Since its recent launch, Borderlands 4 on PC has been criticized for its demanding performance and unstable behavior, a sentiment with which Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford has taken exception. Even with some cutting-edge hardware, getting the game to run acceptably on PC can be a struggle. However, several adjustments can dramatically alter your experience for the better.
Borderlands 4 is built on Unreal Engine 5, an engine that has itself developed a reputation for fundamental performance issues. The game uses the engine`s highest presets, leading to significant performance drawbacks. Hardware Unboxed has meticulously tested each of the game`s settings to identify which ones offer the most substantial performance gains. Their findings indicate that the most straightforward way to immediately boost performance is to reduce the game`s lighting setting. This specifically lessens the performance impact of Unreal Engine 5`s ray-traced lighting. As demonstrated in their analysis, in most scenarios, particularly with Borderlands 4`s distinct art direction, there`s minimal visual difference between the `Very High` and `Medium` lighting settings, yet performance can increase by over 25% when compared to the game`s highest preset.
An in-depth video guide on Borderlands 4 PC performance optimization.
While tweaking individual settings like shadow quality and volumetric cloud quality may offer less significant improvements on their own, their combined effect is impressive. By adopting Hardware Unboxed`s recommended settings, players can achieve an average frame rate improvement of over 50% with only a minor impact on the game`s overall visual presentation. This can be the crucial difference between a frustratingly choppy and a smoothly playable experience. Although Gearbox might not be able to resolve all the inherent issues of Unreal Engine 5, there are still avenues for the developer to enhance shader compilation to mitigate stutters and further fine-tune the engine settings exposed to players, ultimately bringing average performance to a more reasonable and enjoyable level.
Borderlands 4: A Brief Review Overview
Borderlands 4 represents the latest entry in the beloved looter-shooter series. This iteration successfully delivers engaging first-person action, a hallmark of the franchise, but it struggles to recapture its signature comedic flair. In a review that scored Borderlands 4 a 7/10, the conclusion was: “All in all, if uncovering loot, crafting builds, and unleashing chaotic mayhem is what you`re looking for, Borderlands 4 has you covered.”