DragonSword: Awakening runs on Unreal Engine 5, and like all UE5 open-world games, it can be demanding on PC hardware. Even systems that meet the recommended specifications may experience frame rate drops, stuttering during area transitions, and inconsistent performance. This is not necessarily a sign that your hardware is failing — UE5's streaming system, Lumen global illumination, and Nanite geometry all introduce performance overhead that requires specific optimization strategies. This guide provides a comprehensive approach to improving performance in DragonSword: Awakening, covering in-game settings, Windows optimizations, driver configurations, and hardware-specific tips.
For the baseline system requirements, see our system requirements guide. This guide focuses on what to do after you have confirmed your hardware meets or exceeds those requirements but performance is still unsatisfactory.
Understanding UE5 Performance Bottlenecks
Before adjusting settings, it helps to understand what causes performance issues in UE5 games. The three primary bottlenecks are:
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GPU-bound scenarios: The GPU cannot render frames fast enough. This is the most common bottleneck and is identified by GPU utilization near 100% while CPU utilization is lower. The solution is to reduce GPU-intensive settings like Lumen, shadow quality, and resolution.
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CPU-bound scenarios: The CPU cannot process game logic and draw calls fast enough. This is common during open-world traversal in UE5 and is identified by CPU utilization near 100% while GPU utilization is lower. The solution is to reduce CPU-intensive settings like view distance and crowd density.
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Memory-bound scenarios: The system does not have enough RAM or VRAM to hold all required assets, causing stuttering as assets are loaded and unloaded. This is identified by sudden frame drops during area transitions, not consistent low frame rates. The solution is to increase RAM, reduce texture quality, or ensure you are running from an SSD.
Identifying which bottleneck applies to your system is the first step toward effective optimization. Use the built-in performance overlay (accessible through the Steam overlay or by adding -perfstats to the launch options) to monitor GPU utilization, CPU utilization, and frame time graphs during gameplay.
In-Game Graphics Settings Optimization
The most impactful performance improvements come from adjusting in-game settings. The following recommendations are organized by the magnitude of their impact.
| Setting | Recommended Value | Performance Gain | Visual Impact | Bottleneck Addressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumen GI Quality | Medium | 15-25% vs High | Subtle (indirect lighting accuracy) | GPU-bound |
| Resolution Scale | 85-90% | 10-20% | Minimal with upscaling | GPU-bound |
| Shadow Quality | High (from Epic) | 10-15% | Minor (pop-in at Medium) | GPU-bound |
| View Distance | High (from Epic) | 5-10% | Distant detail reduction | CPU-bound |
| Effects Quality | High (from Epic) | 5-8% | Slightly fewer particles | GPU-bound |
| Post-Processing | High (from Epic) | 3-7% | Minimal (cutscene polish) | GPU-bound |
| Texture Quality | Keep at Epic (8 GB+ VRAM) | Negligible | Blurring if reduced | VRAM-limited only |
| Anti-Aliasing | Keep TAA enabled | Negligible if disabled | Jaggies/shimmer if off | Not a bottleneck |
| Motion Blur | Personal preference | Negligible | Sharpness during movement | Not a bottleneck |
Tier 1: Highest Impact Settings
These settings have the largest effect on frame rates. Adjust them first if you need significant performance gains.
Lumen Global Illumination Quality: Set to "Medium" for a good balance of visual quality and performance. Lumen at "High" can reduce frame rates by 15-25% compared to "Medium." The visual difference between Medium and High is subtle — mostly in the accuracy of indirect lighting in complex scenes. If you are GPU-bound, reducing Lumen to "Low" (which disables ray-traced GI) provides an additional 15-20% improvement but makes lighting noticeably less realistic.
Resolution Scale: If you are not using DLSS or FSR, reduce the internal resolution scale from 100% to 85-90%. This renders the game at a lower resolution and upscales it, providing a 10-20% frame rate boost with minimal visual quality loss. The game's built-in resolution scale slider is found in the display settings. Combine this with DLSS or FSR for even better results — see our DLSS/FSR guide for details.
Shadow Quality: Reduce from "Epic" to "High" for a 10-15% frame rate improvement. Shadows at "High" still look good and are rarely noticeable during fast-paced combat. Reducing further to "Medium" provides an additional 5-10% improvement but introduces visible shadow pop-in during movement.
