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Best Settings - Version 9 vs Version 10
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11Overview22Crimson Desert runs on Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace Engine, which features ray-traced global illumination, stochastic path tracing, and real-time color bleeding. The engine is well-optimized overall, but its advanced lighting system means that choosing the right settings can have a dramatic impact on both visual quality and frame rate. This guide covers optimal settings for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, along with control, camera, and accessibility recommendations.44For a full breakdown of what each graphics option does under the hood, see the Performance and Graphics Settings article. For hardware requirements, see System Requirements. For console-specific analysis, see Console Performance.77PC Display Settings99Display settings control how the game interfaces with your monitor. These are found under the Video tab in the Settings menu.1111SettingOptionsRecommendedNotesScreen ModeFullscreen, BorderlessFullscreenFullscreen gives the GPU exclusive control over the display, reducing input lag and improving frame pacing. Use Borderless only if you frequently alt-tab.ResolutionMonitor-dependentNativeAlways set this to your monitor's native resolution. Upscaling is handled separately through the Upscale Mode setting rather than by lowering resolution here.V-SyncOn, OffOffDisabling V-Sync reduces input lag. If you see screen tearing, enable it or use your GPU's adaptive sync (G-Sync / FreeSync) instead.Contrast0 to 10050 (default)Adjust to taste based on your monitor's panel type and brightness.HDROn, OffOff (most displays)Only enable HDR if you have an OLED or high-quality FALD display with at least 600 nits peak brightness. On standard LED panels, HDR washes out the image.Brightness AdjustmentSliderPersonal preferenceAdjust until dark areas are visible without washing out bright surfaces.1313HDR Calibration1414If your display supports HDR and you choose to enable it, Crimson Desert provides an in-game calibration tool. Proper calibration is essential because incorrect settings cause washed-out colors or crushed blacks.1616Enable HDR in the Video settings.Follow the on-screen calibration prompt. Raise the brightness slider until the test symbol is just barely visible, then stop.If the symbol disappears entirely, you have gone too far. Pull the slider back down.For a 1,000-nit display, aim for a paper-white brightness around 200 nits. For a 2,000-nit display, target 280 to 300 nits.1818Recommended peak brightness values vary by display type. The table below provides starting points for common panels.2020Display TypePeak Brightness RangeRecommended Paper WhiteLG OLED (C2/C3/C4)700 to 800 nits~200 nitsSamsung OLED (S90/S95)600 to 1,000 nits~200 to 220 nitsHigh-end FALD (1,500+ nits)1,500 to 2,000 nits~280 to 300 nitsStandard LED300 to 500 nitsLeave HDR off2222Standard HDR10 is more reliable than HDR10+ in the current build. If HDR10+ causes visual artifacts or appears locked, switch to standard HDR.2323Upscaling Technologies2525Upscaling renders the game at a lower internal resolution and reconstructs a higher-resolution image using AI. Crimson Desert supports NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. Choosing the right upscaling mode is critical because the BlackSpace Engine's lighting sample count depends on the render resolution, not the output resolution. This means aggressive upscaling produces noticeably noisier and blurrier lighting compared to other games.2727SettingOptionsRecommendedNotesUpscale ModeNVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, OffDLSS 4.0 (NVIDIA) or FSR (AMD)DLSS 4.0 produces cleaner results than DLSS 4.5 in this title. If you have an NVIDIA GPU, prefer DLSS 4.0 specifically. AMD users should use the latest FSR available.Upscale ResolutionQuality, Balanced, PerformanceQualityQuality mode preserves lighting detail best. Drop to Balanced only if you cannot maintain your target frame rate. Avoid Performance mode if possible, as it causes noticeably noisier lighting.Frame GenerationOn, OffOff (until stable base FPS)Frame Generation inserts interpolated frames to boost perceived smoothness. Only enable it after your base render FPS is already stable. Enabling it on an unstable baseline causes stuttering.NVIDIA Reflex / AMD