Optimizing Borderlands 4 for Better PC Performance

Borderlands 4 enthusiasts on PC can unlock a significantly improved gaming experience by fine-tuning their settings to balance performance with visual quality. Although the game is still grappling with performance hiccups, these strategic adjustments can help mitigate issues until future updates provide further stability improvements.

Optimized Settings for a Smoother Experience

To enhance your gameplay, consider employing the following recommended settings. The upscaling method should be set to DLSS for Nvidia GPU users, while AMD FSR or Intel XeSS is suited for non-Nvidia device owners, with upscaling quality set to balanced. Enable frame generation if possible, as it significantly boosts frame rates across the board. Other key adjustments include setting geometry quality, texture quality, and texturing streaming speed all to medium, along with anisotropic filtering quality at 2x. Lowering settings for foliage density, volumetric fog, and volumetric cloud can also make a noticeable difference, while maintaining medium levels for shadow quality and lighting quality.

Performance Insights and Tests

Our performance tests on a rig featuring an Intel Core i7-11700F and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 displayed distinct results across varying resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system achieved an average of 134 fps, though the 1% lows dipped to 51 fps. At 2560x1440, we noted an average of 126 fps with lows at 50 fps, while the more demanding 3840x2160 (4K) resolution still maintained an average of 85 fps, albeit with the lows at 33 fps. Notably, enabling frame generation markedly improved the 1% low frame rates. Despite these enhancements, players may continue to face persistent issues like stuttering and texture pop-ins, particularly in graphically intense zones.

Graphics and Accessibility Features

Borderlands 4 accommodates a range of graphics presets, namely Low, Medium, High, Very High, and Badass. However, players should be aware that the Badass preset does not automatically push every setting to its maximum potential, and switching between presets can induce asset streaming with a noticeable reloading of the game's world. In terms of accessibility, the title offers a comprehensive menu inclusive of subtitles, color and background options, colorblind settings, and input toggles, all adjustable during live gameplay.

Storage and Monitoring Requirements

For optimal performance, players need to ensure Borderlands 4 is housed on an SSD, with a requisite download size hovering around 100GB. To keep track of real-time performance metrics, Nvidia users can utilize GeForce Experience’s in-game overlay by pressing Alt+R, while AMD users can activate the Radeon overlay with Ctrl+Shift+O. Alternatively, tools such as CapFrameX or Nvidia FrameView can provide comprehensive benchmarking data, helping players fine-tune their settings for a seamless gaming journey.

Update: 23 Sep 2025