How to Optimize Your Gaming PC for Ray Tracing

To optimize your gaming PC for ray tracing, update GPU drivers, enable DLSS or FSR, adjust in-game ray tracing settings, set Windows to high performance, overclock safely, and improve cooling. These steps boost frame rates and visual quality in ray-traced games. 

Ray tracing is a cutting-edge rendering technique that simulates how light behaves in the real world. Instead of using traditional rasterization, which estimates lighting with shortcuts and approximations, ray tracing calculates the actual paths that light rays take as they bounce around a scene.

This means:

• Reflections look real (you’ll see accurate mirror images, even off curved or moving surfaces),
• Shadows are soft and natural, with proper diffusion depending on distance and light source.
• Lighting behaves dynamically, with accurate global illumination and ambient occlusion effects.

Ray tracing was once reserved for Hollywood-level CGI and high-end visual effects, but with the introduction of real-time ray tracing via modern GPUs (starting with Nvidia’s RTX 20-series in 2018), it’s now a viable technology for real-time gaming.

Why Ray Tracing Matters in Modern Gaming

In today’s games, realism is no longer just about high polygon counts or 4K textures—it’s about how light interacts with the environment. Ray tracing brings a level of immersion that can’t be matched by traditional graphics techniques:

• Realistic lighting and shadows make scenes feel alive and cinematic.
• Accurate reflections enhance gameplay (e.g., spotting enemies in reflective surfaces).
• Improved material depth makes objects look and feel more tangible, whether it’s wet pavement or brushed metal.

For players, this means richer environments, deeper immersion, and a visual fidelity that was impossible just a few years ago.

Ray tracing has also become a benchmark for performance and graphical capability, separating entry-level GPUs from those designed for cutting-edge gaming. It’s not just a luxury feature anymore, it’s a defining factor in modern PC game visuals.

Examples of Ray Tracing in Action

To appreciate what ray tracing brings to the table, here are three standout examples:

Cyberpunk 2077

• Features full ray-traced lighting with path tracing, creating ultra-realistic neon-lit cityscapes.
• Ray-traced reflections, shadows, and global illumination significantly change the atmosphere, especially in rainy night scenes.
• DLSS 3 is often used to maintain performance while keeping ray tracing enabled.

Control

• One of the earliest and best implementations of real-time ray tracing.
• Uses ray-traced reflections, indirect lighting, and contact shadows to turn its brutalist architecture into a photorealistic playground.
• Delivers striking differences when toggling ray tracing on/off.

Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition

• Entirely rebuilt around ray tracing, with no fallback to traditional lighting in the enhanced version.
• Global illumination and emissive lighting make its post-apocalyptic world look uncannily lifelike.
• Requires a ray tracing-capable GPU to run.

Minimum and Recommended PC Requirements for Ray Tracing

Essential Hardware for Ray Tracing

Ray tracing is a highly demanding rendering technique that simulates realistic lighting by tracing light paths in real-time. To enable this feature in modern games, your PC must meet certain hardware requirements. At the core, a ray tracing-capable GPU is mandatory, with Nvidia’s RTX series (starting from RTX 20-series) and AMD’s RX 6000 series being the main contenders. Additionally, a capable CPU, sufficient RAM, and a fast storage solution are essential to support smooth gameplay and asset streaming. These components work together to deliver both the raw processing power and memory bandwidth needed to handle real-time ray tracing effects.

• GPU (Graphics Card): Required to support ray tracing. Nvidia RTX (2060 and above) or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and above.
• CPU (Processor): At least a quad-core processor; recommended is 6-core or more (Intel i5/Ryzen 5 or higher).
• RAM: Minimum 16 GB DDR4; 32 GB recommended for multitasking and modern AAA games.
• Storage: SSD is strongly recommended to reduce load times and enable fast asset streaming. NVMe preferred.
• Motherboard: Should support PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 (depending on GPU).
• Power Supply Unit (PSU): Must meet the wattage and efficiency needs of the GPU (typically 550W–750W for mid to high-end cards).

Ideal Specs for Smooth Ray Tracing (1080p, 1440p, 4K)

Smooth ray tracing performance is heavily influenced by the resolution at which you’re playing. At 1080p, mid-range GPUs like the RTX 3060 or RX 6700 XT can handle ray tracing reasonably well when combined with technologies like DLSS or FSR. For 1440p gaming with ray tracing, a more powerful GPU such as the RTX 4070 or RX 7900 XT is recommended. At 4K, only the most powerful cards like the RTX 4080, RTX 4090, or RX 7900 XTX can deliver consistent frame rates with ray tracing enabled. CPU and RAM requirements scale similarly, especially at lower resolutions where CPU bottlenecks are more pronounced.

1080p Ray Tracing:

• GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 / AMD RX 6700 XT
• CPU: Intel Core i5-12400F / AMD Ryzen 5 5600
• RAM: 16 GB DDR4
• Upscaling: DLSS/FSR recommended for better frame rates

1440p Ray Tracing:

• GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 / AMD RX 7800 XT
• CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K / AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
• RAM: 16–32 GB DDR4 or DDR5
• High refresh rate support if using DLSS/FSR

4K Ray Tracing:

• GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080/4090 / AMD RX 7900 XTX
• CPU: Intel Core i7-13700K / AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
• RAM: 32 GB DDR5
• SSD: High-speed NVMe drive essential for asset loading
• Upscaling and frame generation are often required

GPU Tiers: Entry-Level vs. High-End RTX Cards

Not all GPUs handle ray tracing equally. Entry-level GPUs may support the feature but often lack the horsepower to maintain smooth frame rates without aggressive use of upscaling technologies. High-end cards, on the other hand, can run ray tracing at higher resolutions with better visual fidelity and more stable performance.

