Best Settings to Optimize The Last of Us Part II Remastered for Smooth FPS on Your PC

If you're gearing up to dive into The Last of Us Part II Remastered on your PC, you're in for a treat. This remastered version brings the heart-wrenching story of Ellie to PC with jaw-dropping visuals and smooth gameplay. But let's face it – getting the best performance from this masterpiece requires some tweaking. Don't worry, though; we've got you covered! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the optimal settings to boost your FPS and make sure the game runs smoothly on your mid to high-end PC.

System Requirements Breakdown

Before we dive into the settings, let’s take a quick look at the system requirements for the game. These are the basics to make sure your PC can handle The Last of Us Part II Remastered without any hiccups:

Minimum System Requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit

  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600

  • Memory: 8 GB RAM

  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 560

  • DirectX: Version 12

  • Storage: 150 GB available space

Recommended System Requirements:

  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit

  • Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X

  • Memory: 16 GB RAM

  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

  • DirectX: Version 12

  • Storage: 150 GB available space

If you want to run the game at higher frame rates with amazing visuals, it’s best to aim for the recommended specs or better. Now let’s jump into optimizing the settings for your system!

Step 1: Windows Settings for Optimal Performance

First things first – let’s optimize your Windows 11 settings. We’re going to tweak a few options that’ll improve your system’s gaming performance.

1. Disable Game Bar

The Game Bar is fun for streaming, but it’s not essential for gaming. Disable it to free up system resources, especially if you’re not using it.

  • Go to: Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar

  • Toggle off the Xbox Game Bar.

Pro Tip: If you're using AMD’s Ryzen 7 7900X3D or 7950X3D, keeping Game Bar on helps prioritize your CPU’s cores during gaming.

2. Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling

This setting helps manage your GPU’s memory more efficiently.

  • Go to: Settings > System > Display > Graphics Settings

  • Turn on Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling.

3. Disable Background Captures

If you're not recording gameplay, there’s no need to have background capturing running.

  • Go to: Settings > Gaming > Captures

  • Toggle off all capturing features.

Best PC Settings, The Last of Us Part II Remastered
4. Turn on Game Mode

Game Mode ensures your system resources are focused on your game, making for a smoother experience.

  • Go to: Settings > Gaming > Game Mode

  • Make sure it’s enabled.

5. Set Power Plan to Balanced

Although “Best Performance” sounds like the ideal setting, using the Balanced power plan actually provides better boost clocks and results in less heat.

  • Go to: Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings

  • Select the Balanced plan.

Extra Tip: Ensure your BIOS is updated and your drivers are the latest versions to avoid any compatibility issues.

Step 2: Optimizing NVIDIA or AMD Settings

For NVIDIA Users:

  1. Disable NVIDIA Overlay
    NVIDIA’s overlay can sometimes cause stuttering and performance drops, so it’s best to turn it off.

  • Open NVIDIA GeForce Experience > Settings > Disable Overlay.

  1. Adjust 3D Settings
    Head to your NVIDIA Control Panel and tweak some settings for a smoother gaming experience.

  • Go to: Manage 3D Settings

  • Activate: Low Latency Mode

  • Set: Power Management Mode to Normal (not Maximum Performance)

  • Increase: Shader Cache Size to 10GB (or 100GB if you have the space).

  1. Set Display Resolution and Refresh Rate Make sure you’re using your monitor’s native resolution and refresh rate (144Hz, 240Hz, etc.).

  • Go to: NVIDIA Control Panel > Change Resolution

  • Select: Your monitor’s native resolution and refresh rate.

  1. Enable G-Sync
    If your monitor supports G-Sync, enable it for smoother visuals and less screen tearing.


For AMD Users:

  1. Enable FreeSync
    If you have a FreeSync-compatible monitor, make sure FreeSync is enabled to reduce screen tearing.

  • Go to: AMD Radeon Settings > Display

  • Enable FreeSync.

  1. Customize Graphics Settings
    AMD has its own settings to fine-tune for better performance:

  • Use: Radeon Chill to lock FPS to stay within your FreeSync range. This reduces GPU load.

  • Activate: Anti-Lag and Radeon Boost to minimize input lag and boost frame rates.

  • Turn off: Radeon Image Sharpening (unless needed for older titles).


Step 3: In-Game Settings for Maximum FPS

Now that we’ve optimized your system, let’s jump into The Last of Us Part II Remastered’s in-game settings. Here’s what you should set for optimal performance:

Display Settings:

  • Window Mode: Fullscreen (for best performance)

  • Aspect Ratio: Auto

  • Display Resolution: Native (your monitor’s native resolution)

  • V-Sync: Off (unless using frame generation)

  • Refresh Rate: Native (144Hz, 240Hz, etc., depending on your monitor)

  • Frame Rate Cap: Set this to 3 FPS below your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 141 FPS for a 144Hz monitor)

  • Anti-Aliasing Mode: DLAA (best for quality)

  • NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency: On

  • Frame Generation: DLSS Frame Generation (for NVIDIA 4000 series GPUs)

  • Upscale Method: DLSS (Force to enable DLSS 4 if supported)

  • Upscale Quality: Quality

  • Upscale Sharpness: Keep it balanced.

Graphics Settings:

  • Level Of Detail: Medium

  • Texture Quality: Very High

  • Texture Filtering: 16x Anisotropic

  • Shadow Quality: High

  • Screen Space Shadows: High

  • Image-based Lighting: On

  • Bounced Lighting: Off

  • Ambient Occlusion: Quality

  • Screen Space Reflections: High

  • Real-Time Reflection Quality: Medium

  • Real-Time Clouds Shadows Reflections: On

  • Screen Space Sub-Surface Scattering: On

  • Refraction Quality: Very High

  • Depth of Field: Off

  • Motion Blur Quality: Off

  • Bloom: Off

  • Particle Density: Low

  • Volumetric Effects Quality: Medium

  • Lens Flare: Half Resolution


Step 4: Additional Tips & Community Insights

  • Update Your Drivers Regularly: Both NVIDIA and AMD frequently release updates to optimize performance in newer games like The Last of Us Part II Remastered.

  • Monitor Your System’s Temperature and Performance: Use tools like MSI Afterburner to keep track of your GPU and CPU temperatures. High temps can lead to throttling, reducing your FPS.

  • Community Recommendations:
    Many players on forums like Reddit and NVIDIA forums report that tweaking the settings mentioned above significantly reduces stuttering and improves overall game performance. Make sure to check out these forums for community-driven tweaks and fixes. 🌐


Conclusion

By following these simple but effective tips, your The Last of Us Part II Remastered experience should be buttery smooth, even on mid to high-end PCs. With the right settings, you’ll achieve higher FPS and enjoy the incredible world of Ellie in all its glory. If you run into any issues or have unique tweaks that worked for you, feel free to drop them in the comments below! 

Related Articles:

If you're experiencing stuttering, crashing, or lag while playing The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PC, you're not alone. Many players face these frustrating issues, but there are several ways to fix them and improve your gameplay experience. From optimizing your Windows settings to adjusting in-game graphics, we’ve got you covered with detailed steps. Check out our guide on how to fix stuttering, crashing, and lag for The Last of Us 2 Remastered on PC for more tips and solutions!

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