Tier 2: Moderate Impact Settings
These settings provide 5-10% improvement each and should be adjusted if Tier 1 changes are insufficient.
View Distance: Reduce from "Epic" to "High" for a 5-10% improvement in open-world areas. In dungeons, this setting has minimal impact because draw distances are naturally limited by walls and corridors. If you primarily experience stuttering during open-world traversal, this setting is particularly effective.
Effects Quality: Reduce from "Epic" to "High" for a 5-8% improvement. This affects the quality and density of particle effects during combat. At "High," effects still look good and are less likely to cause frame drops during intense multi-hero tag combo sequences.
Post-Processing Quality: Reduce from "Epic" to "High" for a 3-7% improvement. This affects bloom, depth of field, and color grading. The visual difference is minimal during gameplay, though cutscenes may look slightly less polished.
Tier 3: Low Impact Settings
These settings have minimal performance impact and should generally be left at their default values unless you are desperate for every frame.
Texture Quality: Only reduce if you are VRAM-limited (less than 8 GB VRAM). At 8 GB or more, texture quality has negligible impact on frame rates. Reducing textures can cause visible blurring on close-up surfaces.
Anti-Aliasing: UE5's TAA anti-aliasing has minimal performance cost. Disabling it introduces jaggies and shimmering without meaningful frame rate gains. Leave this enabled.
Motion Blur: Personal preference setting with negligible performance impact. Disable it if you prefer sharp visuals during camera movement, but do not expect a frame rate improvement.
Windows Optimization for UE5 Games
Several Windows settings can affect UE5 game performance beyond what in-game settings control.
| Optimization | Setting | How to Apply | Expected Gain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Plan | High Performance | Settings > System > Power & Battery > Power Mode > Best Performance | Frame rate consistency | Laptops: use only when plugged in |
| Game Mode | Enabled | Settings > Gaming > Game Mode | 2-5% consistency | Prioritizes game over background tasks |
| Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling | Enabled | Settings > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings | 2-5% consistency | Reduces CPU overhead for GPU scheduling |
| Background Apps | Close all | Close Chrome, streaming, heavy utilities before playing | Reduces memory stuttering | Even on 16 GB RAM, browsers compete for resources |
| SSD Storage | Use SSD for game install | Install on NVMe/SATA SSD | Eliminates asset-streaming stutter | HDD causes severe open-world stuttering |
Power Plan
Set your Windows power plan to "High Performance" rather than "Balanced." The Balanced plan allows Windows to downclock your CPU and GPU during low-demand moments, which causes inconsistent frame times when demand suddenly increases during combat or area transitions. High Performance keeps clock speeds elevated, providing more consistent frame rates.
To change the power plan, go to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Power Mode and select "Best Performance." On desktop PCs, this has no meaningful downside. On laptops, this will increase power consumption and heat output, so use it only while plugged in.
Game Mode and Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
Enable Windows Game Mode (Settings > Gaming > Game Mode) and Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling (Settings > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings). Both features prioritize game performance over background tasks and can improve frame rate consistency by 2-5%.
Background Applications
Close unnecessary background applications before playing DragonSword: Awakening. UE5 games are sensitive to memory pressure and CPU contention. Browser tabs with video content, streaming software, and resource-heavy utilities all compete for system resources. Even on systems with 16 GB of RAM, closing Chrome tabs can reduce memory-related stuttering during asset streaming.
Driver Optimization
Keeping your GPU drivers up to date is essential for UE5 performance. NVIDIA and AMD regularly release driver updates that optimize performance for newly released games.