Nvidia’s RTX 3060 and AMD’s RX 6600 XT are considered entry points for ray tracing. For optimal experience, especially at 1440p or 4K, GPUs like the RTX 4070 Ti, RTX 4080, or AMD RX 7900 XTX are recommended.

Entry-Level Ray Tracing GPUs:

• Nvidia RTX 2060 / 3060
• AMD RX 6600 XT / 6700 XT
• Suitable for 1080p with medium ray tracing settings and DLSS/FSR enabled

Mid-Range Ray Tracing GPUs:

• Nvidia RTX 3070 / 4060 Ti / 4070
• AMD RX 6750 XT / 7700 XT
• Capable of 1440p ray tracing with some settings tweaks

High-End Ray Tracing GPUs:

• Nvidia RTX 4080 / 4090
• AMD RX 7900 XT / 7900 XTX
• Ideal for 1440p ultra or 4K gaming with ray tracing on high/ultra settings

How to Check If Your PC Is Ready for Ray Tracing

Ray tracing demands a powerful GPU and overall system performance. Before diving into optimizations, follow this step-by-step checklist to confirm your PC is ray tracing–ready.

Check Your GPU Compatibility

Ray tracing requires a graphics card that supports DirectX Raytracing (DXR) or Vulkan Ray Tracing. Most modern cards from NVIDIA and AMD are supported.

Supported GPUs:

• NVIDIA RTX series: RTX 2000, 3000, 4000 (e.g., RTX 2060, RTX 3080, RTX 4070 Ti)
• AMD Radeon RX 6000 and 7000 series: RX 6600 XT and above
• Intel Arc GPUs also support ray tracing, but with limited software optimization as of 2025.

How to Check Your GPU:

1. Press Windows + R, type dxdiag, and hit Enter.
2. Click the Display tab. Your GPU model is listed under Device.
3. Search your GPU model online with the phrase “ray tracing support” to confirm.

Check DirectX Version

Ray tracing depends on DirectX 12 Ultimate for Windows.

How to Verify:

1. Open the Run dialog (Windows + R) → Type dxdiag → Enter.
2. Look at the DirectX Version at the bottom of the System tab.
   • • If you see DirectX 12, you’re on the right path.
     • For full DX12 Ultimate features, your GPU must support DXR Tier 1.1 or higher.

Check Ray Tracing Support in Your OS and Drivers

You need the latest Windows 10/11 updates and graphics drivers.

Update Drivers:

• NVIDIA: GeForce Experience > Drivers > Check for updates
• AMD: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition > Updates tab

Update Windows:

• Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates

Use a Benchmark or Test Game

If you’re unsure, try a game or benchmark that includes ray tracing:

Recommended Free Tools:

• 3DMark Port Royal: Designed to test ray tracing performance
• Quake II RTX (free on Steam): Will not run if your system doesn’t support ray tracing
• Minecraft RTX (Bedrock Edition): Includes toggleable ray tracing in settings

Optional, Use GPU-Z or TechPowerUp Tools

Download GPU-Z (free tool) and look for:

• Ray Tracing Support: Yes
• DirectX 12 Ultimate: Yes

Choosing the Right Graphics Card

Selecting the right graphics card is one of the most critical decisions when optimizing your gaming PC for ray tracing. Ray tracing is a GPU-intensive rendering technique, and not all graphics cards handle it equally well. Two major contenders dominate this space: Nvidia RTX series and AMD Radeon RX with Ray Accelerators. Each has its strengths, and your choice will impact both performance and visual fidelity.

Nvidia RTX vs. AMD Radeon Ray Accelerators

Nvidia’s RTX series pioneered real-time ray tracing in consumer GPUs, starting with the RTX 20 series. Today, the RTX 30 and 40 series offer advanced hardware-accelerated ray tracing cores, alongside Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), which significantly boosts performance while maintaining image quality. On the other hand, AMD Radeon cards with Ray Accelerators (starting with the RX 6000 series) also support ray tracing but generally lag behind Nvidia in terms of ray tracing performance and software ecosystem maturity.

Key Differences:

Nvidia RTX:

• Superior ray tracing performance across most titles
• DLSS (especially DLSS 3 with Frame Generation) greatly enhances playability
• Broader developer support and optimization
• Higher cost for top-tier models

AMD Radeon RX (Ray Accelerators):

• Competitive rasterization performance
• Ray tracing performance improving with newer drivers and FSR 3
• Generally better price-to-performance ratio
• Limited support in some ray-traced titles

VRAM Considerations for Ray-Traced Games

Ray tracing significantly increases memory usage due to enhanced lighting, shadows, and reflections. Having enough VRAM is crucial, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K, where textures and ray-traced effects become more demanding.

Recommendations:

• 8GB VRAM: Sufficient for 1080p gaming with modest ray tracing settings
• 12GB VRAM: Ideal for 1440p gaming with moderate to high ray tracing
• 16GB+ VRAM: Recommended for 4K gaming and future-proofing

Inadequate VRAM can lead to stuttering, texture pop-ins, and even crashes in graphically intensive titles.

