Arya Jan 24, 2017 @ 3:18am
Nvidia control panel settings
I always like to get the most from my hardware, so I've been tinkering with the Nvidia settings on my GTX1080. I've always heard the trick with Nvidia is to adjust the Power Management Mode to either Adaptive or Prefer Maximum Performance. Are there any other good tips or tricks to apply?

Something went wrong while displaying this content. Refresh

Error Reference: Community_9703016_
Loading CSS chunk 7561 failed.
(error: https://community.fastly.steamstatic.com/public/css/applications/community/communityawardsapp.css?contenthash=789dd1fbdb6c6b5c773d)
< 1 2 >
Showing 1-15 of 17 comments
CursedPanther Jan 24, 2017 @ 3:24am 
Maximum Performance basically means it'll never downclock and run in a energy saving state. If you're OCing your GPU and power isn't a concern then it should be a choice for you.
mikel3113 Jan 24, 2017 @ 3:45am 
Anisotropic filtering enabled here instead of in-game seems more detailed in some game(Skyrim I know for sure)

I enable gamma corrrection for all. Max pre-rendered frames 1-3 can help with smoothness, once again depending on game, however can introduce latency. In general newer games look crisper with clamp on LOD bias. Threaded optimization always on.

Avoid vsync/triple buffering in-game and in here most of the time, but some games it seems like some combo of fps limiter/adaptive or vsync combined with triple buffering is the only way to get no screen tears and/or stuttering. Introduces latency lag whatever you want to call it though. for swtich fps's really try to avoid. others like far cry 4 for example adaptive or vsync on much smoother and lag isn't a huge issue when playing an easy game against npc's. fullscreen or borderless in-game may help with this too though depending on game.

Arya Jan 24, 2017 @ 3:50am 
Alright, thanks for the advice guys.
Air Jan 24, 2017 @ 4:00am 
Originally posted by mikel3113:
Avoid vsync/triple buffering in-game and in here most of the time, but some games it seems like some combo of fps limiter/adaptive or vsync combined with triple buffering is the only way to get no screen tears and/or stuttering. Introduces latency lag whatever you want to call it though. for swtich fps's really try to avoid. others like far cry 4 for example adaptive or vsync on much smoother and lag isn't a huge issue when playing an easy game against npc's. fullscreen or borderless in-game may help with this too though depending on game.
There's also fast sync in Nvidia's vsync settings, which allows a game to have a higher framerate without tearing.
mikel3113 Jan 24, 2017 @ 4:04am 
Originally posted by Air:
Originally posted by mikel3113:
Avoid vsync/triple buffering in-game and in here most of the time, but some games it seems like some combo of fps limiter/adaptive or vsync combined with triple buffering is the only way to get no screen tears and/or stuttering. Introduces latency lag whatever you want to call it though. for swtich fps's really try to avoid. others like far cry 4 for example adaptive or vsync on much smoother and lag isn't a huge issue when playing an easy game against npc's. fullscreen or borderless in-game may help with this too though depending on game.
There's also fast sync in Nvidia's vsync settings, which allows a game to have a higher framerate without tearing.

I saw that here recently and have been experiementing, but seems from what others have said and so far I can't prove them wrong that it's more for games that you can run at higher frames(like 120+fps using a 60hz monitor) to begin with. I'm at the point of achieving 60-80fps on most with settings I want and so not really helping me too much. I may be wrong or maybe games need added support for fast to use it well, but once I upgrade it will become very applicable I think.
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 24, 2017 @ 7:48am 
You should basically change to these each time you redo your NVIDIA GPU Drivers:

PhysX = GPU (unless it is an app where it should be forced to CPU; like ARMA/DAYZ games)

Max PreRendered Frames = 1
Power Management = Prefer Max Performance
Threaded Optimization = On
Vertical Sync = Off or Adaptive (if you using GSync, then select this mode. Off for Benchmarks though)
Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Jan 24, 2017 @ 8:09am
Revelene Jan 24, 2017 @ 9:51am 
As I always recommend, especially to people that do not understand the settings, just leave it set to "let the 3D application decide".

You'll run into a whole lot less of issues, if you are not aware of what you are doing.

Too many people do not seem to understand that when they enable Nvidia settings, the entire Global setting will take effect. Not just what you changed.
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 24, 2017 @ 9:58am 
Originally posted by Revelene:
As I always recommend, especially to people that do not understand the settings, just leave it set to "let the 3D application decide".

You'll run into a whole lot less of issues, if you are not aware of what you are doing.

Too many people do not seem to understand that when they enable Nvidia settings, the entire Global setting will take effect. Not just what you changed.

LOL, no. If you actually look in Program Settings per app; you see that the only global ones are the ones left alone by the app settings.


