Key takeaways
- Update the GPU driver through the NVIDIA app, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or Intel’s graphics software. After the update, sit in the main menu for a few minutes and play one or two matches before you judge performance, especially after a big change like the 1.45.0 engine upgrade.
- Reset a bad shader cache. On AMD, open Adrenalin, go to Gaming, then Graphics, then Advanced, and choose Reset Shader Cache. On any GPU you can also clear the DirectX Shader Cache under Windows Settings, System, Storage, Temporary files. Expect a few minutes of recompiling on the next launch.
- Disable overlays. Discord, Steam, the NVIDIA and AMD overlays, Xbox Game Bar and peripheral software such as Razer Synapse all hook into the game. Many players report that turning off the Discord overlay alone changed the game from stuttering to smooth.
- Verify files. In Steam use Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity; in the Epic launcher use Manage, then Verify.
- Check the drive. ARC Raiders streams a lot of data during a raid. DRAM-less QLC SSDs and hard drives cause short freezes when new areas load, while a TLC NVMe drive with DRAM cache avoids them.
- Watch temperatures. A CPU approaching 90°C or hitting its power limit produces big, regular drops. On Ryzen systems with a modest cooler, ECO mode can stabilize performance by stopping the chip from bouncing off its thermal limit.
- Update the BIOS and chipset drivers, especially on dual-CCD Ryzen X3D chips, which rely on the chipset driver to keep games on the cores with extra cache.
- Try both window modes. Some players find exclusive Fullscreen removes menu and lobby stutter; others are smoother in Borderless. Keep whichever gives the flatter frame-time graph.
- On laptops, plug in, and set ARC Raiders to High performance under Windows Settings, System, Display, Graphics so it runs on the dedicated GPU.
To fix FPS drops in ARC Raiders, set NVIDIA RTX Global Illumination to Static, use DLSS, FSR or XeSS as the Resolution Scaling Method instead of lowering resolution, turn off overlays, install the game on an SSD, and give the shader cache a few matches to rebuild after any driver or game update. That last step matters more than usual right now. Live Update 1.45.0 in September 2026 moved the game from Unreal Engine 5.3 to 5.7, and player reports since then are mixed: some see smoother play, others see new micro-stutter.
Our top picks
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First, identify which kind of drop you have
“FPS drops” can mean several different problems, and each one has a different fix. Turn on a performance overlay that shows GPU usage, CPU usage and a frame-time graph, play one full raid, and match what you see to this table.
| Symptom | What to check | Most likely fix |
|---|---|---|
| Low FPS everywhere, GPU usage 95–99% | Graphics load | RTX Global Illumination Static, upscaler on, Shadows and Effects lower |
| FPS dives in big fights with ARC machines or several squads | CPU usage on one or two threads near 100% | Frame cap, close background apps, check CPU temperature |
| Freezes of 0.5–1 second when entering new areas | Which drive the game is on | Move it to a TLC SSD with DRAM cache |
| Rhythmic stutter every few seconds, even in menus | Overlays and monitoring tools | Disable overlays, RGB software and Xbox Game Bar |
| Hitching only in the first matches after an update | Recent driver or game patch | Let shaders rebuild; reset the shader cache if it persists |
| Enemies rubber-band but the FPS counter is steady | Ping and packet loss | Network issue, not rendering |
The settings that recover the most frames
These values target steady frame times in fights, not peak FPS on an empty map. Apply them, play a raid, then raise individual options back up if you have headroom.
| Setting | Value | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA RTX Global Illumination | Static | Dynamic switches on ray-traced global illumination, the single heaviest option in the menu |
| Global Illumination Resolution | Low or Medium | Small but free gain |
| Resolution Scaling Method | DLSS on RTX cards, FSR 3 on Radeon and GTX cards, XeSS on Intel Arc | Fewer rendered pixels with better image quality than TAAU |
| Upscaled Resolution | 100% | Let the upscaler mode do the work instead of stacking two resolution cuts |
| Frame Generation | Off while troubleshooting | Masks drops on the counter but adds latency and cannot fix CPU or streaming stutter |
| VSync | Off | Use G-Sync or FreeSync instead |
| Frame Rate Limit | 3 below refresh, or just under your fight FPS | Prevents CPU spikes and evens out frame time |
| Shadows | Medium or Low | Big cost in outdoor areas |
| Effects | Medium or Low | Explosions and ARC weapon effects are where dips tend to be deepest |
| Foliage | Low | Dense vegetation adds both GPU and CPU work |
| View Distance | High | Low to High costs little; Epic costs a bit more |
| Textures | High with 8 GB+ VRAM, Medium with 6 GB | VRAM overflow causes slowdowns that build up over a raid |
| Motion Blur | Off | Clearer motion, slight saving |
Avoid TAAU if you have another choice, because it looks blurry and smeared. TSR is a reasonable fallback on cards without DLSS, FSR or XeSS support. For DLSS or FSR mode, start with Quality at 1080p, Balanced at 1440p and Performance at 4K.
