 60 and you can also make the frame rate unlimited.
How do I enable higher FPS? To enable higher FPS, you need to unlock the frame rate limit in the game settings, optimize your graphics settings, update your graphics drivers, and potentially overclock your CPU and GPU.
Does ray tracing make a difference Witcher 3? Yes, ray tracing significantly enhances the visual quality of The Witcher 3 by simulating realistic lighting and reflections. However, it also comes at a significant performance cost.
Is RTX 3090 overkill for gaming? For most gaming scenarios, an RTX 3090 is overkill. It offers only a marginal performance improvement over the RTX 3080 or 3080 Ti, but at a significantly higher price.
Is Witcher 3 60fps on PS5? The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt got a native PS5 release when the Complete Edition launched back in December, marking the first time PlayStation players could travel The Continent at a silky-smooth 60fps in performance mode.
Why is my FPS maxed at 30? Your FPS might be maxed at 30 due to several reasons, including V-Sync being enabled, a frame rate limit being set in the game settings, or your power settings being set to power saving mode.
How many FPS is the Witcher 3 on PS5? The Witcher 3 runs at 60 FPS on PS5 in performance mode.
Is The Witcher 3 4K performance mode? Switching to Performance Mode on consoles will enable dynamic resolution scaling, rendering the game at a resolution of minimum 1080p and up to 4K, while targeting 60 fps during gameplay.
Can I run ray tracing on The Witcher 3 with my handheld PC? Running ray tracing on a handheld PC like the GPD WIN MAX might be challenging due to the limited processing power and thermal constraints. You’ll likely need to lower the resolution and graphics settings significantly to achieve a playable frame rate.

By following these tips and tweaking your settings, you can unlock the full potential of your system and enjoy The Witcher 3 at its smoothest, most responsive best. Happy gaming!

How to get unlimited FPS in Witcher 3?