Improving Fps And Performance On Pc

New to NASCAR 25 on PC? Improving FPS and performance on PC is easy with these quick wins, settings, and fixes—get smooth racing and faster lap consistency today.

Choppy frames or hitching breaks your rhythm and ruins pack racing. Let’s clean that up fast so you can turn consistent laps. This guide focuses on improving FPS and performance on PC with safe, beginner-friendly steps that work even if menus look different on your system.

Quick answer

To boost FPS quickly, update your GPU drivers, run the game in Fullscreen (not Borderless), lower the big-ticket settings (shadows, reflections, crowd), and use an upscaler (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) if offered. Cap your frame rate slightly below your monitor’s refresh rate, and turn off extra overlays. If you still stutter, move the game to an SSD and reduce texture quality to keep VRAM under its limit.

Do this now (60 seconds)

• Switch to Fullscreen/Exclusive Fullscreen (if available) and disable V‑Sync; enable G‑Sync/FreeSync if your monitor supports it.
• Set Upscaler to Balanced (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) or Resolution Scale to 85–90%.
• Drop Shadows and Reflections to Medium; Crowd/Grandstands to Low/Off.
• Turn off Motion Blur, Film Grain, and Depth of Field.
• Set a Frame Rate Limit to your refresh rate minus ~3 (e.g., 117 on a 120 Hz screen).
• Close overlays you don’t need (Discord/Steam/GeForce Experience/Xbox overlay).

What this means in NASCAR 25

• FPS (frames per second) is how many images your PC draws each second. Higher FPS feels smoother and makes the car easier to place in traffic.
• Frametime is the gap between frames. Even if FPS is high, uneven frametimes cause stutters or hitches you can feel mid‑corner.
• Why it matters: Smooth FPS helps with car control, drafting, avoiding wrecks, and building consistent pace over long runs. Stutter during restarts or in big packs can cause missed marks and overcorrections.

Symptoms → likely causes → fixes (beginner-focused)

• Symptom: Smooth alone, stutters in big packs or during restarts

  • Likely cause: CPU bound by AI/crowd/shadows/particles
  • Fix: Lower Crowd/Grandstands, Shadows, Reflections, Particle/Effects Quality; cap FPS

• Symptom: Big hitch on the first lap after loading a track

  • Likely cause: Shader compiling or asset streaming
  • Fix: Do a solo out‑lap to “warm up” the session; avoid changing settings mid‑race; keep the game on an SSD

• Symptom: Sharp FPS drops when looking in mirrors

  • Likely cause: Mirror quality/draw distance too high
  • Fix: Lower Mirror Quality and Mirror Distance (if available)

• Symptom: Micro-stutter every few seconds

  • Likely cause: Background apps/overlays or VRAM swap
  • Fix: Close overlays; lower Texture Quality; limit Replays/Telemetry capture tools

• Symptom: Screen tearing

  • Likely cause: V‑Sync off without VRR
  • Fix: Enable G‑Sync/FreeSync or turn on V‑Sync; otherwise cap FPS to your refresh rate

• Symptom: Smooth FPS, but input feels “laggy”

  • Likely cause: V‑Sync latency or high post‑process
  • Fix: Use G‑Sync/FreeSync + frame cap; turn off Motion Blur/Depth of Field; reduce Anti‑Aliasing quality

• Symptom: FPS tanks after a few minutes, especially on laptops

  • Likely cause: Thermal throttling
  • Fix: Use a cooling pad; set Windows power mode to Performance; clean vents; cap FPS to reduce heat

• Symptom: Stutter only online

  • Likely cause: Network lag, not GPU/CPU
  • Fix: Use wired Ethernet; close downloads; choose nearby servers; distinguish net lag vs. FPS with an on‑screen counter

• Symptom: Frequent crashes or new stutter after a patch

  • Likely cause: Driver or corrupted files
  • Fix: Update GPU drivers; verify game files; clear shader cache in GPU software

Step-by-step: How to do it

1. Measure a baseline (so you know what helped)

• Turn on an FPS counter:
  • Steam: Settings > In‑Game > In‑game FPS counter (choose a corner)
  • Xbox Game Bar: Win+G > Widgets > Performance
  • NVIDIA/AMD/Intel overlays: look for “Performance” or “Metrics”
• Run a 3‑lap solo session, note min/avg FPS and how it feels through traffic.

