How To Fix God of War Stuttering and FPS Drops Issues on PC

The epic journey of Kratos and Atreus unfolds amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Norse mythology. While the experience is undeniably captivating, some players have encountered a less-than-ideal situation with stuttering and FPS drops, hindering the seamless immersion into this mythical world.

Fear not, for this guide is tailored to address these concerns and provide you with solutions to elevate your God of War PC gaming experience. Whether you’re battling lag, frame drops, or stuttering issues, we’ve got you covered.

Join us as we explore practical fixes and optimizations to ensure that your odyssey through Midgard remains as smooth as Kratos’ swing of the Leviathan Axe.

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How To Fix God Of War Stuttering on PC

Below is the list to fix God of War FPS drops issues, just work your way down the list to find the best solution.

Update Graphics Driver

To play God of War PC stuttering or FPS drop issues, you need to update graphics card drivers. If the graphics card drivers are outdated or faulty then you will have to deal with performance-related issues.

You can update NVIDIA/AMD GPU drivers manually by visiting their official sites but finding the latest correct driver is often difficult.

So we recommend you download Driver Easy on your PC. It’s a driver updater tool that will automatically scan and update all the system’s old drivers. All you need to do is to:

  • Download and Install Driver Easy.
  • Run this program and click on the Scan Now button. (It will scan your PC telling you how many drivers need attention)
  • Now click on Update All or choose anyone at a time.
  • Now Restart your PC.

You can also create a restore point, in case an updated driver causes the problem you can revert to its previous version.

Change GOW Graphics Setting

It is suggested to experiment with different in-game settings, especially those related to graphics, to find a balance between visual quality and performance. Usually, a lower graphics setting improves stuttering and lagging.

  • Resolution: Lowering the screen resolution can significantly improve performance.
  • Texture Quality: Lowering the texture quality can reduce the strain on your GPU.
  • Shadow Quality: Shadows are often resource-intensive. Lowering the shadow quality can improve performance.
  • Anti-aliasing: Reducing or disabling anti-aliasing can have a noticeable impact on performance.
  • Effects and Post-Processing: Settings related to effects, post-processing, and ambient occlusion can impact performance.
  • View Distance: Reducing the distance at which objects are rendered can improve performance.

Disable Background Applications

Close unnecessary background applications while running the game. Some applications might use system resources and contribute to performance issues.

Use the Windows Task Manager to close all apps that are consuming resources.

Monitor your PC Temperature

It’s crucial to keep an eye on both the CPU and GPU temperatures. Overheating in these components can lead to thermal throttling, causing a decrease in performance.

You can use monitoring tools like HWMonitor, Core Temp, or MSI Afterburner to check your CPU temperatures. and while doing so make sure normal operating temperatures stay below 70-80 degrees Celsius during gaming.

Ensure that your CPU cooling solution (air or liquid) is functioning correctly. Dust accumulation on heatsinks or fans can impede cooling efficiency, so clean your system regularly.

Change Windows Power Plan

Still dealing with God of War FPS stuttering or FPS drops on your PC, it’s because your PC is set to consume Balanced power by default. Try changing the power plan to high performance to get more power.

Follow these steps:

  • Press the Windows key + R, then type powercfg.cpl and press Enter.
  • In the new window, expand Hide additional plans and select High Performance.
  • If you can’t see this option then click on Create a Power Plan from the left panel and create a new power plan.

If the problem of the God of War FPS drops isn’t fixed then enable the Ultimate Poer Plan on Windows PC. Follow these steps:

  • Press the Windows Key and search cmd.
  • Right-click on the command prompt and run as administrator.
  • Paste the given code: powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61
  • Now go back to the power options again and turn on the Ultimate Performance Option.

Use DXVK for AMD Cards

DXVK facilitates running the DX11 game in Vulkan, potentially leading to a 15fps improvement for AMD cards. This solution is particularly effective in reducing micro-stuttering and enhancing performance, especially in problematic areas reported by users with various GPU brands like RX 6700 and RTX 3060.

Here is how to do it:

  1. Download DXVK from the official source.
  2. Follow the provided installation instructions to integrate DXVK with the game.
  3. Experience improved FPS and reduced micro-stuttering in affected areas.

Disable Nvidia FrameView SDK Service

Users with Nvidia 3080 cards experiencing stuttering have found disabling the FrameView SDK Service to be a successful resolution. This service, related to the Nvidia GeForce overlay, can contribute to performance issues. Disabling it can lead to smoother gameplay.

Follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type ‘services.msc‘ and press Enter to access the Services window.
  3. Locate the ‘NVIDIA FrameView SDK service.’
  4. Right-click on the service, and select ‘Stop‘ to immediately halt the service.
  5. Optionally, right-click again, choose ‘Properties,’ and set the ‘Startup type‘ to “Disabled” to prevent it from starting with Windows.

Delete temporary files

To address stuttering issues in God of War on your PC, you can try optimizing your system by clearing temporary files. Follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows logo and R keys simultaneously.
  2. Type %temp% and press Enter.
  3. Delete all files in the Temp folder.
  4. Again, press the Windows logo and R keys simultaneously.
  5. Type temp and press Enter.
  6. Delete all files in the Temp folder.
  7. Once more, press the Windows logo and R keys simultaneously.
  8. Type prefetch and press Enter.
  9. Delete all files in the Prefetch folder. (Some files may not be deleted; in that case, press skip.)
  10. Finally, empty the Recycle Bin.

Disable Game Bar

There’s a built-in utility called a game bar that can help you boost the game’s performance. So try to Disable it to check if it improved Framerate to 50 or above 100.

For Windows 10 users:

  • Press the Windows key search Game Mode Settings and hit Enter.
  • Turn the Game Mode Off.
  • From the left side select XBOX Game Bar and Turn it off.

For Windows 11 users:

  • Go to settings and on the left side click on gaming.
  • Turn off the Xbox Game Bar and Turn on Game Mode.

Change Nvidia Control Panel Settings

To enhance the performance of God of War on your PC with an NVIDIA graphics card, you can adjust the NVIDIA Control Panel settings as follows:

  1. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel under 3D Settings.
  2. Go to the “Adjust image settings with preview” tab.
  3. Click “Use my preference emphasizing” (If you have a mid&high-end PC, let the 3D application decide).
  4. Put the bar in Performance mode, then click on Apply.
  5. Go to “Manage 3D Settings,” then select the “Global Settings” tab, and click on “Restore.” Follow these settings for the best performance (Don’t change anything else):
    • Select “High-Performance NVIDIA Processor” under the preferred graphics processor.

Settings:

  • Image sharpening: Turn ON select the Sharpen level to 0.50, and set Ignore film grain to 0.17.
  • Ambient occlusion: Turn ON and select it to Performance.
  • Low Latency mode: Turn ON for higher FPS and lower Input lag.
  • Max Frame Rate: Turn OFF (if not by default).
  • OpenGL Rendering GPU: Select your NVIDIA Graphics Card.
  • Power Management mode: Prefer Maximum Performance.
  • Preferred Refresh rate: Highest Available.
  • Texture Filtering – Anisotropic Samples: Turn ON.
  • Texture filtering – Quality: Select High Performance.
  • Vertical Sync: OFF.
  • Virtual Reality Pre-Rendered Frames: Set the value to 1.
  • Click on “Apply” to save the changes.