framerate Archives

AppWizard

May 10, 2026

How To Install The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess PC Port On Steam Deck

The PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was released recently, featuring gameplay enhancements. A guide for setting it up on the Steam Deck is available, along with a detailed article on performance metrics and battery life. Users need a legally obtained copy of the game to use the port. The installation process includes downloading the AppImage, creating a dedicated folder, starting the AppImage with the game copy, and adding it to Steam for easy access. Recommended adjustments for optimal gameplay include toggling fullscreen and rebinding controls for smoother interactions.

AppWizard

May 10, 2026

Console-like Xbox Mode boosts game performance on Windows 11 PCs

Microsoft has rolled out a new Xbox Mode for Windows 11 PCs, designed to provide a console-like gaming interface that enhances the gaming experience across various devices. This mode, initially introduced on the ROG Xbox Ally X and later expanded to Windows Insider users, allows for controller navigation and minimizes background processes for improved performance. Xbox Mode aggregates game libraries from multiple storefronts, enabling seamless switching between it and the standard Windows 11 desktop. Preliminary tests indicate that Xbox Mode offers performance improvements over standard Windows 11, particularly for Nvidia graphics cards. A YouTuber's analysis showed over 15 percent better performance in 1% low framerates and a 4.3 percent increase in average framerates at 1080p using an Nvidia card. At 1440p, improvements were 25 percent higher 1% lows and a 6.7 percent increase in average framerates. For AMD cards, the gains were less significant, with only a 2.5 percent increase in 1% lows at 1080p and a 1.4 percent improvement at 1440p. However, Xbox Mode has limitations, including issues with multi-monitor setups where secondary displays are blanked out, preventing access to other applications while gaming.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

007 First Light: Here Are The Full PC Specs And Requirements

Developer IO Interactive has announced the PC specifications and requirements for the game 007 First Light, which will launch on May 27. The game features an uncapped framerate, Nvidia DLSS 4.5, path tracing for realistic lighting and shadows, and DLSS ray reconstruction, which will be introduced later this summer. It also offers in-depth customization options for players. Accessibility features include customizable audio profiles, adjustable subtitles, input remapping, audio output options, menu narration, input activation options, and autocomplete features. 007 First Light will also be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and is set to release on Nintendo Switch 2 later this summer. An exclusive video interview with IO Interactive discusses the differences between 007 First Light and the Hitman series, as well as the creative process behind a younger version of James Bond.

AppWizard

April 30, 2026

The Truth About PC Game Optimization: Why Your FPS Counter Is Lying About What’s Actually Broken

The term "badly optimized" in PC gaming is often used when a game does not meet players' expectations for frames per second (FPS) after release. Game performance is influenced by various factors beyond the graphics processing unit (GPU), including central processing unit (CPU) workloads, shader compilation, memory usage, and GPU driver behavior. Frame consistency is crucial; a game may have a high average FPS but still feel unsmooth due to inconsistent frame pacing. Performance is not dictated solely by the GPU; modern games require a balance across the entire system, including CPU and memory management. When a game exceeds its video RAM (VRAM) capacity, it can lead to stuttering as the system resorts to slower memory. Storage devices also impact performance, as modern games stream large amounts of data. Average FPS can be misleading; consistent frametimes are more indicative of a smooth experience. Benchmarks often include 1% and 0.1% lows to account for stuttering. Visual quality should align with performance demands, and well-optimized games allow players to achieve good visuals without significant performance loss. Shader compilation stutter can occur if shaders are compiled during gameplay, leading to interruptions. Technologies like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR can improve performance but should not mask underlying optimization issues. The belief that older games were better optimized is a myth, as many faced significant performance issues at launch. Perceptions of optimization can vary among players, influenced by individual sensitivities to FPS and frametime fluctuations. A more nuanced approach to evaluating game optimization is needed, considering multiple criteria such as the scope of the game, performance data beyond averages, and the balance between visuals and performance demands.

AppWizard

April 26, 2026

“Average Steam Deck framerate” graph shows PC game developers how their Verified titles really run on Valve’s handheld — Will users ever see this data

Valve has introduced new beta Steamworks tools for game developers as part of its Steam Deck Verified Games initiative. These tools allow developers to monitor average framerates over the past 30 days and access user survey results regarding the Verified status of their games. Participation in data collection is opt-in, ensuring user privacy. The user survey appears after at least ten minutes of gameplay, allowing users to agree or disagree with a game's Verified status and provide feedback on various criteria. The Steam Deck Verified program assesses game compatibility based on four criteria: Controller input, Display, Seamlessness, and System support. Games are rated as Verified, Playable, Unsupported, or Unknown, with these ratings displayed in the Steam store. Valve may potentially make the collected data accessible to the public in the future.

