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Why is My FPS So Low in Hogwarts Legacy?

If you’re experiencing low FPS (frames per second) in Hogwarts Legacy, you’re not alone. This magical open-world adventure can be quite demanding on your system, and a number of factors can contribute to poor performance. The core reason for low FPS usually boils down to a mismatch between your hardware capabilities and the game’s requirements, compounded by potentially unoptimized settings. Specifically, here are the key culprits:

Outdated or Incompatible Graphics Drivers: One of the most common causes of low FPS is having an outdated or incompatible GPU driver. Hogwarts Legacy, like many modern games, requires the latest drivers to ensure optimal performance and stability. If your drivers are not up to date, they may not be able to effectively communicate with the game, leading to stuttering and low frame rates.
Insufficient Hardware: Your PC might simply be struggling to keep up with the demands of Hogwarts Legacy. This includes your CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and RAM (Random Access Memory). If any of these components fall short of the game’s recommended specifications, you will likely experience low FPS.
High Graphics Settings: Pushing the game’s graphics settings too high can overload your system, causing performance bottlenecks. Features like ray tracing, high shadow quality, and ultra textures can significantly impact FPS if your hardware is not powerful enough.
Background Applications: Having too many applications running in the background can consume valuable system resources, leading to reduced performance in Hogwarts Legacy. Resource-intensive applications can compete with the game for CPU, RAM, and even GPU power.
Game Optimization Issues: Although developers typically aim for optimal performance, launch issues or specific configurations may cause performance issues on even high-end machines. This can include coding inefficiencies or bugs that need to be addressed through game updates.
Overheating Components: Overheating can dramatically impact performance. When your CPU or GPU gets too hot, they might throttle their performance to protect themselves, leading to reduced FPS in the game.
Incorrect Game Settings: While seemingly obvious, incorrect in-game settings can lead to unexpected performance hits. These might include incorrect display settings, VSync implementation, and resolution settings.
Hard Drive Issues: Although less common, having the game installed on a slow or fragmented hard drive can impact loading times and even cause stuttering during gameplay.

Troubleshooting Low FPS in Hogwarts Legacy

Identifying the exact cause of low FPS in Hogwarts Legacy can take a bit of troubleshooting, but systematically addressing the potential issues is key. Here’s how to get started:

Updating Graphics Drivers

The first step should always be to ensure you have the latest graphics drivers installed.

NVIDIA Users: Go to the NVIDIA website, navigate to the drivers section, and download the latest drivers for your graphics card.
AMD Users: Similarly, head to the AMD website and download the most recent drivers for your AMD GPU.
Intel Users: Check the Intel website for the latest drivers for your integrated or dedicated Intel graphics.

Checking System Requirements

Confirm that your PC meets or exceeds the recommended system requirements for Hogwarts Legacy. This includes your CPU, GPU, RAM, and operating system version. If you fall short, consider upgrading your hardware.

Adjusting In-Game Graphics Settings

Start by reducing the most demanding graphics settings.

Turn off Ray Tracing: This feature is incredibly taxing and should be the first to be disabled on most setups.
Lower Shadow Quality: Reduce shadow quality to medium or low.
Reduce View Distance: This setting impacts how far into the distance you see details.
Lower Texture and Material Quality: These can be resource hogs.
Lower Resolution: Running the game at a lower resolution can significantly improve FPS.
Check Preset Quality Settings: Experiment with game’s preset graphical options (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) to find a balance between performance and visual fidelity.

Closing Background Applications

Close any unnecessary applications running in the background to free up system resources. Use the Task Manager to identify and close resource-hogging programs.

Monitoring Hardware Temperatures

Use monitoring software to check your CPU and GPU temperatures. If they are overheating, ensure proper cooling and airflow within your case. Consider cleaning your fans or applying new thermal paste to your components.

Optimizing VSync and Frame Rate Limits

Experiment with Vsync, turning it either on or off, to check if it improves or worsens your performance. Ensure you’re not inadvertently limiting your frame rate using in-game settings or third-party software. It’s generally advisable to either completely disable VSync or cap your FPS with a software like RivaTuner.

Using DLSS/FSR

If your GPU supports NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) or AMD FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), enable these upscaling technologies. They can improve performance with a minimal loss in visual quality.

Checking for Game Updates

Ensure that your game is up-to-date. Developers often release patches that address performance issues.

