007 First Light has made its grand entrance, and while some skepticism surrounded its launch, it undeniably fulfills the promise of an exhilarating globetrotting spy adventure that fans have come to expect from the James Bond franchise. Although it may not redefine graphical standards, the game presents a visually appealing experience that invites players to explore its cinematic depths. To ensure you maximize your enjoyment, we’ve meticulously tested the game to identify the optimal settings for your setup.
When it comes to GPU requirements, 007 First Light is refreshingly accessible; you won’t need the latest and greatest graphics card to enjoy the game. However, enhancing the visual elements can significantly enrich your adventure. The game does not demand ultra-fast frame rates for a comfortable experience, especially when using a controller. This flexibility allows players to elevate graphical settings without sacrificing gameplay quality. Below, we outline the best configurations to tailor 007 First Light to your preferences.
Best 007 First Light settings for PC
- Resolution: Your choice
- Display mode: Fullscreen
- V-Sync: On
- V-Sync interval: 1
- Transfer function: 2.2
- Gamma: 1 (adjust based on screen quality)
- Resolution scaling: Nvidia DLSS for compatible GPUs or AMD FSR
- DLSS/FSR quality: Quality or lower if needed
- DLSS frame generation: Dynamic or 2x
- Texture quality: High
- Texture filter: 8x
- Terrain quality: High
- Shadow quality: High
- Volumetric fog quality: High
- Global illumination quality: High
- Reflection quality: Ultra
- Motion blur: On
- Fullscreen blur effects: On
- Radial blur effects: On
- Wobble distortion effects: On
- Film grain effects: On
- Chromatic aberration effects: On
This game is best enjoyed with a controller, as the high-stakes action unfolds on screen. The gameplay encourages a relaxed approach, allowing players to savor the experience rather than requiring rapid, precise inputs. Hence, we recommend keeping settings like V-Sync and motion blur enabled, alongside utilizing upscaling and frame generation. While these settings may detract from the responsiveness expected in competitive games, they suit the immersive nature of 007 First Light perfectly. Aiming for a baseline frame rate of 30fps while employing DLSS frame generation can effectively double or triple that without compromising the game’s overall feel.
Moreover, 007 First Light features support for Nvidia’s Dynamic Multi Frame Generation (DMFG), allowing players to effortlessly manage their frame generation settings. DMFG intelligently applies upscaling only when necessary to maintain a target frame rate, making it an ideal choice for those with an RTX 5000 series graphics card. Testing on a gaming PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7800X3D and an RTX 5080, we achieved an impressive average of 92fps at 4K resolution with 2x frame generation, while even lower-end systems can comfortably run the game at half that frame rate.
Best 007 First Light settings for Steam Deck
- Resolution: 1280 x 720
- Display mode: Fullscreen
- Resolution scaling: AMD FSR
- FSR quality: Quality
- Texture quality: Medium
- Texture filter: 4x
- Terrain quality: Medium
- Shadow quality: Medium
- Volumetric fog quality: Medium
- Reflection quality: Medium
- Film grain effects: Off
The default settings for 007 First Light on the Steam Deck are functional, yet there is potential for enhanced visuals without significantly impacting gameplay. The adjustments listed above can elevate the experience while maintaining playability. Notably, switching the upscaling from Performance to Quality may reduce performance from around 60fps to approximately 40fps, which remains adequate for this genre on the Steam Deck. Additionally, increasing texture, terrain, shadow, fog, and reflection quality to medium, along with changing texture filtering to anisotropic 4x, can further enhance the visual appeal. However, the core model detail may still appear somewhat low, indicating certain options may not be user-adjustable.
007 First Light graphics presets
Interestingly, 007 First Light lacks distinct graphics presets, and the settings menu can feel somewhat unwieldy, designed more for controller navigation than for mouse and keyboard use. This makes the recommendation to play with a controller even more pertinent. While testing, I utilized the Steam Controller, not for its advanced features, but simply for its reliable thumbsticks, which provided a satisfying gaming experience.
In terms of visual comparisons, the difference between low and ultra settings may not be stark in some aspects, but notable variances in reflections and shadows can be observed in different scenarios.
How we tested 007 First Light
At PCGamesN, we typically utilize a dedicated gaming rig for performance testing of the latest releases. However, for our initial testing of 007 First Light, we opted for a different machine. We will update this guide with results from our standard rig once the game is fully launched.
Does 007 First Light need an SSD?
While 007 First Light does not mandate an SSD, upgrading to one is advisable for a smoother experience, as traditional hard drives can lead to lengthy loading times. Fortunately, a mid-range SSD, such as the WD Black SN7100, will suffice to mitigate most loading time issues without requiring the highest-end model.
How to monitor performance in 007 First Light
For those interested in tracking performance metrics while playing 007 First Light, several straightforward options are available. Nvidia users can activate the in-game overlay through the Nvidia App, using the shortcut Alt + R to display the performance monitor. AMD users can access performance monitoring via the Radeon overlay with Ctrl + Shift + O. Alternatively, free software like CapFrameX or Nvidia FrameView can be downloaded for comprehensive performance tracking across any graphics card. Handheld gaming PCs often feature a dedicated button for quick access to performance monitoring, sometimes referred to as real-time monitoring.