If Enlisted is stuttering, dropping below playable FPS, or crashing on PC, start with a clean DirectX 11 test, disable DX12 and ray-traced effects, lower terrain and shadows, verify the Steam files, and cap FPS below your monitor's refresh rate. That combination fixes the most common frame-time spikes while giving you a reliable baseline for finding the real bottleneck.
Enlisted is unusually demanding because every match can render soldiers, AI squads, destructible objects, smoke, vehicles, foliage, and long sightlines at once. A system that runs a small arena shooter smoothly can still hitch when a full infantry push collides with artillery and tank fire. The goal isn't simply a high average FPS; it's stable frame pacing during those heavy moments.
Start with a clean Enlisted PC performance baseline
Before changing fifteen settings at once, record what the game is doing. Launch a practice session or a quiet custom match, then test the same route for two minutes. Check your average FPS, the lowest one-percent result, GPU usage, CPU usage, GPU temperature, and VRAM usage with Steam's performance overlay, NVIDIA FrameView, AMD Adrenalin, or MSI Afterburner.
If GPU usage sits around 95-99% while FPS is low, your graphics card is the limit. Reduce resolution scale, terrain quality, shadows, reflections, and anti-aliasing. If GPU usage falls below roughly 85% during a hitch while one or two CPU threads are busy, the processor or game-thread workload is the problem. Lowering resolution won't fix that kind of stutter; reducing view distance, foliage, shadows, and effects is more useful.
Update Windows and install the current driver directly from the NVIDIA driver page or AMD support page. If the problem began immediately after a driver update, use a clean installation or roll back to the previous stable driver. Intel Arc owners should also install the latest Arc driver, since game-specific optimizations can matter.
Close browsers with video tabs, Discord overlays, RGB utilities, recording software, and hardware monitoring tools one at a time. Don't blindly disable every background process; identify which overlay causes the hitch. The Steam overlay, Xbox Game Bar, GeForce overlay, and Radeon recording layer can all compete with a game that is already streaming a large map.
Use these quick checks first
- Restart the PC after installing a GPU driver instead of relying on fast startup.
- Install Enlisted on an SSD. A mechanical hard drive can turn asset streaming into visible pauses.
- Leave at least 15 percent free space on the Windows and game drives.
- Set Windows power mode to Best Performance while testing.
- Disable overclocks temporarily, including XMP or EXPO, if crashes appear only in Enlisted.
- Run the official Enlisted news and support resources after major patches for known server or client issues.
Best Enlisted graphics settings for higher FPS
Use DirectX 11 as the first stability profile. DirectX 12 can improve consistency on some newer systems after shaders have settled, but it may produce compilation stutters or crashes on a marginal driver, especially after a major Enlisted update. Test DX12 only after DX11 is stable, and compare the same map rather than trusting the first match.
| Setting | Recommended value | FPS impact | Visual trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | Native, then 90% scale if needed | High | Lower scale softens distant soldiers and text |
| DirectX version | DX11 for testing | Medium | DX12 may improve some systems but can hitch while shaders compile |
| Terrain quality | Medium | High | Less terrain detail at long range |
| Shadows | Low or Medium | High | Sharper, shorter shadows disappear sooner |
| SSAO | Off or Low | Medium | Less contact shading around buildings and vehicles |
| Reflections | Low | Medium | Water and wet surfaces look flatter |
| Effects quality | Medium | Medium to High | Smoke, fire, and explosions lose detail |
| Anti-aliasing | Medium or the lowest acceptable option | Medium | More shimmer on fences and foliage |
| Foliage and view distance | Medium | CPU-sensitive | Less grass density and distant clutter |
| V-Sync | Off during testing | Variable | May introduce tearing, but removes sync latency |
Don't automatically set every option to Low. Enlisted's low preset can make vegetation and distant geometry distracting without solving a CPU bottleneck. A balanced profile usually keeps textures at High if your GPU has enough VRAM, while lowering shadows, terrain, foliage, and effects. Texture quality mostly consumes VRAM; it usually has a smaller FPS impact than shadows or resolution.
