War Thunder runs on Gaijin’s Dagor engine, which scales remarkably well — it can run on modest hardware, from integrated graphics up to high-end GPUs. But big ground battles full of smoke and explosions can still tank your frame rate. These settings give you the most FPS with the least loss in visibility, so you can still spot enemies.
Table of Contents
Start here: the three biggest FPS wins
- Turn on upscaling. War Thunder supports NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS and TSR. Set it to Quality first — performance guides estimate around +25–35% FPS for a small loss in sharpness.
- Lower shadows and smoke/effects. Smoke and explosion effects are among the biggest FPS drains in battle.
- Update your graphics drivers and close background apps (browsers, overlays, launchers).
Recommended settings for high FPS
Open Options > Graphics and set the Graphics quality preset to Custom, then:
| Setting | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | Fullscreen | Lowest input lag |
| VSync | Off | Removes input delay (use your GPU’s G-Sync/FreeSync instead) |
| Max FPS | Your monitor’s refresh rate | Smooth, avoids wasted GPU work |
| Upscaling (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) | Quality | Big FPS gain |
| Anti-aliasing | Upscaler’s built-in AA or TAA | Keeps edges clean |
| Texture quality | High (if 4 GB+ VRAM) | Helps identify vehicles; low FPS cost |
| Shadow quality | Low/Medium | Large FPS cost |
| Grass/foliage | Low | Better FPS and fewer hiding spots for you to miss |
| Clouds quality | Low/Medium | Noticeable cost in air battles |
| Landscape quality | Medium | Balanced |
| Water quality | Low (ground), Medium (naval) | Only matters at sea |
| SSAO / SSR | Off | Pretty but expensive |
| Motion blur | Off | Better clarity |
| NVIDIA Reflex | On + Boost | Lower latency on RTX cards |
Settings for low-end PCs and laptops
- Use the Low or Ultra Low preset as a starting point, then raise textures if you have spare VRAM.
- Turn on dynamic resolution if your GPU doesn’t support DLSS/FSR/XeSS — it lowers resolution only during heavy moments.
- Set render resolution to 80–90% if you need more frames.
- Plug laptops into power and select the High performance Windows power plan.
- Use the minimal client if storage is tight, though downloading the full client gives better textures.
Settings for visibility (competitive)
- Keep textures High and anti-aliasing on — jagged edges make distant tanks harder to see.
- Lower grass and foliage: less clutter on screen.
- Turn motion blur and depth of field off.
- In Post-FX, avoid heavy filters and tone down bloom.
Other fixes for stutter
- Install War Thunder on an SSD.
- In Windows, enable Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and Game Mode.
- Make sure your GPU drivers are current; reinstall them cleanly if you see stutters after an update.
- Check the in-game FPS counter (Options > Main Parameters) to test each change.
FAQ
What’s the best upscaler for War Thunder?
DLSS on NVIDIA RTX cards; FSR or XeSS on AMD, Intel and older GPUs. Start with Quality mode.
Does lowering grass give an advantage?
It reduces clutter on your screen, but bushes and cover that matter for gameplay still exist.
Why is my FPS fine in hangar but bad in battle?
Battles add smoke, explosions and many players. Lower effects, shadows and clouds first.
Related: stop War Thunder opening on startup and how to use binoculars.
Hi, I’m Emam Hasan — an English teacher and the founder of Anirban Lexicon Center in Mirpur, Dhaka. I run Takedownloads to share honest game guides, tips and app reviews that help players choose well and play better. Alongside teaching, I work in digital marketing and SEO, and I enjoy turning complex topics into simple, helpful lessons anyone can follow.