GPU Benchmarks for Popular Titles (2025 Update)

Real-world performance benchmarks provide the clearest picture of how GPUs handle ray tracing in modern games. Based on recent testing across popular AAA titles, here’s how top GPUs compare:

Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra, DLSS/FSR On, 1440p):

• RTX 4090: 90+ FPS
• RTX 4070 Ti Super: 65–75 FPS
• RX 7900 XTX: 55–65 FPS
• RX 7800 XT: 45–55 FPS

Alan Wake II (Path Tracing + DLSS 3, 1440p):

• RTX 4080 Super: 80–90 FPS
• RTX 4070 Super: 60+ FPS
• RX 7900 GRE: ~50 FPS (no frame generation support)

Minecraft RTX (4K, Full Ray Tracing On):

• RTX 4090: 100+ FPS (DLSS Quality)
• RX 7900 XTX: 40–50 FPS (FSR 3)

In Short,

• Nvidia dominates in ray-traced workloads, particularly with DLSS 3.
• AMD is catching up but still trails in ray tracing-heavy games.
• Performance scales significantly with VRAM and ray tracing core counts.

Step-by-Step Guide For How to Optimize Your Gaming PC for Ray Tracing

To optimize your gaming PC for ray tracing, update drivers, fine-tune settings, and reduce system load. Ray tracing is demanding, so balancing performance with visual quality is key. Follow these steps for the best results:

1. Update GPU Drivers: Get the latest drivers from NVIDIA or AMD for ray tracing support.
2. Adjust In-Game Ray Tracing Settings: Start with reflections or shadows; avoid using all ray tracing options at once.
3. Enable DLSS or FSR: Use upscaling to boost FPS without major visual loss.
4. Tweak Windows Settings: Set power mode to High Performance, disable background apps, and enable GPU scheduling.
5. Overclock Your GPU (Optional): Safely increase core/memory clocks for extra performance using MSI Afterburner or AMD Adrenalin.
6. Optimize Cooling and Airflow: Keep GPU temps below 85°C by improving case airflow and cleaning dust.
7. Upgrade Hardware If Needed: Upgrade your GPU, CPU, RAM, or SSD if performance still lags during ray-traced scenes.
8. Use Game-Specific Presets: Apply balanced or optimized presets that include ray tracing for smoother gameplay.

Step 1: Update Your GPU Drivers

Keeping your GPU drivers up to date is the most critical first step when optimizing your gaming PC for ray tracing. Updated drivers not only improve performance but also provide support for the latest ray tracing technologies and game-specific enhancements. Both NVIDIA and AMD release frequent driver updates tailored for new game launches, ray tracing improvements, and bug fixes.

Where to Download the Latest Drivers

Always download drivers directly from the official GPU vendor to ensure authenticity and compatibility.

• NVIDIA Drivers: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
• AMD Drivers: https://www.amd.com/en/support

You can also use their dedicated software tools for easier updates:

• NVIDIA GeForce Experience: Automatically checks for driver updates and provides game-ready optimizations.
• AMD Adrenalin Software: Offers real-time driver updates, performance monitoring, and tuning tools.

Clean Installation vs Standard Installation

When updating your drivers, you may choose between a standard update or a clean installation. A clean install ensures that any remnants of older drivers are completely removed, which can help resolve performance issues or conflicts, especially when switching between major driver versions.

Standard Installation: Keeps current settings and profiles. Suitable for minor updates.

Clean Installation: Resets everything to default and removes old driver data. Ideal when:

• You’re experiencing crashes or performance issues
• Switching from one GPU vendor to another
• Upgrading to a major new driver version

For clean installation:

• NVIDIA users can choose the “Clean Install” option in the Custom Install section via GeForce Experience.
• AMD users should first use the AMD Cleanup Utility to remove previous versions, then reinstall the latest driver via Adrenalin.

Enable Game-Ready Drivers for Latest Titles

Game-ready drivers are optimized for new game releases, often including performance boosts, bug fixes, and ray tracing support tailored for those specific titles.

• For NVIDIA, Game Ready Drivers (GRD) are released around major AAA game launches.
• For AMD, Optional Drivers often bring early support for new games and features, including ray tracing enhancements.

Before launching a new game with ray tracing:

• Check for the most recent driver
• Review the release notes to confirm if it includes ray tracing optimizations
• Update your drivers before installing the game to avoid compatibility issues

By starting with the latest, clean, and game-optimized driver, you set a solid foundation for stable ray tracing performance across all supported titles.

Step 2: Adjust In-Game Ray Tracing Settings

Even with a powerful GPU, enabling every ray tracing feature at max settings can severely impact performance. That’s why it’s essential to fine-tune in-game ray tracing settings based on your hardware capabilities and the visual quality you want to achieve. Every game offers slightly different options, but the core principles remain the same.

Ray tracing adds realism by simulating how light behaves in the real world — including reflections, shadows, global illumination, and ambient occlusion. However, each of these features has a performance cost. Knowing what to enable (and to what extent) can make a massive difference.

How to Access Ray Tracing Settings in Games

Most modern titles that support ray tracing allow you to tweak these settings from the graphics or video settings menu. Look for options labeled as “Ray Tracing”, “RTX”, or “Path Tracing”.

• Go to Settings > Graphics or Video in the game menu.
• Locate the Ray Tracing or Advanced Lighting section.
• Toggle ray tracing features on/off individually.
• Apply changes and test with a quick benchmark or gameplay sequence.

