Last Epoch settings optimization guide: Best settings for performance and visuals

Even if you meet the recommended system requirements, a cursory Last Epoch settings optimization test run should be in order before you start playing patch 1.0. The game might be running fine on your end - but are you squeezing out all the FPS you can? With the release of patch 1.0 for Last Epoch, the performance got better out of the box, which is even more commendable given how the lighting system has improved.

Nevertheless, a few users are reportedly still facing lag spikes and other performance issues after the release of 1.0. This Last Epoch settings optimization guide provides a breakdown of what each setting does and what you can do to improve performance without affecting the visuals.

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Last Epoch settings optimization guide: Best settings for FPS and visuals

There is a huge jump in quality from low to medium in Last Epoch (Image via Eleventh Hour Games)

If you play online, ensure you do not have connectivity issues. Many Last Epoch error codes, stuttering, and latency issues can be traced back to connectivity.

Here are the graphical settings available within the game:

• Master Quality does not matter since we will be customizing individual options with this Last Epoch settings optimization guide.
• Display Mode: Borderless Windowed. Given how this is an ARPG, you may need to alt-tab to your browser to refer to a Last Epoch build guide sometimes.
• Brightness: Medium or High. This should depend on your monitor's default gamma settings.
• Vertical Sync: Off. Use your graphic driver's in-built V-Sync instead.
• Limit FPS: Yes. This should be generally set to your monitor's refresh rate, as spare FPS after that does not give you anything.
• Limit Background FPS: Yes. Set this to 15 if you use Fullscreen and 30 if you use Borderless Fullscreen.
• Shadow Quality: Very High or Medium. Known to be the biggest performance hog, this should not be set to anything over Medium if you do not get consistent 60 FPS. Very High shadow quality brings crisp shadow texture and shadow cascade, while Medium still retains some degree of looks while granting some performance overhead.
• Detail Shadows: Enabled. Contrary to what it says, it does not affect performance much in most areas.
• Textures: Medium. This scales the texture resolution used for all things, from characters to particles. The biggest jump in visuals here is going from Low to Medium. If you play on a 4K monitor, you should go for High instead.
• Anti-Aliasing: TAA. The tradeoff is a 'softened' look on your character, but in return, you get almost no jagged edges in the game.
• Grass Density: Full. Does not affect performance much.
• Reflections: Medium. There is not much perceptible improvement in quality beyond this.
• Ambient Occlusion: Medium preset covers everything that AO has to offer.
• Volumetric Lighting: Medium.
• SSR: Medium. Thus far, it has not been used much in the game, meaning there is not much point in revving it up. However, this Last Epoch setting optimization is subject to change if further graphical updates come along.
• Terrain Quality: High. You will be looking at the ground a lot.

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Settings to turn down if you are getting low FPS in Last Epoch

If the game doesn't run properly, the following Last Epoch settings optimization should do the trick:

• Set Shadow Quality to Very Low
• Disable Detailed Shadows
• Set Ambient Occlusion to Very Low
• Set Terrain Quality to Medium

This will stabilize FPS while still letting the game retain its intended graphical potential.

The issue may be related to your connection if stuttering occurs even after these Last Epoch settings optimizations. It could also be a server-end problem, so you should always check the Last Epoch server status before a long play session.

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Check out our other guides on this game:

Last Epoch mastery tier list || Last Epoch tier list for leveling || 5 beginner tips for your first playthrough in Last Epoch || 5 best builds to try in Last Epoch 1.0