If you don't know what you talking about, don't reply. You don't even know how it works.

Per Apps BS is what NVIDIA wants as defaults, yea makes sense.
Now I put what is good performance.
Revelene Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:15am 
Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
Originally posted by Revelene:
As I always recommend, especially to people that do not understand the settings, just leave it set to "let the 3D application decide".

You'll run into a whole lot less of issues, if you are not aware of what you are doing.

Too many people do not seem to understand that when they enable Nvidia settings, the entire Global setting will take effect. Not just what you changed.

LOL, no. If you actually look in Program Settings per app; you see that the only global ones are the ones left alone by the app settings.


If you don't know what you talking about, don't reply. You don't even know how it works.

Per Apps BS is what NVIDIA wants as defaults, yea makes sense.
Now I put what is good performance.

I do know what I'm talking about. Question is, do you?

Global settings are exactly that, global. If you have something set in global, it will take effect, regardless of application setting.

If you are talking about setting per application settings, under Nvidia control panel... I never mentioned that at all.

Simply put, you have layers of control.

Application settings < Nvidia Global settings < Nvidia per-app settings

I honestly think you misunderstood me.
Last edited by Revelene; Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:17am
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:34am 
Global doesn't do anything if the Apps are set otherwise, which if you look under Program settings, you would see. Apps can be set to their own settings, or they can be set to be the Global setting, whatever that is actually set to.

The point is, you want to take control with the GPU, not through the App.
Unless the app needs to be setup that way.

Application Setting refers to the game running and its settings. Again we want to override that on purpose. To force best performance for the GPU and make the GPU use all of its power. That doesn't happen when you set the OS to things like "Balanced" or "Adaptive"

For example, when you want to use VSync, you disable all of that within a Game, and use the NVIDIA settings. That is the best way really.
Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:34am
Revelene Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:40am 
Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
Global doesn't do anything if the Apps are set otherwise, which if you look under Program settings, you would see. Apps can be set to their own settings, or they can be set to be the Global setting, whatever that is actually set to.

The point is, you want to take control with the GPU, not through the App.
Unless the app needs to be setup that way.

Application Setting refers to the game running and its settings. Again we want to override that on purpose. To force best performance for the GPU and make the GPU use all of its power. That doesn't happen when you set the OS to things like "Balanced" or "Adaptive"

For example, when you want to use VSync, you disable all of that within a Game, and use the NVIDIA settings. That is the best way really.

You just proved my theory that you misunderstood me.
Bad 💀 Motha Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:43am 
I'm just helping WOLFEY, so whatever.

If default was "good" everyone wouldn't be asking what to set to. We'd all just have great performance out of the box right? Nope, doesn't work that way.
Last edited by Bad 💀 Motha; Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:44am
Revelene Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:47am 
Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
I'm just helping WOLFEY, so whatever.

That's great and all, but being rude to me does not help anyone.

Originally posted by Bad-Motha:
If default was "good" everyone wouldn't be asking what to set to. We'd all just have great performance out of the box right? Nope, doesn't work that way.

My original statement was never about what was good or bad.

Again, I believe that you misunderstood my comment.
Last edited by Revelene; Jan 24, 2017 @ 10:50am
[☥] - CJ - Jan 24, 2017 @ 12:37pm 
Multi dislay - i change to Single display performance mode

And Shader Cache i turn off as i have an SSD

Power Management i keep at Optimal as the newer GPUs dont really need it set to Performance, and as said depending on the program the GPUs clocks may be raised more than they need to be with it on. so i just keep it at Optimal.

I used to turn Triple Buffering On as well, but as i dont use Vsync much these days i just keep it off.

Those are the only setting i mess with, everything else imo should be left to default.
MrMcSwifty Jan 24, 2017 @ 1:44pm 
Originally posted by Revelene:
My original statement was never about what was good or bad.

Well I'll back you up and say that I agree yours is the best way to go about it.

Most of the other suggestions here have just been a list of everyone's personal preferences. Turning Vsync OFF globally isn't a tip or a trick, it's a preference, and doing so means that option won't work in-game at all anymore unless you force it back on globally, or per the App setting, which a pretty convoluted way of handling it.

The best option is to leave most of the Global settings to default and then setting them to your preference in-game. If a setting is missing or not working in-game, force that option via the App settings in the Control Panel.

The only settings I personally force on globally are Maximum Performance, Single Display, Pre-Frames to 2, and Triple Buffering ON. The last two are specific to my particular tastes so I wouldn't recommend them for everyone. Everything else controlled by the game/app settings. Never had any problems this way.
Last edited by MrMcSwifty; Jan 24, 2017 @ 1:45pm
< 1 2 >
Showing 1-15 of 17 comments
Per page: 1530 50

Date Posted: Jan 24, 2017 @ 3:18am
Posts: 17