Anti-LagOn, OffOnReduces input latency with no performance cost. Always leave this enabled.2929If you have a powerful GPU (RTX 5070 Ti or above at 1440p, RTX 5080 or above at 4K), consider playing at native resolution with DLAA (DLSS at native resolution) for the cleanest image quality, since upscaling degrades the image more in Crimson Desert than in most titles.3030Ray Tracing and Ray Reconstruction3232The BlackSpace Engine is designed around ray tracing. Unlike many games where ray tracing is an expensive add-on, Crimson Desert's ray tracing carries only a 3 to 4 FPS cost and may actually run faster with RT enabled in some scenes. This is because the engine's fallback path (without RT) is not heavily optimized. Leaving ray tracing on is recommended for all supported hardware.3434SettingOptionsRecommendedNotesRay TracingOn, OffOnMinimal FPS cost (3 to 4 frames). Disabling it does not provide the expected performance boost and may even reduce FPS slightly.Ray Reconstruction (NVIDIA)On, OffOff (for most users)An AI denoiser that dramatically cleans up the image but costs 40 to 50% FPS at native resolutions above 1080p. When enabled, Lighting Quality is forced to Max. Best paired with DLSS Performance mode. Note: a known bug causes rain to disappear visually when enabled.Ray Regeneration (AMD)On, OffOff (for most users)AMD's equivalent AI denoiser. Similar performance cost to Ray Reconstruction. Enable only on high-end AMD hardware (RX 9070 XT or above) paired with FSR Performance mode.3636If you have a high-end GPU and want the absolute cleanest image, enabling Ray Reconstruction or Ray Regeneration with DLSS/FSR Performance mode produces the best visual quality in the game, with the AI denoiser completely eliminating the lighting noise that plagues indoor environments. However, this combination is extremely demanding and requires at least an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT.3737Graphics Quality Settings3939Crimson Desert offers six graphics presets (Minimum, Low, Medium, High, Ultra, Cinematic) plus a Max option for Lighting Quality specifically. The most important insight for optimization is that Lighting Quality is the single most impactful setting in the entire menu. It controls global illumination resolution, indirect lighting quality, and reflection fidelity. All other settings have comparatively modest performance impact.4141Graphics Presets Overview4343PresetFPS Impact vs. CinematicVisual QualityBest ForLow+14%Noticeable visual downgradeEntry-level hardware (GTX 1060 / RX 6500 XT)Medium+21%Decent visuals with reduced detailBudget builds targeting 60 FPS at 1080pHigh+10 to 15%Good visual qualityMid-range builds at 1080p or 1440pUltra+9 to 10%Near-Cinematic with cleaner noiseUpper mid-range to high-end buildsCinematicBaselineHighest standard presetHigh-end systems (RTX 4080+ / RX 7900 XTX+)4545There is almost no performance difference between Ultra, High, and Medium for most individual settings except Lighting Quality and Model Quality. For this reason, setting individual options to Ultra while keeping Lighting Quality at Ultra (rather than Cinematic or Max) is often the best approach.4646Individual Settings Breakdown4848The table below lists every individual graphics setting with its available options, recommended value, and optimization notes.5050SettingOptionsRecommendedPerformance ImpactLighting QualityHigh, Ultra, Cinematic, MaxUltraVery High. The single most important setting. Ultra gains 9 to 10% FPS over Cinematic with clean visual quality. Max costs ~36% FPS compared to Cinematic and actually increases noise artifacts. Only use Max when paired with Ray Reconstruction.Model QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraHighHigh. Combined with Lighting Quality, going from Cinematic to Medium on both yields ~20% FPS gain. High offers a good balance.Texture QualityLow, Medium, High, Ultra, CinematicVRAM-dependentLow (VRAM-bound only). Set based on available VRAM: 6 GB = Low/Medium, 8 to 10 GB = High, 12 GB+ = Ultra/Cinematic. Does not affect FPS unless VRAM is exceeded.Shadow QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraUltraLow to Moderate. Small FPS gain from Cinematic to Ultra. Shadows contribute significantly to visual realism in an open-world game.Reflection QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraUltraLow. Dropping below Cinematic causes noticeable visual degradation that is not worth the