For a 60Hz display, cap the game at 60 FPS if your PC cannot hold 90 or 120 consistently. For 144Hz, a 100-120 FPS cap is often better than bouncing between 80 and 144. Use the in-game limiter first. If frame pacing still feels uneven, test an NVIDIA Control Panel or Radeon Chill cap a few frames below the target. A stable 90 FPS feels far better than a wild 150-to-55 swing.
How to stop stuttering during big Enlisted battles
Enlisted's worst hitches usually happen when the match suddenly loads new terrain, squad members, effects, or vehicle assets. That makes storage speed, shader compilation, CPU scheduling, and memory pressure more important than the FPS in an empty training area. Run the game from an SSD and avoid filling system memory with a browser, capture buffer, or virtual machine.
Shader stutter can be especially noticeable after changing APIs or installing a new driver. Let the game complete a few matches before judging a DX12 profile, but don't keep suffering through constant crashes. If the hitching began after switching to DX12, return to DX11 and clear the GPU shader cache through the driver control panel or Windows storage settings. The first run after clearing it may stutter again while shaders rebuild.
Windows Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling is worth testing, not assuming. It helps some modern NVIDIA and AMD systems but can worsen frame pacing on others. Toggle it, reboot, and repeat the same route. The same rule applies to Game Mode, Resizable BAR, Radeon Anti-Lag, NVIDIA Low Latency Mode, and third-party FPS limiters: change one variable, then measure.
What different stutters usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause | Best first fix | What not to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief hitch when entering a new area | Asset or shader streaming | SSD, stable driver, shader cache rebuild | Judge performance from the first match |
| FPS drops during smoke and explosions | Effects, shadows, or GPU load | Lower effects, SSAO, and shadows | Lower textures first without checking VRAM |
| Low GPU usage with uneven FPS | CPU or game-thread limit | Reduce foliage, view distance, and shadows | Only lower resolution |
| Periodic pauses every few seconds | Background app, drive, or memory pressure | Close overlays and check disk activity | Install random optimization tools |
| Micro-stutter after alt-tabbing | Fullscreen or overlay conflict | Try borderless and disable overlays | Keep repeatedly alt-tabbing during tests |
If you use a laptop, plug it into AC power and force Enlisted onto the dedicated GPU in Windows Graphics settings. Check temperatures while playing. A GPU or CPU that reaches its thermal limit can downclock, creating a repeating FPS pulse that looks like network lag. Clean blocked vents, raise the rear of the laptop, and use a sensible fan profile before lowering every visual setting.
Fix Enlisted crashes, freezes, and launch failures
Crashes after the launcher, during map loading, or when joining a match need a different approach from low FPS. First, verify the installation in Steam: Library, right-click Enlisted, Properties, Installed Files, then Verify integrity of game files. Steam's official instructions are available through its game file verification guide. This can replace corrupted archives after an interrupted update.
Next, disable all overlays and launch hooks. That includes Discord, Steam, Xbox Game Bar, NVIDIA ShadowPlay, AMD recording, RTSS, ReShade, and motherboard utilities. If Enlisted launches cleanly, re-enable them one at a time. Don't delete random folders from the installation directory; if a cache needs clearing, use the game's own launcher options, Windows temporary files, or the relevant GPU driver cache.
Crashes that mention an out-of-memory condition often mean VRAM or system RAM pressure rather than a weak average GPU. Keep textures below the card's available VRAM, close memory-heavy applications, and increase the Windows page file instead of disabling it. A system with 8GB of RAM is particularly vulnerable during large matches; 16GB is a much safer target, while 32GB gives background applications more breathing room.
