Join the Discord! →

Join hundreds of racers just like you! We love to help answer questions and race together.


How to Lower Graphics for Better Fps in Iracing

Simple steps to lower graphics for better fps in iRacing. For iRacing beginners new to iRacing — improve frame rates and get smoother, more consistent sessions.

If the game stutters the moment you hit the track, you’re not broken — your settings probably are. Learning how to lower graphics for better fps in iRacing is the fastest way to make sessions smoother and more predictable without buying new hardware.

Quick Answer — how to lower graphics for better fps in iracing

Turn down or disable expensive visual features (shadows, reflections, render scale, resolution, and post-processing), use a frame limiter, and pick lower track/car detail. These changes raise FPS with minimal loss to driving cues.

Why this matters for iRacing beginners

New to iRacing? It’s tempting to chase photo-real visuals, but inconsistent FPS hurts lap times and makes feedback from the wheel/pedals noisy. Understanding how iRacing works at a basic level — that higher, stable FPS = smoother input and predictable physics — will get you faster quicker than eye candy.

Simple step-by-step guide

  1. Open iRacing and go to Options → Graphics.
  2. Set Render Scale to 100% or lower (95–80% improves FPS with little visual loss).
  3. Lower resolution if needed (try 1600×900 or 1280×720 for big gains on weak GPUs).
  4. Reduce or disable Shadows, Dynamic Reflections, and High-Res Textures.
  5. Turn off Motion Blur and Ambient Occlusion; set Anti-Aliasing to FXAA or off.
  6. Use the Graphics Framerate Limiter (or set iRacing to match your monitor’s refresh) to keep FPS steady.
  7. Test on track for a few laps and adjust one setting at a time.

(Each change is small — tweak, test, repeat. Don’t flip everything at once.)

Quick pro tips (calm, coach-like)

  • Lowering render scale is often the best tradeoff: big FPS gain, small visual hit.
  • Shadows and reflections cost a lot; drop them first.
  • Reduce crowd and spectator detail — they’re expensive but irrelevant to driving.
  • Make a profile per car/class if you switch between CPU/GPU heavy cars.
  • If your GPU is older, favor lower resolution over texture quality for bigger boosts.

FAQs (real beginner questions)

Q: Will lowering graphics change how the car handles?
A: No. Physics run independently from most graphics options; you’re only changing visuals and framerate.

Q: Should I lower settings globally or per car?
A: Start global, then create per-car profiles for classes that run slower or are GPU-heavy.

Q: What’s render scale vs resolution?
A: Resolution is the number of pixels. Render scale renders at a percentage of that resolution then up/downscales — it can give performance boosts with less blur than dropping resolution.

Q: Is V-Sync helpful?
A: V-Sync caps tearing but may add input lag. Prefer a frame limiter or G-SYNC/FreeSync if available.

Final takeaways + next step

Lowering graphics is about trade-offs: keep what helps you drive (clear visual cues) and cut what doesn’t. Next step: apply the step-by-step changes, run a short practice session, and note stability improvements. If you get stuck, friendly help is available — check iRacing Discord communities or forums for setup screenshots and advice from other iRacing beginners.

You don’t need top hardware to enjoy iRacing; you need sensible settings and a little testing.