Best starting point

Protect visibility first, then lower the expensive effects that do not help you read a fight.

  1. Start at native resolution or the official target closest to your hardware.
  2. Cap FPS to your monitor refresh rate; if combat frame time is still unstable, cap to a rate the PC can actually sustain.
  3. Keep view distance and mesh detail higher for the visibility profile, while lowering shadows, reflections, particles and post-processing first.
  4. Turn Picture-in-Picture Range off if high-magnification scopes cause large ADS drops on your PC.
  5. Test DLSS/FSR and Frame Generation only after you have a stable baseline; temporarily disable them when diagnosing stutter or ghosting.

These are starting profiles, not benchmark guarantees. WARDOGS is still in Early Access and performance changes with hardware, drivers, server load and the current build.

Start with a clean baseline before copying a preset

Steam's official targets are a useful reality check. The minimum target is 1080p Low at 60 FPS using upscaling on GTX 1660 / RX 590 class hardware. The recommended target is 1440p Medium at 70+ FPS native or 4K Medium at 60+ FPS upscaled on RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT class hardware.

That means a “best settings” preset should not pretend every machine can hold the same output resolution, visibility settings and frame rate.

  • Update the GPU driver before tuning around a driver problem.
  • Close heavy browser tabs, overlays and recording tools for the first comparison.
  • Use one repeatable live-combat area, not the menu, to judge frame time.
  • Change one setting group at a time so you can identify what actually helped.

Competitive / visibility starting profile

This profile aims to keep distant infantry, vehicles and terrain readable while removing effects that commonly cost GPU time. Values below are an editorial baseline to test, not developer-certified “best” values.

ResolutionNativeKeep image clarity unless the GPU cannot sustain the fight.
Frame capMonitor refreshTeam17 recommends matching the display refresh; lower it if frame time still swings heavily.
Field of View~95 startEnough peripheral vision without making distant targets unnecessarily small.
Picture-in-Picture RangeOffBest starting point if magnified scopes cut FPS sharply.
Mesh DetailHighProtect object readability and reduce distracting pop-in.
View DistanceHighPreserve long-range battlefield information.
TexturesHigh*Keep high when VRAM usage is stable; reduce if you see streaming pressure.
ShadingMediumBalanced starting point before sacrificing scene readability.
ShadowsLowReduce a costly visual feature before view distance.
Global IlluminationOffUseful first performance test on GPU-limited systems.
ReflectionsLowLower cosmetic cost without giving up draw distance.
Particle Spawn RateLow / PotatoHelps keep effects-heavy fights lighter.
Post ProcessingLowFavor a cleaner image over cinematic treatment.
Motion BlurOffCleaner target tracking.
Depth of FieldOffAvoid deliberate blur outside the focal plane.
Bloom / Lens FlareOffReduce bright-screen clutter.

*Texture quality is primarily constrained by VRAM and streaming behavior. Do not lower it automatically just because another setting is expensive.

Maximum FPS starting profile

Use this when the visibility profile still cannot hold a stable fight. The priority shifts from image quality to headroom, but we still avoid blindly setting every visibility control to its minimum.

ResolutionLower / upscaleTeam17 identifies resolution as one of the most impactful performance controls.
Frame capSustainable rateChoose a cap the PC can hold during busy Control Zone fights.
Picture-in-Picture RangeOffRemove an avoidable scope workload when ADS performance is the problem.
Mesh DetailMediumRecover GPU headroom without immediately destroying scene readability.
View DistanceMediumLower only after testing the high setting in the same fight.
TexturesMediumSafer for limited VRAM or visible streaming pressure.
ShadingLowPerformance-first.
ShadowsLow / PotatoPerformance-first.
Global IlluminationOffRemove the expensive lighting pass.
ReflectionsLowPerformance-first.
Particle Spawn RatePotatoReduce effects workload in explosions and destruction.
Post ProcessingLowKeep effects cost down.
Motion Blur / DOF / Bloom / Lens FlareOffRemove nonessential image effects.

If this profile is still unstable, lowering output resolution or using a more aggressive upscaling mode will usually move the GPU more than dropping another cosmetic slider. Test the image quality before keeping the change.

DLSS, FSR, NIS and Frame Generation: use them as tools, not defaults

Upscaling can be useful when you are GPU-limited, but the cited September Team17 replies ask affected players with stutter or ghosting to temporarily disable DLSS, FSR, NIS and frame generation to isolate the issue.

Stable baseline first

Native or one upscaler, Frame Generation off

Measure real rendered performance and visual clarity before layering generated frames on top.

Need more GPU headroom

Try Quality, then Balanced if required

Keep the output resolution fixed and compare the same fight. Stop if ghosting or scope clarity becomes worse than the FPS gain is worth.