2. Update your graphics driver

• NVIDIA: GeForce Experience or NVIDIA app > Drivers > Check for updates
• AMD: AMD Software: Adrenalin > Home/Drivers > Check for updates
• Intel Arc: Intel Arc Control > Drivers
• After updating, reboot.

3. Set Windows for gaming

• Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings:
  • Turn on Optimizations for windowed games
  • Hardware‑accelerated GPU scheduling: try On; if you see new stutters, turn it Off
• Windows Settings > System > Power > Power mode: Best performance (on laptops, plug in)
• Hybrid laptops: Windows Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Browse to the game EXE > Set to High performance

4. Fix the biggest in‑game settings

• Go to the game’s Graphics/Video menu (look for Display, Graphics, Video, or Advanced):
  • Display mode: Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen
  • V‑Sync: Off (use G‑Sync/FreeSync + frame cap), or On if you don’t have VRR
  • Frame Rate Limit: set to refresh‑3 (e.g., 57/117/141)
  • Upscaler: DLSS/FSR/XeSS on Balanced (if available)
  • Resolution Scale: 85–90% if no upscaler exists
  • Texture Quality: fit within your VRAM; if stutter persists, drop one step
  • Shadows: Medium or Low (big performance win)
  • Reflections/SSR: Medium or Low
  • Crowd/Grandstands: Low or Off
  • Particles/Effects/Smoke: Medium or Low
  • Motion Blur, Film Grain, Depth of Field: Off
  • Anti‑Aliasing: a mid option (TAA High can be costly; try Medium)
  • Ray Tracing (if present): Off
• What you should feel: smoother restarts, steadier corner entry, less hitching mirror‑checks.
• Common gotcha: Borderless can look nice but may cost performance/latency on some setups—compare it to Fullscreen.

5. Storage and game integrity

• Install on an SSD/NVMe. Move the game if it’s on an HDD.
• Verify game files:
  • Steam: Library > Right‑click game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity
  • Epic Games: Library > (…) on the game > Manage > Verify
• Keep at least 15–20% free space on the drive for caching.

6. Clean up overlays and background apps

• Disable unnecessary overlays: Steam, Discord, GeForce Experience, Xbox Game Bar, RGB tools.
• Close browsers, updaters, and cloud sync during races.

7. Optional driver tweaks (per‑game)

• NVIDIA Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Program Settings (choose the game):
  • Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance
  • Low Latency Mode: On (try Ultra if stable)
  • Max Frame Rate: set to your cap if the game lacks one
• AMD Software > Gaming > Game profile:
  • Radeon Anti‑Lag: On
  • Chill: Off (unless you want a power‑saving cap)
  • Frame rate target: set your cap

Beginner settings & assists (recommended)

• Beginner (smooth 60 FPS priority)

  • Upscaler Balanced; Resolution Scale 90%
  • Shadows/Reflections/Crowd: Low–Medium
  • V‑Sync Off + VRR + 60 FPS cap (or V‑Sync On if no VRR)
  • Motion Blur/Depth of Field Off
  • Why: Big, safe FPS gains with minimal visual loss.

• Intermediate (90–120 FPS feel)

  • Upscaler Quality; Textures High (watch VRAM)
  • Shadows Medium; Reflections Medium; Particles Medium
  • Frame cap just under refresh (117 on 120 Hz)
  • Why: Better latency and smoothness for racecraft.

• Advanced (latency first)

  • Native resolution or Quality upscaler; TAA Medium
  • Most post‑process Off; careful texture headroom
  • VRR + driver Low Latency; tight frame cap
  • Why: Stable frametimes for precise inputs in traffic.