Match settings to your hardware tier
The official requirements show the gap between “runs” and “runs smoothly”. Use this matrix to pick a starting point instead of copying a preset made for someone else’s PC.
| Your PC | Official reference parts | Starting preset | Upscaler mode at 1080p |
|---|---|---|---|
| At or near minimum | GTX 1050 Ti / RX 580 / Arc A380, Core i5-6600K / Ryzen 5 1600, 12 GB RAM | Low, RTXGI Static, Foliage Low | FSR or XeSS Performance |
| At recommended | RTX 2070 / RX 5700 XT / Arc B570, Core i5-9600K / Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM | Medium, RTXGI Static | DLSS or FSR Quality |
| Above recommended | Current mid-range or better GPU with 12 GB+ VRAM, modern 6- or 8-core CPU | High, try RTXGI Dynamic only if fight FPS stays above your cap | DLSS or FSR Quality, or native |
The RAM line deserves attention. The minimum is 12 GB, but some of the game’s newer features assume more: patch 1.22.0 reduced weapon audio latency only on Windows systems with at least 16 GB. With 12 GB and a browser open, Windows starts paging, which shows up as periodic hitches.
Step-by-step fixes outside the game
- Update the GPU driver through the NVIDIA app, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or Intel’s graphics software. After the update, sit in the main menu for a few minutes and play one or two matches before you judge performance, especially after a big change like the 1.45.0 engine upgrade.
- Reset a bad shader cache. On AMD, open Adrenalin, go to Gaming, then Graphics, then Advanced, and choose Reset Shader Cache. On any GPU you can also clear the DirectX Shader Cache under Windows Settings, System, Storage, Temporary files. Expect a few minutes of recompiling on the next launch.
- Disable overlays. Discord, Steam, the NVIDIA and AMD overlays, Xbox Game Bar and peripheral software such as Razer Synapse all hook into the game. Many players report that turning off the Discord overlay alone changed the game from stuttering to smooth.
- Verify files. In Steam use Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity; in the Epic launcher use Manage, then Verify.
- Check the drive. ARC Raiders streams a lot of data during a raid. DRAM-less QLC SSDs and hard drives cause short freezes when new areas load, while a TLC NVMe drive with DRAM cache avoids them.
- Watch temperatures. A CPU approaching 90°C or hitting its power limit produces big, regular drops. On Ryzen systems with a modest cooler, ECO mode can stabilize performance by stopping the chip from bouncing off its thermal limit.
- Update the BIOS and chipset drivers, especially on dual-CCD Ryzen X3D chips, which rely on the chipset driver to keep games on the cores with extra cache.
- Try both window modes. Some players find exclusive Fullscreen removes menu and lobby stutter; others are smoother in Borderless. Keep whichever gives the flatter frame-time graph.
- On laptops, plug in, and set ARC Raiders to High performance under Windows Settings, System, Display, Graphics so it runs on the dedicated GPU.
Why a frame cap helps even on a fast PC
Frame time is 1000 divided by FPS. Say your PC swings between 160 FPS in a quiet building and 95 FPS when a group of ARC machines arrives. Frame time jumps from 6.3 ms to 10.5 ms, and that 4.2 ms jump is what you feel as a stutter. Capped at 120 FPS, the swing shrinks to 8.3 ms versus 10.5 ms. Capping just under your typical fight FPS also leaves the CPU spare headroom for spikes, which is why players with CPU-heavy drops often report that a cap alone removed their micro-stutter. Add NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag on top to keep input delay low while capped.
