Starfield Performance Guide/FPS Boost [UPDATED]

FPS guide to help you increase your FPS by 5-15% regardless of what settings you play on. (STEAM DECK INCLUDED)

INTRO

Starfield undeniably stands out as one of the most disappointing launches in terms of PC performance. The absence of an FOV slider and HDR in a 2023 release is perplexing. Fortunately, modders will once again come to the rescue and fix another bethesda title just like they always do.

NOTE: Everything you see in this guide has been thoroughly tested by me. I have observed an increase in framerate with all the steps and recommendations listed here.

BEFORE DOING ANY OF THE METHODS BELOW, PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE INSTALLED THE GAME ON AN SSD IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! STARFIELD RUNS POORLY ON HDDs!

INI Configurations

In Starfield we can access and adjust the configuration files, just like bethesda's previous titles. With some adjustments, we can alter this game's appearance, to the point we can be turning it into a PS2 game. (Not recommended)

I will provide you three configs:

• High: Optimized for maximum FPS gains but with reduced graphical quality.[pastebin.com]

• Ultra: Provides an FPS boost while maintaining a high level of graphical fidelity.[pastebin.com]

• Low: Exclusively for Steam Deck users.[pastebin.com]

Choose the configuration you'd like to use by clicking the corresponding text, copy everything, and let's proceed!


First, we need to find the config file that's located in the Starfield game folder.

1. Head to your Steam library, and right-click on Starfield.

2. Hover over 'Manage' and then choose 'Browse local files.'





In this folder you will find the configuration files for each preset (Low, High, Ultra)

3. Open the configuration file using Notepad. (I chose the High config so i will open the High.ini file)

4. Replace its contents with the config you've selected and copied.

5. Don't forget to Save the file!


After we're done, we need to boot up the game, navigate to the in-game menu and change the graphic preset to 'High' or 'Ultra' (depending on which configuration file you modified) and switch it back to your desired preset for the changes to apply.

What we've done is reduce the shadow resolution, lowered the GTAO settings and changed the rendering distance of grass. These modifications can yield a substantial increase in performance depending on what's the bottleneck in your system. If your GPU is the bottleneck, these changes will likely provide the most significant FPS boost. However, bear in mind that if your CPU is the bottleneck, you won't notice much difference. (The changes made in these configs cannot be made by simply changing the in-game settings)

DLSS Mod

If you're an RTX user, i highly recommend you use the DLSS mod made by PureDark. Replacing FSR2 with DLSS can provide you with substantial performance improvements.

You can find the mod here : Starfield DLSS mod[www.nexusmods.com]

Don't forget to adjust the resolution scale after installing the mod!

In-Game Settings

Personally on my low spec rig, I haven't experienced any noticeable performance improvements when using custom settings. I play on Low, with the only difference being the motion blur set to Low because it makes the game look smoother, especially when you have below 60FPS.



For a rig that can handle 1440p, I highly recommend using the settings below. If you want to increase FPS on these settings without sacrificing much graphical fidelity, you can set the Shadow quality to Medium. (The Resolution Scale is set at 75%)

Resizable BAR (Re-Bar)

If you own an RTX card, you can enable Resizable BAR (Re-Bar) for even better performance! In this section, I'll show you exactly how to do that. This method doesn't involve messing around with the BIOS.


To enable Resizable BAR (Re-Bar), we need to download Nvidia Profile Inspector.


1. Head over to the Official Nvidia Profile Inspector page by clicking here[github.com] and download the zip file.



2. After downloading, extract the archive and open nvidiaInspector.exe.


3. After we opened the program, we need to search for the Starfield preset in the text bar near Profiles




Once you've found the Starfield preset, it's time to enable Re-Bar!


4. Scroll down and search for the following settings, then make the following changes:

Change "ReBar feature" to ENABLED.

Change "ReBar options" to 0x00000001 (for games like Battlefield V, Returnal, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, etc.).

Change "ReBar size limit" to 0x0000000040000000 (for games like Battlefield V, F1 2022, F1 2021, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, etc.).



