How to Boost FPS on a Low-End PC: The Complete Guide

If your computer is not powerful enough to run the games you want, here is how you can get the maximum FPS in PC games on a low-end PC.

We all experience this frustration when we suffer from frame drops, stuttering and lag in the middle of a good game. In any shooter, whether you're competing for a round or just enjoying the stunning environments of an open-world game, a smooth framerate is key. If you are playing on a low-end PC or an older laptop, you may believe that you cannot achieve a high frame rate without spending thousands of dollars on brand new hardware. Luckily, that's not the case.

In this complete guide, we'll show you how to boost the FPS (Frames Per Second) of PC games. You can modify your operating system, fine-tune your graphics card, and tweak in-game settings to get the most out of your current system.

Understanding FPS and Its Significance in Gaming

FPS is the acronym for "Frames Per Second" — the number of frames (images) your graphics card can draw and display on your screen in one second. A higher FPS equates to smoother and more responsive gameplay.

The higher the FPS, the more competitive you'll be in fast-paced games. It cuts down on system latency — the time elapsed between your mouse click and what happens on screen is greatly reduced. If your game has low FPS (usually less than 30 frames per second), it will look choppy and feel slow, negatively affecting your gaming experience.

Finding Your Current FPS

You can't optimize your system unless you know how it performs before any changes. This lets you verify that the tweaks you make are actually improving your FPS.

Most games nowadays come with a setting that lets you view an FPS counter in the menu. If this isn't available in the game itself, you can find tools on platforms like Steam — enable the "In-game FPS counter" under Steam settings, in the "In-Game" tab. Alternatively, get real-time performance monitoring with free third-party software such as MSI Afterburner or the NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlay.

Optimize Windows for Gaming

There are dozens of background processes in Windows that can consume your computer's resources. Optimizing Windows for gaming purposes can help free up CPU and RAM for your games.

• Turn on Windows Game Mode: Windows 10 and Windows 11 come with a built-in "Game Mode" designed specifically to enhance gaming performance. Game Mode shuts down background app activity and prevents Windows from performing background updates, freeing up more system resources for the game you're playing. Turn it on by pressing the Windows key, typing "Game Mode," and toggling the switch to "On."
• Switch to a High-Performance Power Plan: Windows saves energy using the "Balanced" power plan by default, which restricts your CPU's maximum clock speed. To get the highest FPS, configure Windows to avoid power savings. Go to Control Panel → "Hardware and Sound" → "Power Options," and select "High Performance" or "Ultimate Performance." If you're playing on a laptop, keep it plugged in, as battery power significantly reduces gaming performance.

Update Your Graphics Card (GPU) Driver

Your Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is the most important component for gaming. The best way to get maximum FPS is to make sure it's running optimally.

Both NVIDIA and AMD regularly release driver updates with performance optimizations for the latest games. Old drivers can seriously limit your frame rate. Use NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Radeon Software, and check for updates regularly — installing the latest driver is often the quickest way to gain an FPS boost.

Optimize NVIDIA Control Panel / AMD Radeon Settings: You can make your graphics card render at lower quality in favor of raw performance, directly through its control panel. NVIDIA users: Right-click the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel. Choose "Adjust image settings with preview" and "Use my preference emphasizing: Performance." Then go to "Manage 3D settings" and select "Prefer maximum performance" under "Power management mode." AMD users: Open AMD Radeon Software, click the Gaming tab, and choose the "Esports" or "Standard" profile. Enable features like Radeon Boost, which dynamically reduces resolution during fast movement to boost FPS.

Adjust In-Game Graphics Settings

If you own a low-end PC, avoid playing the latest games in "Ultra" mode. The most noticeable FPS gains come from reducing graphics settings within the game itself.

• Lower your resolution: Resolution is the single biggest factor in gaming performance. Try reducing it from 1080p (1920x1080) to 900p or 720p. The game won't look as sharp, but your GPU will have far fewer pixels to render — resulting in a major FPS boost.
• Disable V-Sync: V-Sync (Vertical Sync) matches your game's frame rate to your monitor's refresh rate to prevent screen tearing. However, it can introduce input lag and artificially cap your FPS. Turn it off in the game's display settings if you're experiencing low frame rates.
• Turn down shadows and anti-aliasing: Shadows and anti-aliasing are the most GPU-intensive settings after resolution. Shadows: Dynamic shadows are very demanding on the GPU. Reducing them to "Low" or turning them off entirely can save a significant amount of processing power. Anti-Aliasing (AA): This softens the sharp edges of 3D shapes and is processor-intensive. Reduce to FXAA (the most basic option) or turn it off to improve performance.
• Close background applications and free up RAM: Games need a lot of RAM to load textures and assets. If you have a web browser like Chrome open with lots of tabs, it's eating into RAM your game needs. Before launching a game, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), check the "Processes" tab, and close unnecessary software — browsers, music players, chat apps. Less RAM and CPU usage means higher FPS.

Hardware Upgrades and Maintenance for Low-End PCs

After making all the software tweaks you can, if you're still not seeing the framerate you want, it may be time to check your physical hardware.

Keep your PC clean to prevent thermal throttling: When CPU and GPU temperatures rise too high, they automatically reduce their speed to avoid damage — this is called thermal throttling, and it causes significant FPS loss. Overheating is often caused by dust buildup inside your PC case. Open the case and carefully clean dust from fans and heatsinks with compressed air. A cooler system performs better.

Consider a cost-effective upgrade: If you're on a tight budget, you don't need to buy an entirely new machine. Two simple upgrades can breathe new life into an old system.

• RAM — if you're still running 8GB, upgrading to 16GB is affordable and makes a massive difference in reducing stutters in modern games.
• SSD — switching from an old Hard Drive (HDD) to an SSD won't significantly boost your average FPS, but it eliminates "hitching" and dramatically shortens game loading times.

Conclusion

Achieving the best FPS on a low-spec PC comes down to a mix of software tweaks, driver updates, and system maintenance. Optimize your Windows settings, reduce shadows and resolution in-game, and always keep your graphics drivers updated. Happy gaming!

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