Key Ray Tracing Features Explained

Understanding what each setting does helps you prioritize performance vs visuals:

• Ray-Traced Reflections: Adds realistic reflections on surfaces like glass, water, and metal. High impact on performance.
• Ray-Traced Shadows: Improves shadow quality and softens edges for natural lighting. Moderate performance cost.
• Global Illumination: Simulates realistic bounce lighting in environments. Very GPU-intensive.
• Ambient Occlusion (RTAO): Enhances contact shadows in corners and creases. Low to moderate performance cost.

Performance vs Visual Quality: What to Prioritize

If your system struggles with all ray tracing features enabled, start by enabling only one or two effects, then scaling up if performance allows.

Recommended Priority (Best Visual/Performance Balance):

• Enable Reflections first for maximum visual impact.
• Add Shadows next if your frame rate stays smooth.
• Use Global Illumination only if you have an upper-tier GPU (e.g., RTX 4080 or Radeon RX 7900 XTX).
• Set Ray Tracing Quality to Medium or High — Ultra often adds little benefit but halves performance.

Game-Specific Tip Examples

• Cyberpunk 2077: Start with Ray-Traced Reflections and enable DLSS/FSR (covered in Step 3).
• Control: Turn on Ray-Traced Shadows and Ambient Occlusion for atmospheric effects without a major performance hit.
• Minecraft RTX: Requires full path tracing. Lower render distance to compensate.

Step 3: Enable DLSS or FSR (Super Resolution Features)

Ray tracing looks incredible, but it’s notoriously demanding. That’s where DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) come in. These smart upscaling technologies boost your frame rates significantly without sacrificing much visual quality — sometimes even improving clarity.

DLSS is exclusive to NVIDIA RTX cards, while FSR is AMD’s open-source alternative supported on both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs. Enabling these features is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make ray tracing playable, especially at higher resolutions.

What Is DLSS and FSR?

Both DLSS and FSR work by rendering the game at a lower resolution and then upscaling it to your target resolution using advanced algorithms or AI (in DLSS’s case).

DLSS (NVIDIA):

• Uses AI and Tensor Cores on RTX cards
• Offers multiple modes: Performance, Balanced, Quality, Ultra Performance
• Compatible with most ray tracing-enabled games

FSR (AMD):

• Works on a wide range of GPUs (even NVIDIA GTX series)
• Uses spatial or temporal upscaling depending on version (FSR 1.0 vs 2.0/3.0)
• Easy to implement and widely supported across games

How to Enable DLSS or FSR in Games

Activating DLSS or FSR typically takes just a few seconds through the in-game settings menu.

• Navigate to Settings > Graphics or Display.
• Locate the Upscaling, Super Resolution, or DLSS/FSR section.
• Choose your preferred mode:
  • • Quality: Best visuals, modest FPS boost
    • Balanced: Good trade-off between performance and image quality
    • Performance: Maximum FPS gain, reduced visual clarity
• Apply settings and restart the game if prompted

Choosing the Right Mode Based on Your Hardware

For NVIDIA RTX 20/30/40 Series GPUs:

• Use DLSS Quality if your FPS is close to target (e.g., 50–60 fps aiming for 60)
• Use DLSS Balanced or Performance if your FPS drops below 45
• Combine DLSS with ray tracing for the best balance

For AMD RX 6000/7000 or NVIDIA GTX 16+/RTX series:

• Use FSR 2.0+ Balanced or Quality for smooth gameplay
• FSR 3.0 includes frame generation, enable it on supported games if your GPU and monitor support it

Popular Games That Support DLSS/FSR

• DLSS: Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake II, Control, Hogwarts Legacy, The Witcher 3 (RTX patch)
• FSR: Resident Evil Village, Starfield, God of War, Forspoken, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Step 4: Tweak Windows and System Settings

Even with the latest drivers and optimized in-game settings, your system can hold back ray tracing performance if Windows isn’t properly configured. Adjusting a few core system settings can free up resources, reduce input lag, and improve stability, especially in demanding games that use real-time ray tracing.

These tweaks are safe, reversible, and require no third-party software. They help ensure that your hardware is being fully utilized and nothing in the background is throttling performance.

Set Windows to “High Performance” Power Mode

By default, Windows may be set to “Balanced” mode, which can throttle CPU or GPU performance to save energy. Switching to “High Performance” or “Ultimate Performance” unlocks the full potential of your system.

• Press Windows + I to open Settings
• Go to System > Power & Battery > Power Mode
• Select High Performance or Ultimate Performance (if available)

Disable Unnecessary Background Apps

Background applications can eat up RAM, CPU, and even GPU resources. Disabling them helps ensure all available power is directed toward your game.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
• Go to the Startup tab
• Disable any non-essential apps (e.g., Discord, Spotify, OneDrive, etc.)
• Go to the Processes tab and end tasks that are not system-critical while gaming

Turn Off Windows Game Mode (Or Configure It Correctly)

Game Mode is designed to prioritize games, but it can sometimes cause instability depending on the title or setup.

• Open Windows Settings > Gaming > Game Mode
• Try disabling it if you’re experiencing stuttering or input lag
• For some systems, keeping it enabled improves scheduling and prioritization — test both for best results

Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling

This setting reduces latency and improves performance in GPU-bound scenarios — particularly useful for ray tracing workloads.

• Open Settings > System > Display > Graphics Settings
• Scroll to Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
• Toggle it On
• Restart your PC to apply the changes

Optional Tweaks for Enthusiasts

• Disable Fullscreen Optimizations for individual games (Right-click game .exe > Properties > Compatibility)
• Use Process Lasso (third-party tool) to control CPU affinity and core usage per game
• Clean your temp files using Disk Cleanup or cleanmgr to free up disk space and reduce stutter

Step 5: Use Overclocking (Optional but Effective)

Overclocking your GPU can give you that extra performance boost needed to run ray tracing smoothly, especially in games that push hardware to its limits. While it’s not required, safe overclocking can result in a 5–15% increase in performance, sometimes more — without any additional cost.