For DXGI, device-removed, or driver-timeout errors, return GPU settings to stock, lower effects and reflections, and test DX11. Avoid unstable undervolts while diagnosing. If only one graphics API crashes, that strongly points toward a driver or API compatibility issue rather than a failing graphics card. If both APIs crash across multiple games, run a memory test and check temperatures, power connectors, and Windows Event Viewer.
Enlisted uses Easy Anti-Cheat, so repair or reinstall its service if the game reports an anti-cheat launch error. Run the launcher and game with normal permissions first; permanent administrator mode can create permission conflicts with overlays and protected folders. Windows Security exclusions should be used cautiously and only for a trusted official installation.
Stable settings for low-end, mid-range, and high-end PCs
There isn't one magic Enlisted preset because the game can be CPU-limited on a powerful GPU and GPU-limited on a modest laptop. Use the table below as a starting point, then adjust resolution and the CPU-heavy options separately. The listed targets are practical goals, not guarantees; map, weather, squad density, and the current game build all matter.
| PC class | Starting profile | Target cap | Priority adjustments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level 4-core CPU with GTX 1650 or RX 570 | 1080p, 75-90% scale, Low-Medium, DX11 | 45-60 FPS | Lower shadows, terrain, foliage, and effects first |
| Six-core CPU with RTX 2060 or RX 6600 | 1080p native, Medium-High, DX11 or tested DX12 | 60-90 FPS | Keep textures High; cap below refresh rate |
| Modern six/eight-core CPU with RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT | 1440p native, High, tested DX12 | 90-120 FPS | Reduce shadows and effects during large battles |
| High-end CPU with RTX 4070-class GPU or faster | 1440p High or 4K tuned, DX12 | 100-144 FPS | Use a frame cap and monitor one-percent lows |
On a low-end PC, don't chase Ultra textures if the card has limited VRAM. A sharper 1080p image with Medium textures and stable frame times is a better competitive setup than a blurry resolution scale paired with stuttery effects. On a high-end PC, the CPU can still become the wall when many AI-controlled soldiers occupy a tight objective. If lowering resolution changes nothing, turn down the CPU-sensitive settings instead.
For competitive visibility, keep enemy silhouettes clear: avoid excessively low resolution scaling, and don't lower foliage so far that the scene becomes visually inconsistent. Enlisted's squad system means you need to track multiple bodies, not just a single opponent. Stable frame pacing helps more with recoil control and target transitions than a screenshot-friendly peak FPS number.
Final diagnostic routine before you reinstall
Use this order when the problem refuses to disappear. First, reproduce it in the same map or training scenario. Second, record whether the GPU is fully loaded, whether one CPU thread is saturated, and whether temperatures or memory usage spike. Third, apply the DX11 balanced profile, cap FPS, disable overlays, and verify files. Only then should you experiment with DX12, driver features, or higher visual settings.
- Restart Windows and confirm Enlisted is installed on an SSD.
- Verify Steam files and install a clean, current GPU driver.
- Disable every overlay, capture tool, ReShade filter, and hardware overclock.
- Set DX11, native resolution or 90 percent scale, Medium terrain, Low-Medium shadows, and Medium effects.
- Cap FPS to a value your PC holds during smoke-heavy objective fights.
- Test a full match, not just the menu or tutorial.
- Change one setting at a time and write down the result.
If you want broader PC troubleshooting ideas, Steamoz's guides to ELEX crash and FPS fixes and EscapeVR: The Basement performance problems cover the same useful habits: isolate the bottleneck, verify files, and avoid piling on untested tweaks. You can also compare the storage and hardware approach in our Far Cry 2 PC specs guide.
Finally, report repeatable crashes through the official Enlisted support portal with your GPU, CPU, RAM amount, Windows version, driver version, graphics API, map, and crash timing. Include logs when requested. A useful report says “crashes when loading Normandy after changing to DX12,” not simply “game broken.” With a measured baseline and a sensible frame cap, most Enlisted PC stutter and low-FPS problems become manageable—and the remaining crash cases are much easier to prove and fix.