After making these changes, click "Apply changes" in the top right corner, and we're done!

Performance Texture Pack

Thanks to the modder Bulwarkhd, we can now downscale the textures of the game for even better performance! (This helps a TON if you run the game on an HDD and decreases VRAM Usage!)

The modder provides two versions:

• 512 (Choose this if you experience very low FPS or prioritize frames over graphics)

• 1024 (Select this option if you have decent FPS and want to gain an additional 2-3 frames)


Now that we know which version to use, let's dive into how to install the pack!

1. First we're going to download the texture pack. Head over to the mod page by clicking here[www.nexusmods.com] and download your preferred version. (i use the 512 version)



2. Once we have downloaded the archive, extract the files into the Starfield/Data folder (located at steamapps/common/Starfield/Data)





3. Now, after that's done we need to open up our Starfield.ini file which you can find in the Starfield Game Folder (located at steamapps/common/Starfield), and replace all the contents inside with the following:

[General]
uExterior Cell Buffer=36
sGPUDefaultQualitySettingsJSON=DefaultGlobalGraphicsSettings.json

[Display]
uiUpscaleTech=3

[Wwise]
iDefaultExternalCodecID=4

[Archive]
sResourceDataDirsFinal=STRINGS\
SResourceArchiveList=Starfield - Animations.ba2, Starfield - DensityMaps.ba2, Starfield - FaceAnimation01.ba2, Starfield - FaceAnimation02.ba2, Starfield - FaceAnimation03.ba2, Starfield - FaceAnimation04.ba2, Starfield - FaceAnimationPatch.ba2, Starfield - FaceMeshes.ba2, Starfield - GeneratedTextures.ba2, Starfield - LODMeshes.ba2, Starfield - LODMeshesPatch.ba2, Starfield - Materials.ba2, Starfield - Meshes01.ba2, Starfield - Meshes02.ba2, Starfield - MeshesPatch.ba2, Starfield - Misc.ba2, Starfield - Particles.ba2, Starfield - PlanetData.ba2, Starfield - Terrain01.ba2, Starfield - Terrain02.ba2, Starfield - Terrain03.ba2, Starfield - Terrain04.ba2, Starfield - TerrainPatch.ba2
sResourceIndexFileList=Starfield - LODTextures.ba2, Starfield - Textures01.ba2, Starfield - Textures02.ba2, Starfield - Textures03.ba2, Starfield - Textures04.ba2, Starfield - Textures05.ba2, Starfield - Textures06.ba2, Starfield - Textures07.ba2, Starfield - Textures08.ba2, Starfield - Textures09.ba2, Starfield - Textures10.ba2, Starfield - Textures11.ba2, Starfield - TexturesPatch.ba2, 512TexturesFull.ba2
SResourceArchiveMemoryCacheList=Starfield - Interface.ba2, Starfield - Misc.ba2
sResourceStartUpArchiveList=Starfield - Interface.ba2, Starfield - Localization.ba2, Starfield - Shaders.ba2, Starfield - ShadersBeta.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSounds01.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSounds02.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSounds03.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSounds04.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSounds05.ba2, Starfield - WwiseSoundsPatch.ba2, BlueprintShips-Starfield - Localization.ba2
sResourceEnglishVoiceList=Starfield - Voices01.ba2, Starfield - Voices02.ba2, Starfield - VoicesPatch.ba2

Now, launch the game, and you will notice a moderate decrease in VRAM usage and an increase of 5 FPS (depending on your hardware).

Stuttering Fix (varies)

If you're playing on a decent rig and experiencing stutters, you can try the following method below. Please keep in mind that results may vary from user to user, and it may not work for everyone, but it's worth giving it a shot!

To begin, we'll need to download a program called Battle Encoder Shirasé

1. Visit the official website and download the archive by clicking Here[mion.yosei.fi]



2. Extract the archive, and then run the BES.exe file.

3. Click the big Target button, find Starfield.exe (Starfield has to be running!), double-click it, and click Yes in the pop-up.



4. Now, drag the slider from -5% to -10% (I suggest you set it to -8%)



And we're done!

