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Ray tracing looks incredible, but many players struggle with performance drops once they turn it on. If you want next-gen graphics without sacrificing smooth gameplay, you need the right tuning strategy.
I’m going to show you what actually works based on real optimization methods.
Why Ray Tracing Needs an Optimized Setup
Ray tracing brings lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows that create a cinematic feel no traditional renderer can match. The downside is that this visual upgrade demands serious hardware power, so you need to optimize gaming PC settings properly to keep things running smoothly.
Does Ray Tracing Improve FPS?
People often ask does ray tracing improve fps, and the answer is no. Ray tracing actually lowers FPS because it puts massive strain on your GPU. That’s exactly why smart optimization matters so much. With the right settings, you can still enjoy ray tracing while keeping your gameplay fluid.
GPU Hardware Ray Tracing Required
Ray tracing relies heavily on your graphics card having dedicated RT cores for hardware accelerated rendering. NVIDIA RTX cards and the latest AMD Radeon cards support this technology. If your GPU lacks these cores, your performance will drop significantly.
Ray Tracing CPU Bottleneck
Sometimes you’ll run into a ray tracing CPU bottleneck because ray traced scenes need both GPU and CPU working together. When your CPU can’t keep up, you’ll notice inconsistent frame timing. You can fix this by closing background processes, improving cooling, enabling high performance power settings, and updating your BIOS.
Best GPUs for Ray Tracing
Choosing the right GPU makes all the difference when it comes to ray tracing performance. Let me break down the top options for both NVIDIA and AMD users.
Best GPU for Ray Tracing
High-end NVIDIA cards remain the strongest choice for best GPU for ray tracing performance. The RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 deliver excellent real-time ray tracing with reliable frame generation support. These cards handle demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2 very well.
Best AMD GPU for Ray Tracing
If you prefer AMD hardware, the best AMD GPU for ray tracing includes models like the RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX. These cards deliver solid real-time lighting performance and support FSR upscaling.
AMD Ray Tracing Performance
Overall, AMD ray tracing performance has improved considerably over the past generation. It still trails behind NVIDIA in some heavy workloads, but AMD cards deliver strong results when paired with FSR. They handle modern titles quite well at balanced settings.
Easy Steps to Optimize Your Gaming PC
Now that you understand the hardware side, let me walk you through the system-level optimizations that will boost your ray tracing performance immediately.
Update your graphics drivers
New GPU drivers often include ray tracing updates and game specific performance fixes. Always install the most recent NVIDIA or AMD drivers before launching a new title because this alone can improve stability and smoothness.
Enable GPU hardware scheduling
You can reduce latency by enabling hardware accelerated GPU scheduling. Go to System settings then Display then Graphics settings and enable the toggle. Restart your PC afterward.
Switch windows to best performance mode
Windows offers different power profiles, so select Best Performance from Power and battery settings. This ensures your CPU and GPU operate at full capability.
Remove background programs
Open Task Manager and close anything that uses CPU or RAM while gaming. This includes browser windows, cloud sync apps, and unnecessary updaters. You can also disable startup programs for a cleaner system.
Enable Game Mode
Game Mode prioritizes game processes over everything else. Go to Windows Settings then Gaming and switch the feature on because it helps maintain consistent performance.
Optimize NVIDIA Control Panel
If you use NVIDIA hardware, change these settings for better ray tracing stability:
- Texture Filtering Quality set to Performance
- Power Management set to Prefer Maximum Performance
- Threaded Optimization set to On
- Shader Cache set to Unlimited
- Low Latency Mode set to Ultra
Optimize AMD Radeon Software
For AMD users, adjust the following settings:
- Texture Filtering Quality set to Performance
- Anti Lag enabled
- Radeon Boost enabled when available
- Wait for Vertical Refresh set to Off
Best In-Game Ray Tracing Settings You Must Know
Once your system is optimized, you need to adjust in-game settings properly to get the best balance between visuals and performance.
Cyberpunk 2077 Best Ray Tracing Settings
Cyberpunk is one of the heaviest ray traced games ever released. You can achieve smooth gameplay by lowering ray traced shadows and reflections to medium, enabling DLSS Quality mode, and keeping ray traced global illumination set to Low or Medium.
The cyberpunk 2077 best ray tracing settings always include using DLSS to stabilize the frame rate.
Universal Settings That Improve FPS
Most games follow similar principles when it comes to optimization. Lower these options first:
- Shadow quality
- Reflection quality
- Volumetric lighting
- Draw distance
You can raise these later if your GPU still has headroom.
Use AI Upscaling
DLSS, FSR and XeSS give you a substantial performance boost without sacrificing visual clarity. These technologies are essential for ray traced gameplay, so always turn one of them on when it’s available.
How to Enable Ray Tracing in Popular Games
Different games handle ray tracing in different ways. Here’s how to activate it in three popular titles.
How to enable ray tracing GTA 5 PC
Grand Theft Auto 5 does not include native ray tracing. You can enable lighting enhancements through advanced reshade presets and visual mods, but only install trusted mods and follow all setup instructions carefully.
How to enable ray tracing in Minecraft PC
Minecraft supports full ray tracing in the Bedrock Edition. Open Settings then Video then enable Ray Tracing. You also need a compatible resource pack. In the Java version, you can use shader mods such as SEUS PTGI.
How to enable ray tracing Fortnite PC
Open Fortnite settings and select the Graphics tab. Switch Ray Tracing to On and enable hardware supported shadows and reflections. Use Performance Mode off when ray tracing is active.
Advanced Tips to Optimize Your Gaming PC
If you want to squeeze out even more performance, these advanced techniques can help push your system further.
- Overclock your GPU carefully: A minor overclock can increase ray tracing performance. Use MSI Afterburner and raise the GPU clock slowly while monitoring temperatures to ensure stable operation.
- Improve SSD performance: Ray traced games stream large texture files constantly. You’ll see smoother loading if you use an NVMe SSD. Keep at least ten percent of the drive free and make sure TRIM is enabled.
- Upgrade your cooling: Ray tracing can quickly raise GPU temperatures, so improve airflow with additional case fans or a stronger CPU cooler. Clean the dust filters regularly for better airflow.
Conclusion
Ray tracing can transform any game into a stunning, realistic experience. You can achieve smooth performance with the right mix of hardware tuning, driver updates, and smart in-game settings. Once you optimize your PC properly, you’ll enjoy next generation graphics without slowdowns.
I recommend experimenting with these steps until you find your personal balance of visual quality and performance. Read our breakdown of the Xbox price hike if you’re not sure whether to upgrade your PC or stick with a console. It might help you decide.
