BioShock Infinite — How to Fix "Stuttering and microstutter"
Stuttering and microstutter in BioShock Infinite: the fix path, and when it is grounds for a refund.
Last updated 2026-09-25 · evergreen reference
If BioShock Infinite is failing with "Stuttering and microstutter", this page tells you which fixes are worth your time and when you should stop troubleshooting and go to the store instead. The causes are specific, so the fixes are too.
What the error looks like
Confirm you are dealing with the same failure.
Recognising "Stuttering and microstutter"
The game runs at a reasonable average frame rate but hitches constantly, with texture quality stuck at very low or textures that visibly reload over and over.
Why it happens
The cause determines the fix.
Cause 1
Texture pool misconfiguration. When the game misdetects your video memory it restricts texture quality to Very Low and Low, and on some systems Very High or Ultra causes textures to never load properly.
Cause 2
VSync behaviour in Unreal Engine 3, which amplifies dips rather than smoothing them.
Cause 3
High-polling-rate mice, which are a documented cause of microstutter in this engine.
Fixes, in the order that works
Cheapest and most reversible first.
Set PoolSize correctly in XEngine.ini
Open XEngine.ini in the configuration folder and set PoolSize to roughly 400 less than your VRAM in megabytes — a 2048 MB card wants about 1600. Then add -ReadTexturePoolFromIni to Steam launch options, or use -DisableTexturePool instead.
Fix the texture streaming block
Under [TextureStreaming] set UseTextureFileCache=False, TexturePoolSizeReductionMB=1500, PoolSize=3000 and LowPCTexturePoolSizeMB=3000. This addresses the reload loop where the game fetches the same textures repeatedly.
Set VsyncTo60WhenUnder30 to True
Under [SystemSettings] in XEngine.ini, change VsyncTo60WhenUnder30=False to True. It stops the behaviour that makes frame dips feel worse than they are.
Use adaptive or dynamic VSync
NVIDIA users should set Vertical sync to Adaptive in the driver control panel. AMD users can use dynamic VSync through a third-party profile tool, setting VSync Control to Always on with Dynamic Framerate Control at 60.
Drop your mouse polling rate
If you use a Razer mouse, open Synapse, go to Performance and set Polling Rate to 125 Hz. High polling rates cause microstutter in this engine.
How to confirm it is fixed
One successful launch is not proof.
Retest properly
Stand in a dense area and pan the camera slowly. Textures should stay loaded rather than visibly re-resolving, and frame time should flatten once VSync is adaptive and the pool is sized correctly.
When to ask for a refund instead
Troubleshooting has a deadline.
Know the window
Steam refunds within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours of playtime, and documented technical faults are sometimes accepted past that. Microsoft Store and Epic follow similar rules with store-specific exception paths.
Evidence changes outcomes
Attach crash logs, a DxDiag and the steps you already tried. A denied refund can sometimes be overturned when you can show the game is genuinely unplayable rather than simply disliked.
Bans are not refundable
If the failure follows an anti-cheat ban or a modified online client, no store will refund it. That is a separate category from a game that will not run.
Related pages
This is an independent player reference and is not official documentation for BioShock Infinite. GameFixPro does not host or link to copyrighted assets. Modding guidance is for single-player use only — never use mods in online multiplayer. Verify current requirements, prices and policies with the publisher before acting.