input lag Archives

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is hands-down one of the most beautiful PC ports I’ve ever seen

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows is noted for its stunning visuals, comparable to Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch. It is one of the best-looking games on PC, though it has performance challenges, particularly with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 struggling to maintain over 60fps at 4K max settings. The game's enforced Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) in the 'Hideout' area contributes to its demanding hardware requirements. The reviewer experienced smooth gameplay at an average of 74fps using an Asus TUF Nvidia RTX 4080 Super OC Edition and an Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED ultrawide monitor, with zero stutters. Recent Nvidia drivers have caused some performance issues, leading the reviewer to use version 572.47 for stability. DLSS Frame Generation is effective in optimizing performance, despite some ghosting. The game's visuals are highlighted as a key feature that justifies its performance demands, and Ubisoft's choice to skip last-gen consoles is seen as prudent due to the game's requirements.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

I tested a $7 app that boosts FPS and resolution in any PC game. It’s amazing!

Lossless Scaling is a standalone application that enhances gaming by providing upscaling and frame generation capabilities for various PC games, regardless of the graphics card. It was initially developed for integer scaling of older pixel graphics games but has evolved to include enhancements similar to DLSS and FSR. The application features built-in upscalers using algorithms like FSR, LS1, and Integer scaling, serving as alternatives for games without support for advanced technologies. A key feature is the LSFG algorithm for Frame Generation, which can potentially double, triple, or quadruple frame rates, though it may introduce increased latency and some "unreal" generated frames. Lossless Scaling significantly improves performance in space simulation games, boosting frame rates from around 90 FPS to 140 FPS and enhancing complex scenes. It also benefits console ports with frame rate caps, such as Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered, where activating 2x Frame Generation can raise the frame rate from 60 FPS to 120 FPS, improving visual fluidity despite some input lag.

Winsage

March 10, 2025

How to Improve Game Data Loading Times in Windows

Most modern games rely on real-time asset loading, making storage choice crucial for optimal gaming. A slow SSD or HDD can lead to long loading times and performance issues. 1. Disabling NTFS Last Access Time can improve loading speeds by reducing disk overhead. This can be done via Command Prompt with the command: fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 1. 2. Enabling Large System Cache can enhance performance for games with substantial assets, requiring at least 16 GB of RAM and editing the Windows Registry. 3. Disabling antivirus scanning for the game folder can reduce loading times by preventing real-time scans. This can be done through Windows Security settings. 4. Using an exFAT drive can efficiently process large files, which may benefit games with sizable assets. This involves creating a new volume in Disk Management. 5. Disabling Full-Screen Optimizations can reduce input lag and improve performance by changing settings in the game's executable properties. 6. Increasing Shader Cache Size can improve loading times, with Nvidia users advised to set it to 10 GB or Unlimited in the Nvidia Control Panel. 7. Using a third-party cache management program like PrimoCache can enhance loading times by reserving RAM for caching frequently used programs.

AppWizard

February 13, 2025

Performance quirks, both good and bad, make Avowed a real trickster on PC hardware

Avowed is a high-quality RPG with the following minimum and recommended PC specifications: Minimum PC Specs: - OS: Windows 10/11 with updates - CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel Core i5-8400 - RAM: 16GB - GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 / Intel Arc A580 - DirectX: Version 12 - Storage: 75GB available space Recommended PC Specs: - OS: Windows 10/11 with updates - CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel Core i7-10700K - RAM: 16GB - GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 - DirectX: Version 12 - Storage: 75GB available space Benchmark tests show the GTX 1070 achieving 37fps at Low settings on native 1080p, and 50fps with Quality-level FSR 3. The RTX 3070 reached 48fps at 1080p with the Epic preset, and 67fps with DLSS activated in Quality mode. The RTX 4060 averaged 39fps on Epic and 61fps on High at native 1080p. Lower-end systems, like an MSI GF63 Thin laptop with 8GB of RAM and an RTX 4050, may struggle to exceed 30fps. The Steam Deck requires significant compromises to maintain playability. Performance-enhancing tools like DLSS, FSR, and Unreal Engine 5’s built-in TSR can enhance gameplay. Recommended settings for optimal performance include: - Motion blur: 0% - Upscaling: Nvidia DLSS 3 on Quality / TSR on 67% - Shadow quality: Medium - Global illumination quality: Medium - Everything else: Epic preset equivalent These settings allowed the RTX 4060 to reach 82fps. Avowed supports DLSS 3 frame generation on RTX 40 series GPUs, increasing average performance from 75fps to 111fps, though minor issues with dialogue boxes were noted. The game has a storage requirement of 75GB and does not require an SSD.

