Borderlands 4 delivers chaotic action and vibrant worlds, but PC players often struggle with performance on launch. This guide provides tested configurations to achieve smooth gameplay at 60+ FPS across resolutions, from 1080p to 4K. Whether you have an RTX 4070 or an older GPU, these settings prioritize frame rates while preserving the game’s cel-shaded charm.
Understanding Borderlands 4’s Graphics Engine
The Unreal Engine 5-powered Borderlands 4 features demanding elements like dynamic lighting, dense foliage, and volumetric effects. Presets range from Low to Badass, but custom tweaks yield better results than defaults. The Badass preset doesn’t max everything, leaving room for optimization. Key to success: upscaling tech like DLSS for NVIDIA, FSR for AMD, or XeSS for Intel, which boost FPS without heavy quality loss.
Core Display and Upscaling Settings
Start here for foundational improvements. These apply universally before diving into quality sliders.
- Display Mode: Fullscreen for lowest latency.
- V-Sync: Off to avoid input lag; use G-Sync/FreeSync if available.
- Resolution Scale: 100% to prevent blur.
- Frame Rate Limiter: Match your monitor’s refresh rate for stability.
- HDR: On if supported for enhanced colors.
- Brightness: 50-60; Sharpness: 70-80 for enemy visibility.
Upscaling Recommendations by GPU
| GPU Type | Upscaling Method | Quality | Frame Generation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA RTX 30/40 Series | DLSS | Balanced/Quality | On (if FPS >60 base) |
| AMD RX 6000/7000 | FSR 3 | Balanced | On |
| Intel Arc | XeSS | Balanced | On if available |
| Older/Non-UPF GPUs | TSR | Quality | N/A |
DLSS Balanced delivers 60+ FPS on RTX 4070 Ti at 1440p. Frame Generation multiplies frames but requires stable base performance.
Optimal Graphics Sliders for Balanced Performance
For mid-range rigs (RTX 3060/RX 6700 XT equivalent) targeting 1080p/1440p at 60-100 FPS. Use Medium preset as base, then adjust.
- HLOD Loading Range: Medium – Reduces pop-in without FPS hit.
- Geometry Quality: Medium – Handles character models efficiently.
- Texture Quality: Medium (High if 8GB+ VRAM) – Crisp surfaces, minimal stutter.
- Texture Streaming Speed: Medium – Balances load times and memory.
- Anisotropic Filtering: 2x – Sharp distant textures at low cost.
These yield ~27% FPS gain over Very High in lighting-heavy scenes.
Effects and Lighting Tweaks for Maximum FPS
Volumetric fog, clouds, and shadows tank performance. Dial them down for big gains.
| Setting | Recommended | FPS Impact | Visual Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foliage Density | Low | High Gain | Less grass, still immersive |
| Volumetric Fog | Low | High Gain | Atmosphere preserved |
| Volumetric Clouds | Low | Medium Gain | Sky quality maintained |
| Shadow Quality | Medium | Medium Gain | Defined edges |
| Directional Shadows | High | Low Cost | Sun shadows sharp |
| Volumetric Cloud Shadows | Off | High Gain | Minimal notice |
Low fog/reflections boost FPS by 20-30% with negligible visual loss in fast combat.
Advanced Rendering Settings
Fine-tune for polish without perf loss.
- Lighting Quality: Medium – 27% faster than Very High.
- Reflections Quality: Low/Medium – Puddles look good enough.
- Shading Quality: Medium – Cel-shading intact.
- Post Process Quality: Medium – Bloom/DoF balanced.
- Motion Blur Amount: 0.0; Quality: Off – Crisp motion for shooters.
- Anti-Aliasing: Off (let upscaling handle it).
Hardware-Specific Profiles
Low-End (GTX 1660/RX 6600, 1080p 60 FPS)
Low preset base. Textures Medium, all effects Low/Off. TSR Quality. Expect 50-70 FPS.
Mid-Range (RTX 3070/RX 6700 XT, 1440p 80+ FPS)
Medium preset. Upscaling Balanced + Frame Gen off. Lighting/Foliage Low. Raw FPS focus.
High-End (RTX 4080/RX 7900 XTX, 4K 100+ FPS)
Very High preset. Textures Very High, Reflections Low, Frame Gen on. Shader cache 10GB+.
NVIDIA and AMD Control Panel Tweaks
Enhance in-game settings with driver optimizations.
NVIDIA: Low Latency Mode Ultra, Power Management Max Performance, Texture Filtering High Performance. DLSS 3.5 if available.
AMD: Radeon Chill off, Anti-Lag on, FSR 3 Frame Gen. Surface Format Optimization on.
Windows: Game Mode on, HAGS enabled, fullscreen optimizations.
Common Issues and Fixes
- Stuttering: Increase shader cache, play 15+ mins for compilation.
- Hitching: .ini tweaks or Ultra Engine mods for streaming.
- Low FPS on Launch: Day 1 patch helps; verify files.
Graphics Presets Comparison
| Preset | Target FPS (1440p) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 100+ | Budget PCs |
| Medium | 80-100 | Mid-range |
| High | 60-80 | Balanced |
| Very High | 50-70 | High-end |
| Badass | 40-60 | Ultra without tweaks |
Custom always beats presets.
Testing Your Setup
Benchmark in open areas with effects. Aim for <16ms frame times. Adjust iteratively: lower fog/shadows first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DLSS work well in Borderlands 4?
Yes, Balanced mode offers excellent image quality and 1.5-2x FPS uplift on RTX cards.
Should I enable Frame Generation?
Only if base FPS exceeds 60; otherwise, it introduces artifacts.
Best settings for 1080p?
Medium preset, DLSS Quality, effects Low. 100+ FPS easy.
How to fix shader compilation stutter?
Let it complete (15 mins), increase cache size.
Is Borderlands 4 VRAM hungry?
Yes, High textures need 8GB+; Medium for 6GB.
References
- Best Borderlands 4 settings for optimized PC performance — PCGamesN. 2024. https://www.pcgamesn.com/borderlands-4/best-settings
- Borderlands 4 PC Performance Optimization Guide — Corsair. 2024. https://www.corsair.com/us/en/explorer/gamer/gaming-pcs/borderlands-4-pc-performance-optimization-guide/
- Borderlands 4 Optimization, The Best Settings to Change on PC! — YouTube (Digital Foundry style). 2024.
- Borderlands 4 Best Settings – Overgear — Overgear. 2024. https://overgear.com/guides/borderlands-4/best-settings-to-boost-fps/
- Borderlands 4 NVIDIA Optimization guide — 2K Games (Official). 2024. https://borderlands.2k.com/borderlands-4/news/nvidia-optimization/