Checking Hard Drive Health

Ensure your hard drive has enough space and is healthy. If the game is installed on an older mechanical drive, consider moving it to a faster SSD.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the minimum and recommended specs for Hogwarts Legacy?

The minimum specs typically include an Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB GPU, and 16GB of RAM. The recommended specs, however, are more demanding and might include an Intel i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT GPU, and 16GB of RAM.

2. Will upgrading my RAM fix my low FPS?

Upgrading RAM can help if you consistently reach or exceed your current RAM capacity. If your system is not meeting the recommended 16GB of RAM, especially if you have 8GB or less, an upgrade may help mitigate stuttering. However, RAM isn’t the only factor, and a CPU or GPU bottleneck can still cause performance issues even with more RAM.

3. Should I enable ray tracing in Hogwarts Legacy?

Ray tracing significantly enhances visuals but is incredibly demanding on your GPU. Most systems should keep it disabled, unless you have a very high-end graphics card. Even then, expect a significant performance decrease.

4. Does the game run at 60fps on consoles?

Yes, the PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of Hogwarts Legacy offer a Performance mode that targets 60fps. However, the default Fidelity mode targets 30 fps with enhanced visuals.

5. What does DLSS and FSR do?

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) are upscaling technologies that can significantly boost FPS by rendering the game at a lower resolution and then upscaling it. They are designed to help players maintain image quality while improving performance, particularly useful for lower to mid-tier GPUs.

6. Is Hogwarts Legacy poorly optimized?

Initial reports indicated optimization issues across various systems, with some players experiencing stuttering and low frame rates regardless of hardware. However, developers have since released patches to address these performance concerns. While optimization may not be perfect for every single PC config, it’s improved.

7. How can I optimize Hogwarts Legacy for low-end PC?

Set graphics settings to low or medium, especially the more demanding options like shadow quality, foliage density, and view distance. Reduce the resolution and consider using upscaling technologies if available. Closing background applications and ensuring your drivers are up to date are essential.

8. Is it better to play at 30fps with better graphics, or 60fps with lower settings?

That decision is based on user preference. 60fps provides a much smoother experience while 30fps may feel somewhat sluggish. If you can achieve 60fps with visual settings you are happy with, go for it, otherwise, choose the best balance for you.

9. Why does Hogwarts Legacy use so much RAM?

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game with detailed environments, which often leads to increased RAM usage. Running too many other applications simultaneously can lead to high RAM usage, impacting performance. Closing unnecessary apps can help.

10. Does monitor refresh rate affect FPS?

Your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 60Hz, 144Hz) determines how many times per second the image is refreshed on your screen. Although it does not affect your FPS directly, it dictates how smoothly the game will look. If your monitor has a 60Hz refresh rate, there is no visual benefit of running at 100 FPS (you will still only see 60 refreshes per second). Use a framerate close to your refresh rate, or a framerate higher when coupled with a monitor supporting VRR.

11. Should I turn VSync on or off in Hogwarts Legacy?

VSync can help reduce screen tearing, but it can also introduce input lag and performance issues. Experiment to see if VSync helps or hinders your performance. It’s not necessary and for best results, should probably be turned off with a FPS limiter set in an external program.

12. What are the best graphics card to play Hogwarts Legacy at high FPS?

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3090, RTX 3070 Ti, and AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and 6800 XT are some of the better options if you’re looking for consistent high FPS.

13. Why does the game sometimes stutter even on powerful PCs?

Stuttering can be caused by various factors, including inconsistent frame pacing, CPU or GPU bottlenecks, or even background processes that interfere with the game’s performance. Even powerful PCs can experience stuttering if specific configurations aren’t optimal or if the game itself has optimization issues.

14. How do I limit my frame rate in Hogwarts Legacy?

The most effective way to limit your framerate in Hogwarts Legacy is to use third-party applications like RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS). The in-game options do not offer sufficient controls to set a stable framerate.

15. What are the best graphics settings for Hogwarts Legacy?

A good balance of visual quality and performance can often be achieved by setting Effects quality and Post-process quality to High, Material, Foliage and Fog quality to Medium and Sky quality and Texture quality to Low. You can then tweak individual options as needed to achieve the best results for your setup.

Why is my FPS so low in Hogwarts Legacy?