You don't need a new GPU to increase your frame rates, but you'll need to turn off some fancy graphical enhancements. Generally, PC gamers care more about frame rates than their console-playing counterparts.

Despite panic-buying PCs to avoid RAMageddon 2026, you don't need to obliterate your bank balance on new hardware. Start with basics: close background apps and clean dust from your rig. Lower in-game settings like texture quality, shadows, and ambient occlusion. Disable motion blur and V-sync to reduce input lag.

Modern titles auto-detect optimized settings, with auto-detect wizards working well in games like Forza Horizon 6 and GTA V: Enhanced Edition. Update NVIDIA or AMD drivers regularly. In Windows 11, set Power Mode to Best Performance and enable Game Mode.

Supersampling is crucial for modern games. NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 is the most robust upscaler, while AMD FSR 4 works with RDNA 4 cards like the Radeon RX 9000 Series. FSR 3 remains a decent alternative for older GPUs.