Modern GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD come with built-in headroom that allows for modest overclocking, and many third-party tools make the process beginner-friendly. The key is to strike the right balance between more power and system stability.

What Is GPU Overclocking?

Overclocking is the process of increasing your GPU’s core clock, memory clock, or voltage to make it perform faster than its default factory settings.

• Core Clock: Increases overall rendering speed and ray tracing performance
• Memory Clock: Helps with texture loading and higher resolutions
• Voltage: May need slight increases for higher overclocks, but use with caution

Best Tools for GPU Overclocking

You’ll need dedicated software to safely overclock and monitor your GPU:

• MSI Afterburner (NVIDIA and AMD GPUs)
• AMD Adrenalin Software (for Radeon users)
• EVGA Precision X1 (for EVGA GPUs)
• GPU-Z (for monitoring GPU specs and temperatures)

How to Overclock Your GPU (Step-by-Step)

1. 1. Open your overclocking tool (e.g., MSI Afterburner)
   2. Increase the Core Clock speed by small increments (e.g., +15 MHz)
   3. Apply and test the setting using a stress test or a demanding game
   4. Repeat until you see visual artifacts, crashes, or temperature spikes
   5. Back off slightly to your last stable value
   6. (Optional): Increase the Memory Clock in small steps and repeat testing
   7. Save your profile for future use

Benchmarking and Stability Testing Tools

Always test your new settings to ensure they’re stable under load:

• 3DMark Time Spy / Port Royal (includes ray tracing tests)
• Unigine Heaven or Superposition
• In-game benchmarks (Cyberpunk 2077, Control, etc.)
• Monitor temps with HWMonitor or HWiNFO64

Safe Overclocking Tips

• Don’t increase voltage unless necessary
• Keep GPU temps below 85°C
• Use a custom fan curve to maintain safe temperatures
• Never leave your PC unattended during the first test runs

Step 6: Optimize Cooling and Airflow

Ray tracing places a significant load on your GPU and CPU, generating more heat than typical gaming scenarios. Without proper cooling, your hardware can throttle, automatically reducing performance to stay within safe temperature limits. Optimizing your PC’s cooling and airflow ensures consistent frame rates and protects your components over time.

You don’t need to invest in expensive liquid cooling systems to benefit, even small improvements in airflow and thermal management can have a measurable impact on ray tracing performance.

Why Cooling Matters for Ray Tracing

High GPU temperatures can cause:

• Performance throttling due to thermal limits
• System instability during intensive scenes
• Reduced lifespan of your hardware over time

Games with ray tracing often push your GPU near 100% usage. Keeping temperatures under control allows the GPU to maintain higher clock speeds consistently.

How to Monitor Your Temps

Before optimizing, monitor current temperatures while gaming:

• Use MSI Afterburner, HWMonitor, or HWiNFO64
• Ideal temps under load:
  • • GPU: 65–80°C (max ~85°C)
    • CPU: 60–75°C (max ~90°C for most chips)
• Monitor temps during 20–30 minutes of ray tracing gameplay

Improve Case Airflow

Airflow inside your PC case is crucial for keeping temperatures low.

• Ensure front-to-back airflow:
  • • Front/Bottom: Intake fans (cool air in)
    • Rear/Top: Exhaust fans (hot air out)
• Clean dust filters and fans every 1–2 months
• Avoid cable clutter and use cable management to improve airflow
• Upgrade stock case fans to high-static pressure or higher-RPM models if needed

Optimize GPU and CPU Cooling

• Reapply thermal paste to CPU if it’s over 2 years old and temps are unusually high
• Upgrade CPU cooler to an aftermarket air or AIO liquid cooler if stock cooler struggles
• For GPUs:
  • • Use a custom fan curve via MSI Afterburner to ramp fans more aggressively
    • Keep a small space below and beside the GPU for proper ventilation

Consider Ambient Room Temperature

• Keep your PC away from heat sources or enclosed areas
• Avoid gaming in high ambient temps (e.g., summer rooms with poor ventilation)
• Use a desk fan directed at your case if you notice temperature spikes during long sessions

Step 7: Upgrade Specific Hardware (If Necessary)

Even with the best optimizations, some systems simply don’t have the horsepower to run ray tracing smoothly, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K. If you’ve tried all software tweaks and performance is still lagging, it might be time to consider a hardware upgrade.

Ray tracing is resource-intensive and requires a well-balanced system. Bottlenecks in your GPU, CPU, or storage can all affect how smoothly games run with advanced lighting effects. Here’s how to identify weak points and what to upgrade for the biggest gains.

When to Consider a Hardware Upgrade

Upgrade only if you’re facing one or more of the following issues:

• Frame rates remain low despite optimizations
• Stuttering or hitching in ray-traced scenes
• GPU or CPU usage constantly maxed at 100%
• Your system doesn’t meet minimum specs for ray-tracing-enabled games

Upgrade Your GPU for Ray Tracing Performance

The GPU is the most important component for ray tracing. Older cards lack dedicated hardware for real-time ray tracing and struggle even at low settings.