small FPS gain.Water QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraUltraVery Low. Essentially free in performance terms. Keep at Ultra or Cinematic.Foliage DensityMedium, High, UltraHighModerate. Drop to Medium for extra FPS headroom in dense forests. This is a good setting to reduce if you need a few more frames.Volumetric Fog QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraHighModerate. Dropping from Ultra to High gives a meaningful FPS gain with minimal visual loss, especially during foggy weather.Effect QualityLow, Medium, High, CinematicCinematicLow. Minimal FPS impact. Keep at Cinematic unless you are on very low-end hardware.Simulation QualityLow, Medium, High, UltraCinematicLow. Controls physics and cloth simulation detail. The visual difference is subtle but noticeable on characters.Post-Processing QualityLow, Medium, High, CinematicCinematicVery Low. Tiny FPS return when reduced. Keep at Cinematic.Advanced Weather EffectsOn, OffOnLow. Adds volumetric clouds and dynamic weather. Not a major performance cost on most hardware.5252Recommended PC Configurations5353The following presets are tuned for specific hardware tiers based on community benchmarks and optimization guides. All assume native resolution with appropriate upscaling. For official hardware requirements, see System Requirements.5555Entry-Level (1080p / 30 FPS)5757Target hardware: GTX 1060, RX 6500 XT, Ryzen 5 2600X, or Intel Core i5-8500. 16 GB RAM.5959SettingValueUpscale ModeDLSS/FSR Balanced or PerformanceLighting QualityHighModel QualityLowTexture QualityLow to MediumShadow QualityMediumRay TracingOffReflection QualityLowWater QualityMediumFoliage DensityMediumVolumetric Fog QualityLowEffect QualityMediumSimulation QualityLowPost-Processing QualityMediumAdvanced Weather EffectsOffBlur Intensity0Frame GenerationOff6161Mid-Range (1080p / 60 FPS or 1440p / 30 FPS)6262Target hardware: RTX 2080, RX 6700 XT, Ryzen 5 5600, or Intel Core i5-11600K. 16 GB RAM.6464SettingValueUpscale ModeDLSS/FSR QualityLighting QualityUltraModel QualityHighTexture QualityHighShadow QualityHighRay TracingOnReflection QualityHighWater QualityUltraFoliage DensityHighVolumetric Fog QualityHighEffect QualityCinematicSimulation QualityUltraPost-Processing QualityCinematicAdvanced Weather EffectsOnBlur Intensity0Frame GenerationOff6666High-End (1440p / 60 FPS)6868Target hardware: RTX 4070, RX 7700 XT, or better. 32 GB RAM recommended.7070SettingValueUpscale ModeDLSS/FSR Quality or DLAA (native)Lighting QualityUltraModel QualityHighTexture QualityUltraShadow QualityUltraRay TracingOnReflection QualityUltraWater QualityUltraFoliage DensityUltraVolumetric Fog QualityHighEffect QualityCinematicSimulation QualityCinematicPost-Processing QualityCinematicAdvanced Weather EffectsOnBlur Intensity0Frame GenerationOn (if base FPS is stable)7272Ultra / 4K (4K / 60 FPS)7373Target hardware: RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, RX 9070 XT, or better. 32 GB RAM. SSD required.7575SettingValueUpscale ModeDLAA or DLSS QualityLighting QualityCinematicModel QualityUltraTexture QualityCinematicShadow QualityUltraRay TracingOnRay Reconstruction / Ray RegenerationOn (with DLSS/FSR Performance)Reflection QualityUltraWater QualityUltraFoliage DensityUltraVolumetric Fog QualityUltraEffect QualityCinematicSimulation QualityCinematicPost-Processing QualityCinematicAdvanced Weather EffectsOnBlur Intensity0Frame GenerationOn7777Console Settings (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S)7878Crimson Desert on consoles offers three graphics modes. For a detailed technical breakdown, see Console Performance.8080ModeResolutionFrame RateRay TracingNotesPerformance1080p60 FPSLimitedMost noticeable environmental pop-in and reduced character detail. Frame rate can be unstable in dense areas.Balanced1440p40 FPSModerateThe recommended mode for most players. Visual quality is much closer to Quality mode than Performance mode, with significantly reduced pop-in.QualityUpscaled 4K30 FPSHighBest visual fidelity. Minimized pop-in. Best for cinematic exploration and cutscenes rather than combat.8282Recommended: Balanced mode. The 40 FPS target with 1440p resolution hits the sweet spot between visual quality and responsive gameplay. Combat in Crimson Desert benefits from the higher frame rate compared to Quality mode's 30 FPS, while the visual difference from Quality mode is minimal.8383PS5 Pro8585PS5 Pro outputs native or