Frame Generation can make the displayed frame counter higher without proving lower input latency. For a competitive baseline, get stable rendered frames first.

Fix large FPS drops when using 2x, 6x or other magnified scopes

The September Team17 support thread records large FPS drops when aiming through magnified optics. The reporting player later isolated Picture-in-Picture Range as the major trigger on that machine and reported the problem disappeared after disabling it.

  1. Disable Picture-in-Picture Range.Retest the same magnified optic in the same location.
  2. Leave DLSS/FSR as a separate test.If PiP fixes the drop, re-enable your normal upscaler and compare again.
  3. If the drop remains, test temporal features off.Team17 recommends temporarily disabling DLSS, FSR, NIS and frame generation when isolating performance issues.

This is a field report that Team17 has acknowledged, not a universal guarantee that Picture-in-Picture is the only cause on every PC.

FOV and visibility: wider is not always clearer

A higher FOV increases peripheral information, but it also makes distant targets occupy fewer pixels on screen. For WARDOGS' long sight lines, start around 95, then move up or down based on your monitor size, viewing distance and typical engagement range.

  • Raise FOV if close-range awareness feels too narrow.
  • Lower it slightly if distant infantry becomes too small to identify comfortably.
  • Do not compensate for a visibility problem by destroying view distance first.
  • Retest ADS and scopes separately because magnified optics can use a different rendering path.

If FPS is high but WARDOGS still stutters

The September 17 Team17 reply suggests this comparison sequence:

  1. Try Low or Potato preset once.If the stutter disappears, restore settings one group at a time.
  2. Update the GPU driver.Do this before building a permanent workaround around an old driver.
  3. Close overlays and recording software.Discord overlays, browsers, OBS and ShadowPlay can add load or hooks.
  4. Cap FPS to the monitor refresh.Team17 says this has helped many users stabilize frame time.
  5. Lower resolution.Use this when the GPU is genuinely saturated.
  6. Temporarily disable upscalers and frame generation.Use this as diagnosis, not a permanent rule for every system.

How to know whether a settings change actually helped

01

Use the same battlefield workload

A quiet range cannot reproduce vehicles, smoke, destruction and a crowded Control Zone.

02

Watch frame time, not just peak FPS

A stable 90 can feel better than 130 that repeatedly drops during ADS or explosions.

03

Change one group at a time

Otherwise you will not know which option fixed the problem—or which one ruined visibility.

04

Retest after patches

WARDOGS is Early Access. A profile that works in Build 0.11 may need another pass after Season 2.

Common questions

What is the best WARDOGS setting for more FPS?

There is no single universal setting, but resolution is one of the largest levers, while shadows, global illumination, reflections, particles and post-processing are sensible early reductions before sacrificing every visibility setting.

Should I use DLSS or FSR?

Use them when you need GPU headroom and the image stays readable. If you have stutter or ghosting, Team17 recommends disabling upscaling and frame-generation features temporarily to identify whether they are part of the problem.

Should Frame Generation be on?

For the first competitive baseline, leave it off so you can judge real rendered frame time and latency. Enable it later only if the result feels better on your hardware.

Why does my FPS drop when I use a 6x scope?

The cited September thread describes a player's high-magnification scope performance issue. One reporting player isolated Picture-in-Picture Range as the major trigger on their system, so turning that setting off is a useful first test.

Should I use Potato mode?

Use it as a diagnostic or maximum-FPS starting point when Low is still too heavy. Do not assume Potato automatically gives the best visibility; compare it with Low in the same live fight.

Sources and verification

Developer information and community observations are labelled separately. A player report is not a guarantee from the developer. Use the stated source-check dates; a later page edit does not recheck the underlying game data.

  1. WARDOGS on SteamOfficial system targets: GTX 1660 / RX 590 class hardware for 1080p Low at 60 FPS upscaled; RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT class hardware for 1440p Medium at 70+ FPS native or 4K Medium at 60+ FPS upscaled.
  2. Team17 Support: WARDOGS stutteringThe September 17 support reply proposes Low/Potato, driver and background-app checks, a monitor-matched cap and lower resolution, followed by temporary feature isolation. These are case-specific tests, not guaranteed current fixes.
  3. Team17 Support: scope FPS dropsSeptember scope-performance discussion. Team17 suggested graphics-feature comparisons; the reporting player later isolated Picture-in-Picture Range on that machine and said DLSS could be restored. This is not a universal cause.
  4. Team17 Support: ghostingSeptember ghosting discussion: temporary feature comparisons were suggested, and support acknowledged a reported missing Global Illumination option. The thread does not establish every current menu or PC's behavior.