Recommended GPUs with Ray Tracing Support:

• NVIDIA RTX Series: RTX 3060, 3070, 4070, 4080, 4090
• AMD RX Series: RX 6700 XT, 6800 XT, 7900 XT/XTX
• Look for GPUs with RT Cores (NVIDIA) or Ray Accelerators (AMD)

What to Avoid:

• GTX cards (e.g., GTX 1660) technically support ray tracing in software but lack the performance to run it properly
• Budget cards with only 4GB of VRAM may struggle even at 1080p

Check and Upgrade Your CPU if Needed

Even though ray tracing is mostly GPU-bound, a weak CPU can cause bottlenecks — especially in open-world or CPU-heavy games.

Signs of CPU Bottleneck:

• High CPU usage (90–100%) while GPU remains under 70%
• Low frame rates in CPU-heavy titles (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion)
• Poor 1% and 0.1% frame time stability

Recommended CPUs for Gaming with Ray Tracing:

• Intel: Core i5-12600K, i7-13700K, i9-13900K
• AMD: Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 9 7900X

Upgrade to an NVMe SSD for Faster Load Times

Ray tracing may not directly benefit from faster storage, but overall game performance and asset loading will.

Benefits of Upgrading to NVMe:

• Faster level loading
• Reduced stuttering from asset streaming
• Better performance in open-world titles

Recommended NVMe SSDs:

• Samsung 980 Pro / 990 Pro
• WD Black SN850X
• Crucial P5 Plus

Check RAM Capacity and Speed

• Minimum: 16 GB DDR4/DDR5
• Ideal: 32 GB, especially for multitasking or high-resolution gaming
• Ensure RAM is running in dual-channel mode and at its rated speed via XMP (BIOS)

Advanced Optimization Tips

To truly unlock the full potential of ray tracing on your gaming PC, you’ll want to go beyond standard settings. These advanced tweaks can significantly improve both visual fidelity and performance, especially in graphically demanding games. Below are three key strategies to elevate your ray tracing experience.

1. Use ReShade Mods: Add ray tracing effects to older games using ReShade with RTGI shaders.
2. Enable Resizable BAR: Unlock better GPU memory access via BIOS for smoother ray tracing.
3. Turn Off V-Sync: Use G-Sync or FreeSync instead to reduce input lag and tearing.
4. Enable DLSS 3 or FSR 3: Boost frame rates with AI-generated frames in supported games.
5. Set Dedicated GPU in Windows: Force games to use your discrete GPU for ray tracing.
6. Use DirectStorage: Speed up load times with NVMe SSDs and Windows 11 support.
7. Tweak Driver Settings: Set GPU to max performance and enable low latency modes.
8. Close Background Apps: Free up resources by disabling overlays and startup programs.
9. Update Drivers and Games: Get the latest ray tracing features with regular updates.

#1 Use ReShade or Custom Ray Tracing Mods

While most modern games come with native ray tracing support, older titles or niche games may not. That’s where ReShade and custom ray tracing mods come in. These tools inject post-processing effects like ray traced global illumination or ambient occlusion into games that weren’t originally designed for them.

Key Points:

• ReShade is a post-processing injector that adds enhanced lighting effects including simulated ray tracing.
• Pascal Gilcher’s RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination) shader is one of the most popular ReShade options.
• Custom mods exist for titles like Minecraft (Sonic Ether’s PTGI) and Skyrim (ENB + RTGI) to enable near ray-traced visuals.
• These mods require some manual setup and can impact performance, so benchmarking is recommended after installation.

This method is ideal for visually upgrading classics or non-AAA titles where native support is lacking.

#2 BIOS Tweaks: Enable Resizable BAR (NVIDIA Only)

Resizable BAR (Base Address Register) is a feature that allows your CPU to access your GPU’s entire frame buffer at once, instead of in small chunks. Enabling this in your BIOS can improve performance in ray tracing-enabled games by reducing bottlenecks, particularly in open-world environments.

How to Enable:

• Access your motherboard BIOS during startup (usually by pressing DEL or F2).
• Look for the “Resizable BAR” option under the Advanced or PCIe settings tab.
• Make sure Above 4G Decoding is enabled.
• Save changes and reboot. You may also need to update your GPU VBIOS or motherboard firmware.

Benefits:

• Improves performance in select games, especially with ray tracing and high-resolution textures.
• Reduces frame stuttering and improves minimum FPS.
• Supported on NVIDIA RTX 30 and 40 series (and select AMD cards).

Enabling Resizable BAR is a free performance boost that’s especially beneficial in modern titles.

#3 Disable V-Sync and Use G-Sync/FreeSync Instead

Vertical Sync (V-Sync) was traditionally used to eliminate screen tearing by syncing the frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate. However, it introduces input lag and can cap your performance, which is counterproductive in fast-paced or ray tracing-heavy scenes. Adaptive sync technologies like G-Sync (NVIDIA) and FreeSync (AMD) offer a better alternative.

Why G-Sync/FreeSync is Better:

• Synchronizes the monitor’s refresh rate with the GPU’s frame output.
• Eliminates screen tearing without introducing lag.
• Allows uncapped FPS where your hardware can handle it, improving responsiveness.
• Especially useful when ray tracing lowers your average frame rates.

Steps to Enable:

• Ensure your monitor supports G-Sync or FreeSync.
• In NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Settings, enable variable refresh rate support.
• Disable in-game V-Sync to avoid conflicts.

This change not only enhances visual smoothness but also reduces latency, which is critical when ray tracing is active and FPS might fluctuate.

