Quick answer
For a practical Hell Let Loose: Vietnam starting preset, use High Master Quality, DLSS Quality when available or TSR at 100%, Medium FX, Medium Reflections, Low Hardware Lumen, High Post Process, Motion Blur Off, High or default Global Illumination, High Shadows, High/Epic Textures when VRAM allows, and High View Distance. Start here, then change only the settings tied to your goal. Hotfix 1.4.2 is the current build anchor; this preset is a reproducible starting point, not a guaranteed FPS number for every PC.
Recommended baseline
| Setting | Recommended starting value | Why start here | | --- | --- | --- | | Master Quality | High | Keeps a clear visual baseline before you trade quality for frame time. | | DLSS / TSR | DLSS Quality when supported; otherwise TSR at 100% | Prefer the quality path first so foliage and target edges remain readable. | | FX Quality | Medium | A reasonable launch-build performance/quality compromise. | | Reflection Quality | Medium | Keeps reflections from taking the highest-cost path without dropping them completely. | | Hardware Lumen | Low | Preserves the feature at a reduced cost; turn it Off only when chasing more headroom. | | Post Process | High | Keeps the image baseline intact; lower it only after measuring the result. | | Motion Blur | Off | Makes target tracking and camera motion easier to read. | | Global Illumination | High or default | Do not import old Playtest gains into the current build without testing. | | Shadow Quality | High | Lower shadows are not automatically clearer in jungle fights. | | Texture Quality | High or Epic if VRAM allows | Treat this primarily as a VRAM decision. | | View Distance | High | Keeps distant terrain and targets readable unless your own test shows a meaningful cost. |
If you carried settings forward from the Crossplay Playtest, reset Video settings to default once before comparing this baseline. Keep resolution, driver, GPU, map/server context and the before/after result fixed enough that one change can be judged.
Max FPS changes
Start from the recommended baseline instead of dropping every option at once. Lower Master Quality to Medium, then test FX Quality Low/Medium, Reflections Low, Hardware Lumen Off, and Post Process Medium one at a time. If DLSS is available and image quality remains usable, compare Balanced or Performance against Quality at the same scene and resolution.
Stop lowering settings when frame time no longer improves or the image becomes harder to read. A creator benchmark or menu preset cannot promise the same FPS gain across different CPUs, GPUs, resolutions, maps and server loads.
Competitive visibility changes
Keep Motion Blur Off, keep textures high when VRAM allows, and prefer a quality-oriented reconstruction mode that preserves foliage and target edges. Use stable frame time as the first requirement; a sharper but unstable image is not a competitive upgrade. Compare at least one jungle scene, open ground and a busy objective before deciding that a lower setting is clearer.
Current build and evidence boundary
Hotfix 1.4.2 went live on September 8, 2026. It fixed a DLSS/FSR conflict that could cause stability issues on both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, resolved additional crashes, and made DLSS available as an Image Reconstruction option to Windows Store players following the Patch 1.4 DLSS 4.5 upgrade. Those are current first-party build facts; they do not establish one universal graphics preset.
Patch 1.4 remains relevant context because it introduced DLSS 4.5 and supported 5x/6x Frame Generation options for NVIDIA 50-series hardware and included broader stability work. The launch article's AMD launch options and FSR 4.1 validation notes are older guidance, so use them only when the current symptom matches and re-test after updates.
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1080p, begin with the highest-quality reconstruction path your GPU can sustain; aggressive upscaling can make foliage and edges harder to read. At 1440p or 4K, compare DLSS or another current-client reconstruction option against TSR in the same route. Keep resolution, refresh rate, map area and driver unchanged during the comparison.
Record frame-time spikes, clarity and crashes separately. Average FPS alone can hide a worse-feeling result.
NVIDIA and AMD notes
NVIDIA players with supported hardware can test the DLSS 4.5 options exposed by the current client, but Frame Generation support and useful modes are hardware-scoped. Windows Store players gained DLSS Image Reconstruction access in Hotfix 1.4.2.
For AMD instability, the official launch information previously listed -dx12 -USEALLAVAILABLECORES -malloc=system and a -dx11 alternative as symptom-matched comparisons. Hotfix 1.4.2 specifically fixed a DLSS/FSR stability conflict across AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, so do not treat an August launch workaround as a permanent best-settings recommendation.
The Crashing on PC guide keeps drivers, file verification and stock-clock checks in a safer order.
Settings and crash crossover
If the game fails before the menu or crashes repeatedly, stop tuning for FPS and use Issues & Performance or the Crashing on PC guide. If the game is stable but one map or server stutters, return here and compare one graphics variable at a time.
Common mistakes
- Lowering every setting at once and losing the ability to identify what helped.
- Treating Playtest benchmark numbers as current Hotfix 1.4.2 results.
- Promising a fixed FPS gain without naming hardware, resolution, build and route.
- Treating texture quality as the first lever when VRAM is not the problem.
- Keeping a launch-era stability workaround after the symptom has changed.
FAQ
What are the best settings for FPS? Start with the Recommended baseline above, then lower Master Quality, FX, Reflections, Hardware Lumen and Post Process one at a time. Use your own frame-time result instead of a universal FPS promise.
Should I turn Motion Blur off? Yes as a practical starting point for target tracking and visibility. Re-enable it only if you prefer the presentation and it does not interfere with your goal.
Is DLSS available in the current build? Patch 1.4 added DLSS 4.5 support for eligible NVIDIA hardware, and Hotfix 1.4.2 made DLSS Image Reconstruction available to Windows Store players as well. Check the current client for the modes your GPU exposes.
Should AMD players still use the old launch options? Only as a dated, symptom-matched comparison. Hotfix 1.4.2 changed the stability picture, so re-test current behavior before keeping an old workaround.
Sources
- Official Hotfix 1.4.2 — current build date; DLSS/FSR stability fix; Windows Store DLSS scope.
- Official Patch 1.4 full changelog — DLSS 4.5, supported Frame Generation scope and Patch 1.4 stability changes.
- Official Important Launch Info — dated AMD comparisons, settings reset and FSR 4.1 validation context.
- Steam store page — current PC requirements and platform context.
- Full Release optimization benchmark — practical launch-build setting observations; hardware-specific and not treated as a universal FPS guarantee.
- Playtest optimization benchmark — historical comparison only.
Last verified: September 9, 2026. Hotfix 1.4.2 is the current build anchor; the recommended preset remains an evidence-limited starting point that should be A/B tested on the player's own hardware.