Cities Skylines 2 is a visually stunning city builder that really pushes the boundaries of graphical fidelity. However, all that eye candy comes at a cost – the game can be quite demanding on your PC’s hardware.
The good news is, with some tweaking of the graphics options, you can optimize Cities Skylines 2 to run at a smooth 60+ frames per second (FPS) or higher – even on mid-range systems.
In this guide, we’ll go over the key graphics settings you need to focus on to boost your FPS in Cities Skylines 2. We’ll also provide recommended settings for different PC configurations.
Follow these tips and you’ll be building huge, intricately detailed cities that run as smooth as butter.
Best Cities Skylines 2 Settings
Here is a table summarizing the recommended graphics settings for 60+ FPS in Cities Skylines 2:
| Setting | Entry Level 1080p | Mid-Range 1080p | High-End 1440p | Ultra 4K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | 3840 x 2160 |
| V-Sync | Off | Off | Off | Off |
| Max FPS | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Texture Quality | High | Very High | Very High | Ultra |
| Level of Detail | Medium | High | Very High | Ultra |
| Shadow Quality | Medium | High | Very High | Ultra |
| Reflection Quality | Medium | High | Very High | Ultra |
| Ambient Occlusion | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
| Anti-Aliasing | FXAA | SMAA | TAA | TAA |
| Motion Blur | Off | Off | On | On |
These settings are tailored for each tier to maximize FPS while preserving as much visual fidelity as possible. You may need to fine-tune based on your specific hardware configuration.
Tweaking Tips to Further Boost FPS
If you need even higher FPS or are running lower-end hardware, here are some additional tips:
Lower Resolution
- Dropping resolution to 720p or 900p can work wonders for FPS. Makes text harder to read but great for budget gaming rigs.
Disable VSync
- VSync caps FPS to monitor’s refresh rate. Disabling removes this limit for higher FPS. Can cause screen tearing.
Lower Texture Quality
- Try High textures instead of Very High/Ultra if VRAM limited. Difficult to notice quality loss during gameplay.
Reduce Level of Detail
- Lowering LOD to Medium or High reduces distant object complexity for better FPS.
Disable Ambient Occlusion
- Subtle lighting effect but disabling can gain 5-10 FPS.
Use FXAA Instead of TAA
- FXAA is less demanding anti-aliasing filter. TAA smoother but costs FPS.
Disable Motion Blur
- Not essential, so turning off gains FPS without affecting visuals much.
Cap Maximum FPS
- Limiting max FPS to 60 or 90 reduces GPU load if not reaching that threshold anyway.
Close Background Apps
- Free up RAM and CPU usage for the game by closing other programs.
Update Graphics Drivers
- Latest GPU drivers often boost performance in new games via optimizations.
Overclock your GPU
- If thermals allow, overclocking GPU can help stretch more performance.
Use these tips cautiously and test each setting to gauge impact on visuals versus FPS boost. A few tweaks combined can potentially gain you 15-20 FPS.
In Summary – October 24, 2023
With the right settings, attaining a smooth 60+ FPS experience in Cities Skylines 2 is possible even on mid-range hardware. Start with the recommended settings for your PC’s tier. Then fine-tune and tweak based on your specific components using the tips provided. This will get your city building gameplay feeling responsive with minimal stutters.
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