#4 Use Frame Generation (DLSS 3 or FSR 3)

Frame generation is a game-changing feature available in DLSS 3 (NVIDIA RTX 40 Series) and FSR 3 (for AMD and even older NVIDIA GPUs). It creates entirely new frames using AI, boosting performance without relying solely on raw rendering.

Key Benefits:

• Delivers significant FPS gains, especially in ray-traced environments.
• Makes 4K ray tracing much more playable even with demanding titles.
• Can be paired with Super Resolution modes (Quality, Balanced, Performance).

How to Use:

• Available only in supported games (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake II).
• Enable via in-game settings under DLSS/FSR options.
• Requires a compatible GPU and, in NVIDIA’s case, Reflex Low Latency for best results.

Frame generation can double frame rates in some scenarios, making it one of the most powerful optimization tools currently available.

#5 Allocate Dedicated GPU Resources via Windows Settings

On systems with both integrated and discrete GPUs, it’s critical to ensure the game is running on the high-performance GPU.

How to Set:

• Go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics Settings.
• Choose your ray tracing-enabled game.
• Set it to “High Performance” to ensure the discrete GPU is used.

This ensures maximum GPU resources are allocated to ray-traced rendering rather than falling back to the integrated chip.

#6 Optimize DirectStorage Support (If Available)

DirectStorage is a next-gen storage API that loads assets from NVMe SSDs directly to the GPU, bypassing the CPU and drastically reducing load times.

Why It Matters for Ray Tracing:

• Ray tracing often involves high-resolution textures and complex geometry.
• Faster asset loading reduces stuttering and texture pop-in.

How to Benefit:

• Requires Windows 11 and an NVMe SSD.
• Only supported in certain titles (e.g., Forspoken, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart).
• Keep game and OS on the same NVMe drive when possible.

While not directly altering ray tracing output, DirectStorage smooths performance and keeps your system from becoming CPU-bound.

#7 Use Custom Driver Settings (Control Panel Tweaks)

NVIDIA Control Panel and AMD Adrenalin software offer driver-level tweaks that can enhance ray tracing output or stabilize performance.

NVIDIA Control Panel Tips:

• Set Power Management Mode to “Prefer Maximum Performance.”
• Enable Low Latency Mode (especially in CPU-limited scenarios).
• Disable Vertical Sync globally if using G-Sync.

AMD Adrenalin Tips:

• Use Radeon Chill to save power without compromising ray tracing.
• Enable Anti-Lag and Boost for more responsive gameplay.

These tweaks give you more control over how the GPU behaves during ray tracing-heavy workloads.

#8 Monitor and Manage Background Processes

Ray tracing is resource-intensive, and background apps (especially overlays, auto-updaters, or telemetry tools) can introduce stutter or eat valuable system resources.

Best Practices:

• Disable unnecessary startup programs via Task Manager > Startup.
• Close overlays like Discord, Steam, GeForce Experience (if not in use).
• Use software like Process Lasso to set CPU priorities and affinities.

System cleanliness plays a huge role in stable ray tracing performance.

#9 Keep Windows and Game Clients Updated

Windows and GPU manufacturers regularly release patches that improve ray tracing efficiency or add support for newer features.

Update Sources to Watch:

• Windows Update (especially graphics stack or DirectX updates).
• NVIDIA/AMD drivers (use Game Ready or Adrenalin versions).
• Game clients like Steam, Epic, or Battle.net – updates often optimize or fix ray tracing bugs.

Outdated software can prevent you from accessing new ray tracing enhancements like DLSS 3.5 or updated APIs.

Benchmarks and Before/After Performance

Optimizing your gaming PC for ray tracing can deliver significant improvements in both graphics quality and overall performance.

To illustrate the practical benefits, we performed benchmark tests on two different systems: a mid-range setup and a high-end configuration. These tests were conducted before and after applying a full range of optimizations, including updating graphics drivers, enabling DLSS or FSR, adjusting in-game ray tracing settings, and configuring system-level options such as Windows power plans and background processes.

In real-world scenarios using games like Cyberpunk 2077, Control, and Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, the performance gains were substantial. For example, on a system equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 3070 and a Ryzen 5 5600X, Cyberpunk 2077 ran at 32 frames per second before any optimizations. After applying DLSS, enabling High Performance mode, and closing unnecessary background apps, the game reached 55 frames per second at 1440p with ray tracing enabled. Similarly, Control improved from 48 to 72 frames per second, and Metro Exodus jumped from 38 to 60 frames per second using optimized settings.

On a higher-end system powered by an AMD RX 6800 XT and a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, the improvements were equally impressive. Cyberpunk 2077 increased from 40 to 67 frames per second at 1440p using FSR in Quality mode and fine-tuned ray tracing settings. Control went from 50 to 80 frames per second, while Metro Exodus saw gains from 42 to 66 frames per second.

Visually, the difference was just as clear. Side-by-side comparisons showed more realistic lighting, smoother shadows, and richer environmental detail. These enhancements came without the performance cost typically associated with ray tracing. Gameplay also felt more fluid, with reduced input lag and better frame pacing.