upscaled 4K across all three modes. Performance mode on PS5 Pro achieves 60 FPS at 4K with high ray tracing enabled, making it the best console experience available.8787PS5 Resolution Fix8989Some PS5 users report blurry visuals caused by a resolution rendering bug. To fix this:9191Go to PS5 system settings (not the in-game settings).Navigate to Screen and Video, then select Video Output.Disable the 120Hz Output option.Restart the game.9393This forces the console to render at the correct internal resolution for the selected graphics mode. The bug does not affect gameplay on Xbox Series X|S.9595Console Display Settings9797SettingRecommendedNotesPresetBalancedBest balance of visuals and frame rate.Contrast50Default value. Adjust to taste.HDROff (unless OLED/FALD)Only enable on OLED or full-array local dimming displays. Standard LED TVs produce a washed-out image with HDR enabled.V-SyncOn (base consoles), Off (PS5 Pro with VRR)V-Sync prevents tearing on base consoles. PS5 Pro with VRR can disable it for lower latency.BrightnessPersonal preferenceAdjust until dark caves are visible without washing out outdoor scenes.9999Fixing Visual Noise and Artifacts100100The most common visual complaint about Crimson Desert is noise (grain-like artifacts), particularly in indoor environments and shaded areas. This is caused by the stochastic path tracing system, which uses random sampling to calculate lighting. The following settings minimize noise without destroying performance.102102Set Lighting Quality to Ultra, not Max. Max paradoxically increases noise in many indoor areas. Ultra and Cinematic offer the cleanest noise-to-quality compromise.Set Blur Intensity to 0. This removes temporal blur that can amplify the appearance of noise, giving a cleaner overall image.Keep Ray Tracing enabled. The engine is built around ray tracing, and disabling it can introduce different types of visual artifacts.Avoid aggressive upscaling. Use Quality upscaling or native resolution. Performance and Balanced upscaling modes reduce the lighting sample count, which directly increases visible noise.Consider Ray Reconstruction (NVIDIA) or Ray Regeneration (AMD) if you have high-end hardware. These AI denoisers eliminate noise almost completely but at a steep 40 to 50% FPS cost.Set Depth of Field to Off. Disabling depth of field removes the artificial blur around focal points, which can obscure noise patterns and make the overall image feel sharper.104104Controls and Camera Settings106106For a complete list of keybinds and controls, see the Controls article. For a comparison of input methods, see Mouse and Keyboard or Controller.108108Controller vs. Keyboard and Mouse110110Crimson Desert is designed primarily as a controller game, and most players (including PC players) find the experience better with a gamepad. The combat system relies heavily on directional inputs, combos, and analog movement that map more naturally to analog sticks. However, ranged combat with the bow is more precise with a mouse. If you play primarily as an archer, mouse and keyboard may be preferable.112112Camera Settings114114SettingRecommendedNotesCamera SensitivityPersonal preferenceStart at the default and adjust. Combat demands faster camera movement to track agile enemies, while exploration benefits from smoother panning.Camera Acceleration100Setting Camera Acceleration to 100 makes the camera respond immediately to stick or mouse input, which significantly improves the feel of both combat and exploration. Lower values introduce a ramp-up delay.Camera Auto-CenteringSoft or OffHard auto-centering fights against manual input during combat. Set to Soft or Off for better manual control.Invert Camera X-AxisPersonal preferenceToggle based on your preferred control scheme.Invert Camera Y-AxisPersonal preferenceToggle based on your preferred control scheme.Camera Shake Intensity0Found in Accessibility settings. Reducing or disabling camera shake improves visibility during intense combat encounters.116116Mouse Settings (PC)117117For mouse and keyboard players, a DPI of 800 to 1,200 with an in-game sensitivity of 3 to 4 provides a good starting point. If you find yourself overshooting targets during bow aiming, lower the sensitivity further. Set horizontal sensitivity slightly higher than vertical for smoother camera panning during exploration.119119Recommended Keybind Changes122122The default keyboard layout works for most players, but