AppWizard

April 16, 2026

How To Get A Better Framerate In Pragmata Without Sacrificing Too Much on Visual Quality

Pragmata is developed by Capcom using the RE Engine, showcasing significant advancements in visual fidelity while maintaining gameplay reminiscent of the Xbox 360 era. The game performs well across various hardware platforms, including the Nintendo Switch 2, and most gaming PCs can handle it effectively. High-end machines, such as those with an RTX 5080, can maximize settings for an enhanced visual experience, but average gamers may need to adjust settings for optimal performance. The game features ray tracing technology, offering two options: a standard toggle for global illumination and reflections, and a path tracing mode that replaces traditional rasterized lighting. Lower ray tracing settings can sometimes produce noisy reflections, particularly in areas with shiny surfaces. Nvidia users can enhance visuals with the DLSS Ray Reconstruction setting, but it requires path tracing to be enabled. Recommended graphics settings for Pragmata suggest that players can enjoy high settings even with mid-range graphics cards. For example, an RTX 3060 Ti at 1080p can achieve around 97 fps with ray tracing on, but enabling path tracing can drop the frame rate to about 44 fps. Players are advised to start with the “Balanced” preset and make incremental adjustments to optimize performance and visual fidelity. Performance tests revealed that the RTX 3060 Ti at 1080p achieved 100 to 110 fps, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 excelled at 1440p with 130 to 140 fps. The RTX 5080 delivered 100 to 110 fps at 4K, and the RTX 5090 reached 195 fps at minimum settings but dropped to 126 fps with the balanced preset. Enabling ray tracing at the Quality preset reduced the frame rate to 115 fps, and for path tracing, DLSS should be set to performance, as the RTX 5090 managed only 59 fps under maximum settings. Pragmata demonstrates scalability, accommodating both lower-end and high-performance hardware.

AppWizard

April 9, 2026

This new Steam feature could soon make buying games a lot easier — and it’ll be a great addition for the Steam Machine and custom PCs

Valve is developing a feature called the 'Framerate Estimator' for the Steam Client, which aims to provide users with a projected frame rate based on the performance of a game as experienced by other Steam users. This tool will benefit users on SteamOS, Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go S, and other handheld devices, as well as desktop PC owners using SteamOS or Windows. It will help users make informed decisions about game purchases and assess how games might run on their specific hardware configurations.

AppWizard

April 8, 2026

After a recent patch, Death Stranding 2 is great on Steam Deck

Upon the release of Death Stranding 2 for PC, players experienced significant performance issues on the Steam Deck, with framerates fluctuating between the teens and mid-20s and long hitches occurring. This contrasted with the smoother performance of Death Stranding: Director's Cut on the same device. The game was originally designed as a PS5 exclusive, which may explain the performance struggles on the aging hardware of the Steam Deck.

AppWizard

April 6, 2026

How to Play Division Resurgence on PC: Full Emulator Setup Guide

The Division Resurgence is a mobile-exclusive third-person shooter developed by Ubisoft, currently without an official PC client. Players can use three Android emulators—BlueStacks, MuMu Player, and LDPlayer—to play the game on larger monitors. Each emulator has distinct advantages: MuMu Player is recommended for PS controller users due to accurate button prompts, while LDPlayer is noted for better performance. For BlueStacks, players should download the Pie 64-bit version, adjust performance settings to maximize CPU and RAM, set graphics to Vulkan, and ensure the most recent phone profile is selected. For MuMu Player, users should set graphics to Vulkan, optimize performance settings, and select the ROG Phone 9 profile for better visuals. LDPlayer requires users to set CPU to 6 cores and RAM to at least 6 GB, with a resolution of 1280 × 720 and High FPS Mode enabled. In-game graphics settings for optimal performance include Very High graphics, High resolution, and a standard framerate capped at 30 FPS. The game supports both mouse and keyboard and gamepad controls, with options for customizing key bindings. Common issues include game freezes, crashes, low FPS, and incorrect controller prompts, with suggested fixes provided. Division Resurgence is free-to-play, and while not officially available on PC, it can be played through emulators without additional costs.

AppWizard

March 29, 2026

Forgotten FPS sequel Heretic 2 gets a ‘reverse-engineered sourceport’ that fixes bugs, improves the framerate and adds ‘lots of cosmetic improvements’

Classic boomer shooters Heretic and Hexen have been made more accessible for PC gamers by Nightdive Studios. Hexen 2 is available for purchase on Steam, while accessing Heretic 2 requires obtaining a boxed copy. Heretic 2, released in 1998, is a third-person action-adventure game that received positive reviews for its level design and 3D action. MaxEd on GitHub has created a reverse-engineered sourceport called Heretic2R, which enhances the game with features like widescreen support, unlocked framerate, improved map loading times, and cosmetic improvements. To use Heretic2R, players need the original Heretic 2 game data updated to version 1.06. The potential for a future rerelease of Heretic 2 exists, as both it and Hexen 2 were published by different companies now under Microsoft.