Practice drill (10 minutes)

• Track: An intermediate oval like Charlotte or Kansas (any stable, non‑draft‑locked track).
• Setup: Single‑player session with a mid‑sized AI field. Run 2 warm‑up laps, then 5 laps in traffic.
• Focus: Watch the FPS counter and how steady the wheel/input feels when you pass cars or check mirrors.
• Success looks like: No big hitches on restarts, steady corner entries, and +/- 5 FPS variance in traffic.
• Avoid: Changing multiple settings at once. Tweak one or two, re‑run the same test for clean comparisons.

Common beginner mistakes (and the fix)

• Running Borderless with V‑Sync On and no VRR

  • Why: Extra latency and potential stutter
  • Fix: Use Fullscreen + VRR + frame cap or Fullscreen + V‑Sync

• Maxing Textures on a 4–6 GB GPU

  • Why: VRAM overflow causes stutter
  • Fix: Drop Textures one step and retest

• Leaving every overlay enabled

  • Why: Conflicts and extra CPU/GPU time
  • Fix: Disable non‑essential overlays during races

• No FPS cap on a high‑refresh monitor

  • Why: Unstable frametimes and heat
  • Fix: Cap just below refresh rate

• Chasing resolution only

  • Why: Shadows/reflections/particles often cost more
  • Fix: Lower those first; then adjust resolution/upscaler

• Ignoring thermals on laptops

  • Why: Throttling after a few laps
  • Fix: Performance power mode, cooling pad, gentle FPS cap

• Changing settings mid‑race repeatedly

  • Why: Triggers shader recompiles/streaming hitches
  • Fix: Make changes in the menu, reload session, then test

FAQs

• Best settings for Improving Fps And Performance On Pc?

  • Start with Fullscreen, VRR + frame cap, Balanced upscaler, Medium/Low shadows and reflections, Crowd Low, Motion Blur Off. Adjust textures to fit VRAM, then fine‑tune AA.

• How do I fix stuttering in packs but not alone?

  • You’re likely CPU‑limited. Lower Shadows, Crowd, Reflections, and Particles; cap FPS; reduce mirror quality/distance. Keep the game on an SSD.

• Should I use V‑Sync or G‑Sync/FreeSync?

  • If you have VRR (G‑Sync/FreeSync), use it with a frame cap just under refresh and leave V‑Sync off. If you don’t have VRR, turn V‑Sync on to stop tearing.

• Does DLSS/FSR/XeSS help in NASCAR 25?

  • If the game supports an upscaler, yes—Balanced is a great starting point for FPS gains with good image quality.

• Why is the first lap stuttery?

  • The game is compiling shaders and caching assets. Do a solo out‑lap before racing, avoid rapid setting changes, and keep the game on an SSD.

• How do I cap FPS if the game doesn’t have a limiter?

  • NVIDIA: Control Panel > Manage 3D settings > Program Settings > Max Frame Rate. AMD: Adrenalin > Gaming > Game profile > Frame rate target. You can also use RTSS (RivaTuner).

• Laptop shows low FPS on battery—normal?

  • Yes. Use AC power, set Windows Power mode to Best performance, assign the game to the High‑performance GPU, and cap FPS for thermals.

• Will verifying files help stutter?

  • It can, if files are corrupted. Also update drivers and clear shader caches in your GPU software if issues started after a patch.

Next steps

Lock in a baseline, apply the quick wins, then tweak one setting at a time and test in the same scenario. Smooth, steady frametimes will help your racecraft more than flashy graphics.

• Next: Run the 10‑minute drill, save a simple “Performance” preset, and keep notes on what helped.
• Related articles:
  • Controller and Wheel Setup for Consistent Laps
  • Graphics Settings Explained (What to Lower First)
  • Fixing Online Lag vs. FPS Issues
  • Force Feedback Tuning for Stability
  • How to Use Frame Caps and VRR