NVIDIA Driver Settings
Update to the latest Game Ready driver through GeForce Experience or the NVIDIA website. In the NVIDIA Control Panel, set the following options for DragonSword: Awakening:
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Power Management Mode: Prefer Maximum Performance
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Texture Filtering - Quality: High Performance
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Threaded Optimization: On
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Vertical Sync: Off (use in-game vsync instead for lower input lag)
AMD Driver Settings
Update to the latest AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition driver. In the AMD control panel:
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GPU Workload: Graphics
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Surface Format Optimization: Enabled
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Texture Filtering Quality: Performance
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Anisotropic Filtering: Application-controlled
Hardware-Specific Performance Tips
NVIDIA RTX 3060 (Recommended Spec)
The RTX 3060 is the recommended GPU and can achieve 60 FPS at 1080p with optimized settings. Enable DLSS at "Quality" mode for the best balance of visual quality and performance. DLSS Quality at 1080p provides a 25-35% frame rate improvement with minimal visual artifacts. Avoid DLSS "Ultra Performance" at 1080p, as the internal resolution becomes too low and introduces visible blurring.
| Hardware | Target Resolution | Upscaling | Key Settings | Expected FPS | Priority Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA RTX 3060 | 1080p | DLSS Quality | Lumen Medium, Shadows High | 60 FPS | Avoid DLSS Ultra Performance at 1080p |
| AMD RX 6600 XT | 1080p | FSR 2 Quality | Lumen Medium, Shadows High | 60 FPS | FSR 2 works on all GPUs, not just AMD |
| 8 GB RAM System | 1080p | DLSS/FSR Quality | Textures Medium, close background apps | 40-50 FPS (stuttery) | Upgrade to 16 GB RAM for dramatic improvement |
| RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT | 1440p | DLSS/FSR Quality | Medium-High settings | 60 FPS | Reduce Lumen to Medium for stable frames |
| RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT | 4K | DLSS/FSR Quality | Some settings reduced | 60 FPS | Without upscaling, 4K is very challenging |
AMD RX 6600 XT
The RX 6600 XT is the AMD equivalent of the recommended spec. Enable FSR 2 at "Quality" mode for similar performance gains to DLSS. FSR 2 works on all GPUs, not just AMD, so this is the best option for players with older NVIDIA cards that do not support DLSS. For more on FSR settings, see our DLSS and FSR guide.
Systems with 8 GB RAM
If you cannot upgrade to 16 GB immediately, reduce texture quality to "Medium" and close all background applications. Consider using a USB flash drive with Windows ReadyBoost to provide additional paging space — while this is not as effective as real RAM, it can reduce stuttering by providing faster access than a HDD. The most effective upgrade for 8 GB systems is simply adding more RAM — a 16 GB DDR4 kit costs relatively little and provides a dramatic improvement.
FAQ
Why does DragonSword Awakening stutter in the open world?
Open-world stuttering in UE5 games is caused by asset streaming — the engine loads textures, geometry, and other assets on-the-fly as you move through the world. If your storage device is slow (HDD) or your RAM is insufficient (8 GB), the streaming system cannot load assets fast enough, causing visible stuttering. The solutions are: use an SSD, increase RAM to 16 GB, and reduce View Distance and Texture Quality settings. For more on this topic, see our system requirements guide.
How do I show FPS in DragonSword Awakening?
Use the Steam overlay FPS counter (Steam > Settings > In-Game > In-game FPS counter) or add -perfstats to the game's launch options for a more detailed performance overlay. The Steam overlay provides a simple FPS number, while the performance stats show frame time graphs, GPU/CPU utilization, and other diagnostic information.
Can I run DragonSword Awakening at 1440p or 4K?
At 1440p, you need at least an RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT for 60 FPS with medium-high settings and DLSS/FSR enabled. At 4K, you need an RTX 4070 or RX 7800 XT for 60 FPS with DLSS/FSR and some settings reduced. Without DLSS/FSR, 4K performance is very challenging for current-generation GPUs. For more on upscaling technology, see our DLSS/FSR guide.
Is there a frame rate cap in DragonSword Awakening?
The game does not impose a hard frame rate cap, but UE5's frame pacing can limit maximum frame rates in some scenarios. If you want to uncap the frame rate, disable in-game VSync and set the maximum frame rate to "Unlimited" in the display settings. Be aware that very high frame rates (above 120 FPS) may cause physics issues in some UE5 games, though this has not been widely reported in DragonSword: Awakening specifically.
Does the game support DLSS 3 Frame Generation?
As of launch, DragonSword: Awakening supports DLSS Super Resolution (upscaling) but has not officially confirmed DLSS 3 Frame Generation. This feature, exclusive to RTX 40-series GPUs, interpolates additional frames for significantly higher FPS. Hound13 may add support in a future patch. Check our updates guide for the latest patch information.