Apex Legends low FPS, stuttering or input lag: how to fix it
EA itself publishes a list of settings for players who want more FPS in Apex, and almost all of them are in the advanced video menu. Start by turning on the counter and changing a few settings at a time.
Rise TeamGuide written by the Rise team. The steps work with or without Rise; the facts about the game come from the sources at the end of the page, with the date we checked them.
Short answer
EA recommends playing Apex on the lowest settings for more FPS: anti-aliasing off, texture streaming budget on Low or Medium, ambient occlusion and volumetric lighting off, and shadows at the minimum. For delayed aim, turn off V-Sync and turn on NVIDIA Reflex if you have an NVIDIA card. Measure with the game’s Performance Display.
First, find out what is holding you back
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Low FPS overall | Video settings heavier than the PC can handle[2] | Use the advanced settings EA recommends (Settings section)[2] |
| Stutters on a card with little video memory | Texture streaming budget too high for the card | Set Texture Streaming Budget to Low or Medium[2] |
| Aim feels delayed | V-Sync holds back the whole system and adds delay[5] | Turn off V-Sync and turn on Reflex in the video menu[2] |
| Laptop with a dedicated card, but integrated graphics FPS | Windows is running the game on the integrated graphics[4] | Set Apex to High performance in the Windows Graphics settings[4] |
| Old PC that can’t reach 60 FPS | Below EA’s recommended specs, which target 60 FPS[1] | Everything at the lowest, with adaptive resolution on[2] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
How to see your FPS in Apex Legends
Apex has its own counter. Measure before you change anything, always at the same spot, like the Firing Range.
- Open Settings and go to the Gameplay tab.
- Turn on Performance Display: FPS and ping show up in the top right corner.
- If you play on Steam, you can also use the Steam counter: Steam › Settings › In Game › In-game FPS counter.
- Write down your FPS at the same spot before and after each change.
The settings EA recommends
They’re in Settings, Video tab, almost all in the advanced section. EA says the settings left out of this list don’t change performance, and it suggests lowering a few at a time to see the effect on FPS.
| Setting | EA recommendation |
|---|---|
| Display Mode | Full screen with one monitor; windowed if you use more than one[2] |
| V-Sync | Disabled, unless you see screen tearing[2] |
| NVIDIA Reflex | Enabled, if you have an NVIDIA card[2] |
| Adaptive Resolution FPS Target | Disabled, unless your FPS drops often[2] |
| Anti-aliasing | None[2] |
| Texture Streaming Budget | Low or Medium[2] |
| Texture Filtering | Bilinear[2] |
| Ambient Occlusion Quality | Disabled[2] |
| Sun Shadow Coverage and Sun Shadow Detail | Low[2] |
| Spot Shadow Detail | Low[2] |
| Volumetric Lighting and Dynamic Spot Shadows | Disabled[2] |
| Model Detail, Effects Detail and Ragdolls | Low[2] |
| Impact Marks | Low or Disabled[2] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
If the game looks too rough with everything at the minimum, EA suggests raising Adaptive Supersampling. And if your FPS drops often, Adaptive Resolution FPS Target lowers the resolution on its own during the heaviest moments.
Cap your FPS with +fps_max
EA explains how to cap FPS through the game’s launch options. It warns that changing the cap can cause performance issues, so test it before you leave it set.
- In the EA app: open your Library, click the three dots on Apex Legends, then View properties and, under Advanced launch options, type +fps_max and the value (for example, +fps_max 200).
- On Steam: right-click Apex Legends, then Properties, General tab, and type the same command under Launch Options.
- Pick a value your PC can hold for most of the match. If things get worse, delete the command.
Laptop: check the graphics card
- Open Windows Settings › System › Display › Graphics.
- Under Custom options for apps, pick Apex Legends and click Options.
- Select High performance and reopen the game.
