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StarRupture FPS & Performance Guide (PC)

StarRupture uses Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen lighting, which can be demanding. This guide covers the most impactful settings to boost FPS and reduce stutter without sacrificing too much visual quality.

📋 System Requirements

Make sure your PC meets the minimum specs. SSD is required.

Component Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 10 (64-bit) Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
CPU Intel i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 2600 Intel i5-11400F / Ryzen 5 3600
RAM 16 GB 16 GB
GPU GTX 1060 (6GB) / RX 580 (8GB) RTX 3060 (8GB) / RX 7600 (8GB)
DirectX Version 12 Version 12
Storage 45 GB (SSD required) 45 GB (SSD required)
Important: An SSD is required. Installing on HDD will cause significant stuttering during asset loading and teleportation.

⚡ Quick Settings (Highest Impact)

Start here. These settings give the biggest FPS gains.

Setting Recommended Impact
Global Illumination (Lumen) Medium or Off High
Virtual Shadow Maps Low High
Shadows Low or Medium High
Foliage Density Low Medium
Effects Quality Low Medium
Resolution Scale 85-90% Medium
V-Sync Off (use driver cap instead) Low
Motion Blur Off Low
Landscape Tessellation Off Low
Tip: Setting Global Illumination to "Medium" disables software ray tracing while keeping some lighting quality. This alone can boost FPS by 20-40%.

🎯 DLSS / FSR Setup

NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR can significantly boost FPS with minimal visual loss.

NVIDIA DLSS

  1. In-game: Enable DLSS in Graphics settings (if available)
  2. Set DLSS Quality to "Balanced" or "Performance" for best FPS/quality tradeoff
  3. If DLSS doesn't appear to activate, you may need to edit the config file (see Advanced section)

AMD FSR

  1. Look for FSR or AMD FidelityFX option in Graphics settings
  2. Set to "Balanced" or "Performance" mode
  3. Works on both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs

🟢 NVIDIA Control Panel Settings

  1. Right-click desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel
  2. Go to Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings
  3. Add StarRupture (or select if already listed)
  4. Set these options:
    • Power Management Mode: Prefer Maximum Performance
    • Vertical Sync: Off (or use Fast if you have screen tearing)
    • Texture Filtering Quality: High Performance
    • Max Frame Rate: Set to your monitor's refresh rate (e.g., 60 or 144)
  5. Click Apply

🔴 AMD Radeon Settings

  1. Right-click desktop → AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
  2. Go to Gaming → Games → StarRupture
  3. Set these options:
    • Radeon Anti-Lag: Enabled
    • Wait for Vertical Refresh: Off
    • Texture Filtering Quality: Performance
    • Frame Rate Target Control: Set to monitor refresh rate

🎮 Steam Launch Options

Add these in Steam → Library → Right-click StarRupture → Properties → Launch Options

Option Effect
-dx11 Force DirectX 11 (may improve stability on older GPUs)
-USEALLAVAILABLECORES Utilize all CPU cores (6-8 FPS gain in some cases)
-graphicsadapter=0 Force primary GPU (useful for laptops with dual GPUs)
Example: -dx11 -USEALLAVAILABLECORES

🪟 Windows Optimizations

  1. Power Plan: Set to "High Performance" or "Ultimate Performance"
    • Settings → System → Power & sleep → Additional power settings
  2. Game Mode: Enable Windows Game Mode
    • Settings → Gaming → Game Mode → On
  3. Disable Xbox Game Bar: If you don't use it
    • Settings → Gaming → Xbox Game Bar → Off
  4. Close background apps: Check Task Manager for CPU/RAM hungry apps
  5. Update Windows: Ensure all updates are installed

Game Executable Tweaks

  1. Navigate to StarRupture installation folder
  2. Right-click StarRupture.exe → Properties → Compatibility
  3. Check "Disable full-screen optimizations"
  4. Check "Run as administrator"
  5. Click Apply

🏗️ Base Building Performance Tips

Large bases can cause FPS drops. Here's how to minimize impact:

  • Compact layouts: Keep structures within a ~300m radius to reduce camera hitching
  • Cluster power-heavy buildings: Group Teleporters, Molecular Binders, and assemblers
  • Consolidate storage: Fewer individual storage containers = less memory overhead
  • Optimize conveyors: Use direct inserter feeds where possible, minimize "belt spaghetti"
  • Avoid excessive lighting: Too many light sources can tank FPS

🔧 Advanced: Config File Edits

Warning: Always backup the file before editing. Incorrect values can break the game.
  1. Press Win + R, type %LocalAppData%\StarRupture\Saved\Config\Windows, press Enter
  2. Open GameUserSettings.ini with Notepad
  3. Make your changes and save
  4. (Optional) Right-click the file → Properties → Check "Read-only" to prevent the game from overwriting your settings

Useful Settings

Setting Value Effect
r.NGX.DLSS.Quality 0-3 0=Quality, 1=Balanced, 2=Performance, 3=Ultra Performance
sg.ShadowQuality 0-3 0=Low, 3=Epic
sg.FoliageQuality 0-3 0=Low, 3=Epic

❓ FAQ

Why is my FPS low even with a good GPU?

StarRupture uses Lumen (UE5 lighting) which is CPU and GPU intensive. Lower Global Illumination first. Also check if you're GPU-bound (check GPU usage in Task Manager).

Should I use DX11 or DX12?

DX12 is default and generally better for modern GPUs. Use -dx11 only if you experience crashes or have an older GPU.

Will lowering resolution scale make the game blurry?

At 85-90%, the difference is minimal. UI elements remain sharp. Combined with DLSS/FSR, you can maintain good image quality.

My game stutters when building. What helps?

Lower "Virtual Shadow Maps" to Low. This specifically helps with base-building stutter. Also ensure you're on an SSD.

How do I know if I'm CPU or GPU bottlenecked?

Open Task Manager → Performance tab while playing. If GPU is at 100% but CPU is low, you're GPU-bound (lower graphics settings). If CPU is maxed but GPU isn't, you're CPU-bound (close background apps, use -USEALLAVAILABLECORES).

Related: Crash Fixes · Controls & Keybinds · Start Here