the following remaps are popular in the community:124124ActionDefault KeySuggested RemapReasonLock-OnCaps LockTabTab is easier to reach during combat without moving your hand off WASD.Axiom ForceTabRIf Lock-On is moved to Tab, Axiom Force needs a new home. R is intuitive for an ability activation key.EvadeAltMouse 5 (side button)Moving evade to a mouse button keeps your left hand free for movement during dodge rolls.126126To rebind keys on PC, open the pause menu, go to Others, select Options, then Settings, and navigate to the Input section. At the bottom is the Shortcuts and Input Settings option, which opens the Key Mapping panel.127127Console controller remapping: Crimson Desert does not support in-game controller remapping on PlayStation or Xbox. DualSense Edge and Xbox Elite Controller users can remap inputs through their respective controller software. Steam users can remap controller inputs through Steam Input.129129Controller Stick Settings131131SettingRecommendedNotesVibration IntensityPersonal preferenceHaptic feedback adds immersion but can be distracting in long play sessions. Some players prefer reduced vibration during combat for better focus.Adaptive Triggers (PS5)Personal preferenceAdds resistance to L2/R2 for bow drawing and heavy attacks. Immersive but can cause finger fatigue over time.133133Accessibility Settings134134Crimson Desert includes several accessibility options that can also benefit competitive players. These settings are found in the Settings menu under Accessibility and Gameplay.136136SettingOptionsRecommendedNotesSimplified Combo ModeOn, OffOff (experienced), On (new players)Reduces multi-button simultaneous inputs to sequential single presses. Makes combo execution much easier at the cost of slightly lower damage output. Excellent for players new to action-combat systems or anyone with motor accessibility needs.Auto Lock-OnOn, OffOnAutomatically locks onto the nearest enemy when entering combat. Saves you from pressing the Lock-On button repeatedly. Disable only if you need precise manual target selection in multi-enemy encounters.Toggle SprintOn, OffOnChanges sprint from hold-to-run to a toggle. Sprint stays active until you press the button again. Saves finger fatigue during long exploration sessions and is recommended for all players.Camera Shake Intensity0 to 1000Setting to 0 eliminates screen shake during combat, explosions, and heavy attacks. Improves clarity and reduces motion sickness.Blur Intensity0 to 1000Setting to 0 removes motion blur entirely. Produces a cleaner, sharper image that improves visibility during fast combat movement.Depth of FieldOn, OffOffDisabling depth of field removes artificial blur around the focus, providing better visibility of the full scene during exploration and combat.Particle Effects Quality0 to 100100 (visuals), 50 (clarity)Controls the density of particle effects during combat. Reducing this can improve visibility in chaotic fights at the cost of visual spectacle.Display BloodOn, OffPersonal preferenceToggles blood effects during combat. Disabling reduces visual clutter but removes an immersive element.138138UI and HUD Settings139139Crimson Desert offers several options to customize the user interface. For a full guide to HUD elements, see HUD Explained.141141SettingOptionsRecommendedNotesUI SizeSliderPersonal preferenceScale the entire UI up or down based on your screen size and viewing distance.UI HUD SizeSliderPersonal preferenceSeparately adjusts the size of in-game HUD elements like health bars, minimap, and quest markers.Subtitle Font SizeSliderPersonal preferenceIncrease for better readability, especially on larger screens where you sit far from the display.3D Node Info in the MapOn, OffOnShows 3D point-of-interest markers when viewing the map. Helps with navigation and finding quest objectives.Display Companion AccessoriesOn, Off (per companion)OnToggles the visual display of accessories on Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka individually. Purely cosmetic.143143Audio Settings144144Audio settings are straightforward. The game offers separate volume sliders for each audio channel.146146SettingOptionsRecommendedMaster VolumeSliderPersonal preferenceSound Effects VolumeSliderPersonal preferenceMusic VolumeSliderPersonal preferenceDialogue VolumeSliderConsider raising slightly above default to hear NPC dialogue clearly during combatNight ModeOn, OffOff (default). Enable