Hopefully, this will fix your stuttering issue!

60FPS UI

Thanks to another modder named Fuzzles, we can now change our UI frame rate to 60 and enjoy smoother navigation through bethesda's incredible UI.

To set your UI FPS to 60, first, you should visit the mod's page and download it from Nexus Mods by clicking here[www.nexusmods.com]

Once you're on the page, navigate to the "Files" tab, and then select "Manual Download."



After downloading, simply extract the archive and install manually by dropping the "interface" folder into your Starfield "Data" folder.

Lastly, we need to make some changes to our StarfieldCustom.ini which can be found in our Documents folder ( example : C:\Users\yourname\Documents\My Games\Starfield )

Once you're here, open the StarfieldCustom.ini and add this inside:

 [Archive]
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
sResourceDataDirsFinal= 

Overclocking

In my case, overclocking my GPU also made a significant difference. I was able to get an extra 5 FPS simply by overclocking. I suggest referring to a guide specific to your GPU model and checking out the recommended settings on MSI Afterburner. If you're not familiar with this process, I recommend watching the video below

Closing Words

It's unfortunate that the game isn't optimally optimized, and we find ourselves relying on mods and tweaking config files just to play a game.

If you come across any errors in the guide or have additional tips that can enhance performance, please feel free to share them in the comments!

Hopefully, this guide has assisted you in making the game, at the very least, more playable.

[taloN]

I no longer need you, guidesmen. The 1080ti has been retired and in it's place a new contender, a 4080 S.

[Evan]

Hello, do you know what to do, if nexus connection isn't laching mods? All mods installed but when launching it is as if they were never activated...

[littlebixy]

what gains does this provide for steam deck?[the amount gained]

[RyBo]

I tried everything above and so much more. Had a 1070TI with no lag but low frames 30-50fps. Moved to a 4070ti and ended up with lag and high frames 80-170fps. Felt like a bottle neck but I new it wasn't. Found this comment in this guide one page back and turned on the settings they recommend. Instantly fixed it. Stuck a solid 60 FPS no matter where I am at from NA to Akila.

"In the end I used the Nvidia Inspector Profile and Forced Vsync, Turned SmoothAFRBehavior on and set Tear Control to Adaptive. And I capped the FPS to 60. This turned out to be a big help. No more stuttering, except the framedrop you get when you run for sometime.

[NotAReetBot]

Does Starfield disable Resizable BAR even if you have it enabled in BIOS? I have a Radeon GPU so I don't think I can use the NVidia Profile Inspector

[fehr0015]

You had me at SSD. Thank you so much

[Lord_Danielsan98]

How to improve performance according to Todd Howard:

1.) Upgrade your PC, preferably to a RTX 40 series card
2.) Enable DLSS and Frame Generation
3.) Experience Starfield at 16x the details

[DrVictor1965]

I'm having a problem where there is not a mods folder in starfield folder itself Apparently, mods are now installed in the "My Games" folder where saved games are kept. How do I install these mods under those sets of conditions?

[lucasaiden]

{LINK USUNIĘTY}https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/2245?tab=description -Helped me a ton as I have a HDD
{LINK USUNIĘTY}https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/1192?tab=description -Faster texture decompression, I used a different texture pack so I don't know if the one linked is ba2 version 3

[CreeVal]

Just changing the ultra.ini helped me a lot. I now get a solid 50-60 fps and I think I can run with that for now even though you would expect more from a 7800XT and the game that came with the card.

I remember back when Half-Life 2 came with a ATI Radeon GPU I bought and that game ran like a warm knife through butter and looked amazing for the time. The fact that Bethesda is shipping the game in the state that basically people with high end systems can't even have a playable experience is just weird. And I know the 7800XT is mid-tier this generation, but it should perform a lot better than this and it also does in every other game I've tried so far.

So kudos to you for making this guide, I hope we see a fix from Bethesda to fix some of the things pointed out in the proton github and the vkd3d github.
If not I'm very certain the community (like this guide) will eventually fix yet another Bethesda poorly optimised mess.