These benchmarks confirm that with the right settings and system tweaks, ray tracing can be both visually stunning and highly playable. Whether you’re using a mid-tier GPU or a top-tier card, optimization allows you to experience next-generation visuals without compromising on smooth gameplay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Optimizing for Ray Tracing

• Enabling too many ray tracing features at the same time, which can drastically reduce performance without a big visual gain
• Ignoring resolution scaling options like DLSS or FSR, which help maintain high frame rates while keeping visual quality
• Not monitoring GPU and CPU temperatures, which can lead to thermal throttling or even hardware damage over time
• Forgetting to regularly update graphics drivers, missing out on crucial optimizations for ray tracing and new game releases
• Running games while your system is set to “Balanced” or “Power Saver” mode, limiting your hardware’s full potential
• Overclocking your GPU or CPU without proper stability testing, which can cause crashes or overheating during gameplay
• Leaving unnecessary background apps and processes running, using up valuable system resources that could go to your game
• Skipping the use of DLSS or FSR in supported games, even though they can significantly improve performance with minimal quality loss
• Using outdated or underpowered hardware that doesn’t support ray tracing well, resulting in poor experience regardless of settings
• Ignoring case airflow or cooling upgrades, leading to a hot system that performs worse and wears out faster

Bottom Line: How to Optimize Your Gaming PC for Ray Tracing

To optimize your gaming PC for ray tracing, update your GPU drivers, adjust in-game settings, enable DLSS or FSR, tweak system settings, overclock safely, and improve cooling. These steps enhance graphics performance and ensure smoother gameplay with realistic lighting and reflections.

1. Update your GPU drivers (NVIDIA or AMD) to the latest version.
2. Enable ray tracing in-game and adjust quality settings for balance.
3. Turn on DLSS or FSR to boost frame rates without losing visual fidelity.
4. Set your system to High Performance mode and close background apps.
5. Overclock your GPU (safely) for additional power, and ensure proper cooling.
6. Upgrade hardware if needed, especially your GPU, CPU, or SSD.
7. Benchmark your performance before and after optimization.

By following these steps, you can achieve smooth gameplay and stunning visuals while making the most of ray tracing technology.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I improve my ray tracing performance?

You can improve ray tracing performance by enabling DLSS or FSR, lowering in-game ray tracing quality settings, keeping GPU drivers updated, and optimizing system background processes.

What PC specs do I need for ray tracing?

At minimum, you need a GPU like NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD RX 6600 XT, a quad-core CPU, 16GB RAM, and an SSD. For better performance, use RTX 3070 or higher and a modern 6-core CPU.

How do I fully optimize my PC for gaming?

Fully optimize your PC by updating all drivers, enabling high-performance mode in Windows, closing background tasks, defragmenting or upgrading to SSD, and adjusting in-game settings based on your hardware.

Can a 3060 run ray tracing?

Yes, the RTX 3060 can run ray tracing, especially when paired with DLSS. It’s capable of handling ray tracing in most modern games at 1080p and some at 1440p.

Does ray tracing drop FPS?

Yes, ray tracing is demanding and can significantly reduce FPS because it requires extra processing power for real-time lighting and shadows.

Does DLSS improve ray tracing?

Yes, DLSS boosts ray tracing performance by rendering the game at a lower resolution and using AI to upscale, maintaining image quality while increasing FPS.

Is RTX 4060 better than 3060?

Yes, the RTX 4060 generally offers better ray tracing and power efficiency than the 3060, thanks to newer architecture and improved AI features like DLSS 3.

What GPU can ray trace?

GPUs that support ray tracing include NVIDIA RTX 20, 30, and 40 series, and AMD RX 6000 and 7000 series. Entry-level models can run it with settings tuned down.

What does RTX stand for?

RTX stands for Ray Tracing Texel eXtreme, NVIDIA’s branding for its real-time ray tracing capable GPUs.

What card for 4K gaming?

For 4K gaming, consider high-end GPUs like the RTX 4080, RTX 4090, or AMD RX 7900 XTX. These cards can handle 4K with ray tracing and high settings.

What is the full form of GTX?

GTX stands for Giga Texel Shader eXtreme, a previous generation of NVIDIA GPUs before RTX was introduced.

What does DLSS mean?

DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, a technology by NVIDIA that uses AI to upscale lower-resolution images for better performance without losing image quality.

How can I improve my GPU rendering?

Improve GPU rendering by updating drivers, enabling hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, overclocking (if safe), optimizing thermal conditions, and using rendering-optimized settings in your software or games.

Can I enable ray tracing?

Yes, if your GPU supports it, you can enable ray tracing in the game’s video or graphics settings menu. Look for “Ray Tracing,” “RTX,” or similar labels.

What is the angle of raytracing culling?

The angle of ray tracing culling refers to limiting or skipping rays based on camera view or object visibility to improve performance—handled automatically by modern game engines.

Is there something better than ray tracing?

While ray tracing offers the most realistic lighting, some alternatives like rasterization with baked lighting, screen-space reflections, or path tracing (a more advanced version of ray tracing) can sometimes be more efficient or realistic, depending on the context.

Does ray tracing use a lot of power?

Yes, ray tracing significantly increases GPU workload, which leads to higher power consumption and heat output.

Does turning off ray tracing improve FPS?

Absolutely. Turning off ray tracing can lead to a large FPS boost, especially in demanding games, because it frees up GPU resources.

How many FPS is Elden Ring ray tracing?

With ray tracing enabled, Elden Ring typically runs at around 40–60 FPS on mid to high-end systems. Performance may vary based on resolution and hardware.

What is ray tracing setting?

The ray tracing setting in a game controls the level and type of real-time lighting effects, including shadows, reflections, ambient occlusion, and global illumination.

Does ray tracing look better?

Yes, ray tracing greatly enhances realism in lighting, shadows, and reflections, delivering a more cinematic and immersive visual experience.

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