Elden Ring Best Graphics Settings for PC: Quality, Clarity and Frame Rate
Elden Ring's graphics menu looks simple on the surface – a quality preset plus a list of sliders – but a few of those sliders matter far more than the rest. This guide walks through what each option changes visually, which ones tend to cost the most on modest hardware, and how to settle on a balance that suits the way you play. Combat readability and atmosphere are both legitimate priorities; this is a preference guide, not a single correct answer.
Start With the Quality Preset, Then Fine-Tune
The game ships with quality presets from Lowest through Maximum. Rather than agonizing over each slider, most players get a better result by starting at a preset close to their hardware and adjusting three or four specific options afterwards. The table below is built for that workflow.
Recommended Settings (Balanced Preference)
| Setting | Recommended | Why (subjective) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Mode | Full Screen | Usually the smoothest presentation; windowed modes can add latency. |
| Quality preset | High (or Medium on older GPUs) | A sensible base; tweak the rows below rather than dropping the whole preset. |
| Texture Quality | High | Armor, environments and bosses look notably richer and it is mostly memory-bound. |
| Antialiasing Quality | Medium–High | Clean up edges without the cost of the highest setting; purely taste beyond that. |
| Grass Quality | Medium | One of the heavier options in open areas; Medium still looks lush. |
| Global Illumination Quality | Medium–High | Shapes how light fills caves and ruins; the highest steps cost the most. |
| Shadow Quality | High | Shadows read well and help sell the world; drop first if you need frames. |
| Volumetric Quality | Medium | Fog and dust – atmospheric but expensive in misty regions. |
| Effects Quality | High | Spells and weapon arts are the visual highlight of combat for many players. |
| Reflection / Water Surface Quality | Medium | Nice in lakes and rain; low priority compared with shadows and GI. |
| Shader Quality | Medium–High | Small visible difference for most players; a reasonable place to save. |
| Depth of Field | Off or Low (taste) | Many players prefer a fully sharp image while reading enemy animations. |
| Motion Blur | Off (taste) | Off keeps camera swings readable; some players enjoy the cinematic feel. |
| Ray Tracing | Off unless you have headroom | A real cost – see our ray tracing trade-off guide. |
| Frame rate preference | Match your monitor | A steady frame rate you can rely on usually feels better than a higher, fluctuating one. |
Where to Spend, Where to Save
- Spend on: Texture Quality and Effects Quality. Both shape how combat and armour look up close, where your eyes actually are.
- Save on: Grass Quality, Global Illumination and Volumetric Quality – the three that quietly consume the most headroom in open areas.
- Taste calls: Depth of Field and Motion Blur. Neither is required; both change how readable combat feels, so try each for a session.
Quick Tips (In-Game Options Only)
- Combat readability beats screenshot quality: if camera swings feel muddy, disable Motion Blur before touching anything else.
- The game includes a brightness calibration option – set it once in a dark cave, not in daylight.
- Change one option at a time and revisit the same view; boss arenas and open fields stress different settings.
- If you also play with a controller, pair this with our Elden Ring camera and control settings guide.
Disclaimer: All settings recommendations are subjective preference guides only. Results may vary based on individual hardware, game patch version, driver releases and personal visual taste. This is not a guaranteed universal fix. We do not provide any system modification instructions and take no responsibility for any changes you make inside your game. Always adjust game settings gradually to suit your own preference.
FAQ
What are the heaviest graphics options in Elden Ring on PC?
Grass Quality, Global Illumination Quality and Ray Tracing are commonly the most demanding, followed by Shadow and Volumetric Quality. Lower those first if you want more headroom.
Should I turn motion blur and depth of field off?
Many players do, for clearer animation reading during fights. It is a taste decision – try both and keep the one that feels better to you.
Should I enable ray tracing in Elden Ring?
Only if you have frame-rate headroom. It changes lighting and reflections at a real cost; players who prioritise steady frames usually leave it off.