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Borderlands 4 PC Performance Guide: Official Gearbox Fixes

Last Updated: October 20, 2025

Borderlands 4 PC performance guide cover image, showcasing a Vault Hunter in action with a focus on optimization settings.

The explosive, highly-anticipated launch of Borderlands 4 on September 12, 2025, has been a whirlwind of chaotic joy and, for many PC players, technical frustration. While the return to the looter-shooter universe has been praised, widespread reports of inconsistent frame rates, traversal stuttering, and other performance hitches have marred the experience for a significant portion of the PC community. In a swift and transparent response, developer Gearbox Software has published a comprehensive official PC optimization guide, aiming to help Vault Hunters fine-tune their rigs for a smoother journey on the new planet of Kairos.

This guide is an essential first step, acknowledging the launch week challenges and demonstrating Gearbox's commitment to ensuring the game runs as intended across the vast spectrum of PC hardware.

The Problem: Diagnosing the Performance Bottlenecks

The diversity of PC hardware is a double-edged sword, offering incredible power but creating complex optimization challenges. For a visually dense and action-packed title like Borderlands 4, stable performance is critical. Following the launch, player feedback across platforms like Reddit and Steam forums pointed to several recurring issues, even on high-end systems that far exceed the game's recommended specs.

Common complaints include severe FPS drops during intense firefights with multiple particle effects, noticeable stuttering when entering new zones or loading assets on the fly, and unexpectedly high CPU usage. These problems suggest potential bottlenecks in shader compilation and asset streaming, which are common culprits in modern Unreal Engine titles. Gearbox's guide directly addresses these pain points.

Gearbox's Official Fixes: A Deep Dive into the Optimization Guide

Gearbox's guide is more than a simple FAQ; it's a detailed manual for tailoring the Borderlands 4 experience to your specific hardware. It provides clarity on which settings have the most significant performance impact, allowing players to make informed decisions. Here are the key takeaways:

1. Critical Graphics Settings to Tweak:

The guide breaks down each graphics setting, but specifically flags a few as "high impact."

  • Volumetric Fog: This setting, while adding atmospheric depth, is identified as a major performance drain. Lowering it from 'Ultra' to 'Medium' can yield a significant FPS boost with minimal visual compromise.
  • Shadow Quality: As in many games, rendering high-resolution shadows is demanding. Gearbox recommends 'High' instead of 'Ultra' as a sweet spot for quality and performance.
  • Material and Texture Quality: While tempting to max out, these settings heavily impact VRAM usage. If you're experiencing stuttering, especially on GPUs with 8GB of VRAM or less, lowering textures from 'Ultra' to 'High' can smooth out asset streaming.

2. Leverage Upscaling Technology:

Borderlands 4 launched with support for the latest upscaling technologies. The guide strongly encourages their use.

  • NVIDIA DLSS & AMD FSR: Enabling either of these on a 'Quality' or 'Balanced' preset is one of the most effective ways to increase your frame rate. For RTX 40-series owners, DLSS 3 Frame Generation is a game-changer for hitting high refresh rates.
  • Resolution Scaling: If you don't have access to DLSS or FSR, using the in-game resolution scaler to drop to 90% or 85% can provide a noticeable performance uplift.

3. System-Level and Driver Updates:

Gearbox emphasizes out-of-game factors that are crucial for stability.

  • Update Your GPU Drivers: Both NVIDIA and AMD released Game Ready drivers specifically for Borderlands 4's launch. Installing these is non-negotiable, as they contain critical optimizations.
  • Disable Unnecessary Overlays: Overlays from applications like Discord, Steam, and others can sometimes conflict with the game's rendering process. The guide suggests disabling them as a troubleshooting step.
  • Manage Background Processes: Ensure demanding applications are closed before launching the game to free up CPU and RAM resources.

4. Understanding V-Sync and Frame Rate Caps:

The guide offers advice on achieving a more stable experience. If you're experiencing wild frame rate fluctuations, capping your FPS just below your monitor's refresh rate (e.g., 140 FPS on a 144Hz monitor) can provide a much smoother, more consistent feel, even if the average number is slightly lower.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Gearbox's rapid publication of this guide is a crucial move in maintaining community trust. In an industry where rocky PC launches are becoming increasingly common, addressing performance issues head-on—rather than with silence—is paramount. By providing players with expert, authoritative solutions directly from the development team, Gearbox empowers its community and shows respect for their investment. This proactive support mitigates frustration and reinforces the idea of a partnership between the developer and its players, assuring them that their concerns are being heard and acted upon.

Beyond the Guide: The Road to the First Performance Patch

While this optimization guide is an excellent immediate solution, it is the first step in a broader post-launch support plan. The data and feedback gathered from players attempting these fixes will be invaluable for the development team. The community's focus now shifts to the game's first major patch. It is expected that Gearbox will roll out updates in the coming weeks to address the root causes of these performance issues through code optimizations, improved shader compilation, and bug fixes.

For now, the official guide is the best tool players have. By following its recommendations, Vault Hunters can take control of their experience, minimize technical headaches, and get back to what matters most: looting, shooting, and enjoying the chaotic, vibrant world of Borderlands 4 with the fluid performance it was meant to have.