What your PC needs
| Level | Graphics card | CPU, memory and OS |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7790 with 2 GB, DirectX 12 feature level 12_0[1] | Core i3-6300 or FX-4350, 6 GB of RAM, 64-bit Windows 10, 75 GB of available space[1] |
| Recommended | GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 290, 8 GB of video memory[1] | Core i5-3570K or equivalent, 8 GB of RAM, 64-bit Windows 10[1] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
According to EA, the recommended specs are for playing at 60 FPS without stuttering. Below that, use the settings table above with everything at the minimum.
What Rise does in Apex Legends
Everything here shows what changes before you apply it.
- Apex video presetWrites to videoconfig.txt, the file Apex saves when you apply the video menu, only the settings with a confirmed meaning: V-Sync, volumetric lighting, ambient occlusion, effects, ragdolls and impact marks. The texture budget stays in the menu, because its scale in the file changes between versions. It was checked against files in the game’s format: after applying, open the video menu and check the values.Games › Apex Legends · Rise Premium
- Where to turn on ReflexApex’s Reflex lives in the game menu. Rise shows you where to turn it on instead of writing the setting.Inside the preset
- Config ProApplies public configs from pro Apex players: video and resolution in videoconfig.txt and sensitivity in settings.cfg, when the keys exist. Field of view, DPI and polling rate are left for you to set in the game and on your mouse.Games › Apex Legends · Rise Premium
- Windows, graphics card and networkWhat matters in any game: power plan, background programs and your PC’s Windows, graphics card and network settings. Each optimization shows what changes before you apply it.Optimizations · Rise Basic and Premium
- Before-and-after BenchmarkRuns the same 3D scene before and after your tweaks and compares average FPS, 1% low and stutters on your PC.Benchmark · Rise Basic and Premium
What Rise does not do in Apex Legends
- Doesn’t inject anything into Apex and doesn’t touch Easy Anti-Cheat.
- Doesn’t mark the video file as read-only.
- Doesn’t write launch options like +fps_max for you.
- Doesn’t improve your internet’s route to the server.
- Doesn’t promise an FPS number: measure before and after on your PC.
Frequently asked questions
How do I increase FPS in Apex Legends?
Turn on Performance Display in the Gameplay tab to measure. Then, in the advanced video settings, follow EA’s list: V-Sync and anti-aliasing off, Texture Streaming Budget on Low or Medium, ambient occlusion and volumetric lighting off, and shadows, models and effects on Low. Lower a few settings at a time and compare at the same spot.
What’s the best Texture Streaming Budget in Apex?
EA recommends Low or Medium if you put performance first. If your card has plenty of video memory, raise it one level at a time and compare FPS and stuttering at the same spot.
How do I show FPS in Apex?
In Settings, Gameplay tab, turn on Performance Display: FPS and ping show up in the top right corner. On Steam, you can also use the counter under Steam › Settings › In Game.
How do I cap FPS in Apex?
Through the launch options: in the EA app, under View properties › Advanced launch options, or on Steam, under Properties › Launch Options, type +fps_max followed by the value. EA warns that changing the cap can cause performance issues, so test it.
How do I fix input lag in Apex?
Turn off V-Sync, turn on NVIDIA Reflex in the advanced video settings if you have an NVIDIA card, and play in full screen. Also make sure your monitor is at its maximum refresh rate in Windows.
Can Apex Legends run on a low-end PC?
EA asks for at least a Core i3-6300 or FX-4350, 6 GB of RAM and a GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7790 with 2 GB, with DirectX 12 support. Near the minimum, set everything to the lowest value and turn on adaptive resolution.
Can a PC optimizer get you banned in Apex?
EA doesn’t publish a list of allowed optimizers. The risk is in programs that mess with the game while it runs. Rise doesn’t inject anything and doesn’t touch Easy Anti-Cheat: it writes the video file Apex itself saves when you apply the menu. Still, be wary of anyone who promises you can’t get banned.
Sources
- EA: Apex Legends PC system requirements (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- EA: best Apex Legends settings on PC (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- EA: show, cap and change FPS in Apex Legends (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Microsoft: graphics card per app (Settings › Graphics) (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- NVIDIA: system latency optimization guide (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
Spotted something out of date? Let us know on the Rise Discord and we will fix it. Report on Discord
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