to compress the dynamic range for late-night play with thin walls or sleeping housemates.148148Language Settings149149SettingNotesGame LanguageControls the text language for menus, subtitles, and UI elements.Voiced LanguageControls the spoken dialogue language. Can be set independently of the game language, allowing you to play with Korean voice acting and English subtitles, for example.151151System Optimization Tips152152Beyond in-game settings, the following system-level optimizations can improve performance.154154Install on an SSD. Crimson Desert's open world streams assets constantly. An SSD significantly reduces texture pop-in and loading times. The game requires 150 GB of storage.Update GPU drivers. NVIDIA recommends driver 595.79 or later. AMD recommends driver 25.9.2 or later. Intel Arc GPUs are currently unsupported.Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling. Found in Windows Settings under System, then Display, then Graphics. This can reduce latency and improve frame pacing.Close background applications. Disable startup apps consuming system resources, especially web browsers, streaming software, and RGB control utilities.Set Windows power plan to High Performance. Ensures the CPU does not throttle during demanding scenes.Enable Resizable BAR / Smart Access Memory. If your motherboard and GPU support it, enabling this in BIOS can improve performance by 3 to 5% in some scenarios.156156Quick Optimization Priority158158If you need to squeeze out more FPS, adjust settings in this order (highest impact first):160160Lighting Quality: Drop from Cinematic/Max to Ultra. This is the single biggest performance lever in the game.Upscale Resolution: Move from Quality to Balanced. Trades some image clarity for significant FPS gains.Foliage Density: Drop to Medium. Reduces the rendering load in dense forest areas.Volumetric Fog Quality: Drop to High. Noticeable gain with minimal visual loss.Model Quality: Drop to High or Medium. Reduces polygon count on distant objects.Frame Generation: Enable after the above changes if your base FPS is stable. Adds perceived smoothness.Shadow Quality: Drop to High. Small but measurable FPS gain.Advanced Weather Effects: Turn off. Removes volumetric clouds and dynamic weather particles.162162Common Issues and Fixes164164IssueCauseFixBlurry image indoorsAggressive upscaling reduces lighting samplesUse Quality upscaling or native resolution. Keep Ray Tracing on. Set Blur Intensity to 0.Excessive noise/grainLighting Quality set too high (Max) or upscaling too aggressiveSet Lighting Quality to Ultra. Use Quality upscaling. Consider Ray Reconstruction with DLSS Performance mode on high-end hardware.Rain visually disappearsKnown bug with Ray ReconstructionDisable Ray Reconstruction if rain effects are important to you.Stuttering with Frame GenerationBase render FPS too low or unstableDisable Frame Generation. Optimize base settings first, then re-enable once stable.Broken rain effects with FSR 4Known FSR 4 bugSwitch to DLSS if available, or use an older FSR version.Object pop-inVRAM optimization for lower-end hardwareThis is noticeable even at maximum settings. Use an SSD and set Texture Quality based on your available VRAM to minimize it.PS5 blurry resolution120Hz Output resolution bugGo to PS5 system settings, Screen and Video, Video Output, and disable 120Hz Output. Restart the game.HDR washed outDisplay does not support HDR properlyDisable HDR unless using an OLED or high-quality FALD panel. Use the in-game HDR calibration tool if keeping it enabled.166166Tips167167Check out the Beginner Guide and Essential Tips and Tricks for gameplay advice beyond settings optimization.The Combat System article covers combat mechanics that may influence your camera and accessibility settings choices.Enabling Toggle Sprint and Auto Lock-On is recommended for all players, regardless of skill level. They reduce repetitive inputs without removing player agency.If you are new to action RPGs, Simplified Combo Mode is worth trying. The damage reduction is minor, and you can always disable it later as you get comfortable with the combat system.On PC, DLSS 4.0 specifically (not 4.5) produces the best results in Crimson Desert. Check your NVIDIA driver version to confirm which DLSS version is active.Fullscreen mode provides measurably lower input lag than Borderless on PC. If you do not need to alt-tab frequently, always prefer Fullscreen.
