Subnautica 2 Optimization Guide — Max FPS & Best Settings
The PC settings, upscaling and system tweaks that get the most FPS out of Subnautica 2 on any hardware.
Last updated 2026-09-20 · evergreen reference
You don’t need a new GPU to make Subnautica 2 feel better — most gains come from the right in-game settings and upscaling. Below are our recommended presets, what each setting costs, and system tweaks that help every game.
Use "Competitive" for online play; "Quality" for single-player eye-candy.
Best PC settings
A starting point you can tune per scene.
Recommended preset by goal
| Setting | Competitive / FPS | Balanced | High / Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Render scale / Resolution | 100% (Performance upscaler) | 100% | 100% (native / DLAA) |
| Texture quality | Medium | High | Ultra |
| Shadows | Low | Medium | High |
| Lighting / GI | Low | Medium | High |
| Effects / Post-FX | Low / Off | Medium | High |
| Volumetrics / Fog | Off | Low | Medium |
| Ambient occlusion | Off | SSAO | HBAO+ / GTAO |
| Motion blur | Off | Off | Subtle |
| Upscaling | DLSS / FSR Performance | DLSS / FSR Balanced | DLAA / Native |
| Frame generation | On (if supported) | On | On (4K only) |
GPU upscaling & frame generation
The single biggest modern lever.
DLSS / FSR / XeSS
Subnautica 2 supports DLSS / FSR / XeSS on capable GPUs. Use Balanced for the best sharpness/perf trade-off; Performance when you need frames. Quality mode is near-native but costs FPS.
Frame Generation
NVIDIA FG / AMD AFMF double the on-screen FPS by interpolating frames. Great for 60→120; it adds a little input latency, so competitive players may prefer raw FPS.
System tweaks
Free performance outside the game.
Windows Graphics
Set the game to "High performance" in Graphics Settings, enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling, and use a high-performance power plan.
Background cleanup
Close browsers, capture tools and RGB software before a session. They steal CPU and VRAM that ${g.name} wants during streaming hits.
Storage
Keep Subnautica 2 on an NVMe SSD. If it is on a slow drive, expect hitching during asset loads.
Expected FPS by hardware
Estimates for Subnautica 2 at demand tier 7/9.
How to read this
These are transparent tier-based ESTIMATES from a relative-performance model (RTX 4090 = 100, TechPowerUp data retrieved 2026-08-29), not benchmarks. Your CPU, RAM speed, drivers and the specific scene shift real numbers — treat them as a ballpark for "can I hit 60 at this resolution."
Estimated average FPS by GPU at three resolutions. These are transparent tier-based ESTIMATES (TechPowerUp relative-performance model, RTX 4090 = 100; retrieved 2026-08-29), not benchmarks — your CPU, RAM speed, drivers and in-game scene will shift real numbers.
| GPU | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTX 1060 6GB | 31 | 20 | 12 |
| GTX 1660 Super | 32 | 21 | 12 |
| RTX 2060 | 39 | 26 | 15 |
| RTX 3060 | 43 | 29 | 16 |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 47 | 31 | 18 |
| RTX 3070 | 54 | 35 | 20 |
| RX 6700 XT | 58 | 38 | 22 |
| RTX 4070 | 58 | 38 | 22 |
| RX 7800 XT | 65 | 43 | 25 |
| RTX 4080 | 74 | 49 | 28 |
| RTX 4090 | 85 | 56 | 32 |
More subnautica 2 fixes & guides
Same-game troubleshooting and performance pages — jump to the one that matches your hardware.
Still seeing crashes or low FPS?
Run the calculator to see if your GPU is the bottleneck, then jump to the targeted fix guide for this exact game + GPU.
Related pages
This is an independent player reference and is not official documentation for Subnautica 2 Optimization Guide. 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.