AppWizard

February 6, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds brings hope with newly lowered PC requirements, then dashes it with a benchmark tool

Capcom announced the PC system requirements for Monster Hunter Wilds, set to launch on February 28th, aiming for broader accessibility with lower specifications. A standalone benchmark tool is available on Steam, allowing players to test performance. The storage requirement has decreased from 140GB to 75GB, and minimum CPU and GPU requirements have been lowered, such as changing the Nvidia GPU from GTX 1660 Super to GTX 1660 and the Intel CPU from i5-10600 to i5-10400. However, the revised minimum specs only guarantee 1080p performance with upscaling and frame generation technologies. Testing with a GTX 1060 and Core i9-13900K showed disappointing results, averaging 26fps at 1080p with low settings, improving to 45fps with frame generation but suffering from input lag. The Steam Deck also performed poorly, averaging 27fps. In contrast, newer graphics cards like the RTX 4060 achieved 62fps at 1080p with high settings, reaching 98fps with frame generation. The RTX 5080 delivered 72fps at 4K with maximum settings, hitting 110fps with frame generation. Further testing will be needed to assess stable frame rates without relying on frame generation.

AppWizard

February 3, 2025

The upgraded Steam Link app for Android has transformed the way I game in 2025

Steam Link has undergone significant updates, introducing features like HDR and AV1 streaming, and is compatible with over 500 Android devices. It excels in local Wi-Fi gameplay, particularly with controller-centric titles, while performance on genres like RTS and strategy games is less optimal. The app provides impressive visuals and minimal input lag, especially on devices like the AYANEO Pocket Evo. However, it has shortcomings, including cumbersome menu navigation, occasional mouse control issues, and a user interface that can be cluttered. Streaming quality is affected by distance from the router, and it faces competition from other streaming solutions like Moonlight and NVIDIA’s GeForce Now. Despite its limitations, Steam Link offers convenience for PC owners looking to access their game library.

AppWizard

December 4, 2024

Intel unleashes XeSS 2 for Arc GPUs with huge changes to speed up PC games, borrowing a few pages from Nvidia’s DLSS playbook

Intel has introduced XeSS 2, an advanced graphics technology aimed at competing with Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR. It features two main components: XeSS Frame Generation for adding frames to enhance gameplay smoothness, and XeSS Super Resolution. Additionally, Intel has launched Xe Low Latency to reduce input lag, similar to Nvidia's Reflex. XeSS 2 is exclusive to Intel's Alchemist and Battlemage GPUs, requiring developers to integrate support for these technologies into their games. Intel has also released a new control panel called 'Intel Graphics Software' for its Arc GPUs, which centralizes driver updates, game optimization, and performance monitoring. The new XeSS 2 technology is designed to work only with Intel hardware, marking a shift from previous compatibility with AMD and Nvidia GPUs.

AppWizard

December 3, 2024

Another big Stalker 2 patch just arrived to fix the main mission, side quests, and input lag

Developers of Stalker 2 released patch 1.0.3, a 20GB update addressing mission-related bugs and enhancing gameplay. Key improvements include: - Fixes for crashes and memory leaks, including ACCESSVIOLATIONERROR and LowLevelFatalError. - Adjustments to controls, disabling mouse smoothing and acceleration by default, and updating default mouse sensitivity settings (camera sensitivity to 25%, aim sensitivity to 15%). - Resolved issues in main and side missions, including enemy chase boundaries, NPC deaths, monster despawning, potential lockouts, hostile NPC behavior, and despawning after dialogues. - AI improvements addressing mutant body glitches and NPC blockage in doorways. - Balance adjustments for vendor ammo sales. - Fixes for missing player saves after hard reboots on PC or Xbox.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PC is the surprise AAA tech success of 2024

Bioware's Dragon Age: The Veilguard is noted for its immersive storytelling and strong technical performance, making it a standout AAA PC release. The game utilizes advanced technologies like DLSS and FSR upscaling, as well as DLSS 3 frame generation, to enhance performance while managing ray tracing options based on hardware capability. It performs well on high-end systems but poses challenges for older hardware, though it allows for visual setting adjustments to optimize performance. Recommended hardware includes a Core i9 processor and 10GB of VRAM, but testing showed satisfactory results on an RTX 4060 with 8GB. The game runs at 1080p with 30fps on a GTX 1650 and nearly 60fps on an RTX 3070 at 1080p Ultra. Higher resolutions see the RTX 4070 Ti achieving 81fps at 1440p Ultra and 65fps at 4K, while the RTX 4090 reaches 139fps at 4K Ultra. It also performs well on the Steam Deck at 30fps. The game features an extensive graphics menu for optimization, allowing players to adjust settings like upsample method, DLSS frame generation, and lighting quality to improve performance without significant visual loss.

BetaBeacon

October 30, 2024

Meta’s leaked ‘Avalanche’ could bring back Oculus Rift games, but I want more

Meta is actively working on bringing cloud VR gaming to Meta Quest, with a leaked app called Avalanche appearing briefly on the Quest Store. The company intends to launch cloud streaming on Quest when it's consumer-ready, enabling higher graphics than the Snapdragon XR2 on the Quest 3 and Quest 3S can natively handle. The challenges ahead include dealing with latency and high ping that comes with cloud streaming. The author dreams of a partnership between Meta and Microsoft to stream VR ports of popular first-person titles on Quest, such as Minecraft, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Forza, and Halo.