Treat short, recurring hitches as a frametime problem—not automatically as low FPS. Retest the same demanding route, change one reversible option, and compare the hitch pattern. No universal launch-build stutter fix has been confirmed.
Safe first pass
Do this first
- Choose one repeatable route; a dense forest was demanding in published PC testing.
- Record the baseline preset, resolution, upscaler, frame generation, and frame cap.
- Test a stable frame cap below the fluctuating average, then compare the same route.
- Change upscaling or frame generation separately—not together.
- On Windows 11, test the per-game windowed optimization toggle and restart the game.
Stutter versus sustained low FPS
Low FPS is a consistently slow presentation. Stutter is an uneven interruption that can occur even when an average counter looks healthy. Judge each test by repeatability and frame delivery, not by a single peak number.
- A lower but stable frame cap can feel smoother than a swinging average.
- First traversal and repeat traversal may behave differently.
- Frame generation can raise displayed FPS without removing an underlying hitch.
Revert and report
If a change does not improve the same route, restore it before the next test. A useful report includes the location, exact setting state, whether the hitch repeats, and whether it happens on first or later traversal.
Stop pointAvoid deleting shader caches or editing configuration files unless official support names the exact path and recovery method.
Evidence log
Sources checked
ReportingPC Gamer: best settings to tweakObserved PC testing and a demanding forest route; results are setup-specific.
↗Platform supportMicrosoft: optimizations for windowed gamesOfficial reversible Windows 11 per-game option.
↗CommunitySteam community discussionsUsed only to track recurring player language and symptoms, not to prove causes or fixes.
↗Found a build change or a source we missed? Use the correction channel. Community workarounds remain labeled until they can be reproduced or confirmed.