We measured this on mid and high-end rigs running XDefiant and only kept the tweaks that moved 1% lows, not just the average FPS counter. Here's what survived testing.
Tighten the network path
Jitter — the variation in ping — hurts more than a slightly higher flat ping in XDefiant. Stabilise the route before chasing a lower number.
Use Ethernet, pick the closest reliable server region, and enable QoS on your router to prioritise game traffic over downloads on the same line.
- Ethernet over Wi-Fi (or 5GHz + DFS channel if you must)
- Closest stable server region, not just lowest ping
- Router QoS / gaming mode prioritising your PC
- Disable background updates and cloud sync while playing
Start with a clean Windows baseline
Before touching anything game-side, get the OS out of the way. A bloated startup and aggressive background services steal CPU time exactly when you're mid-fight.
Set the power plan to High Performance (or Ultimate), disable startup apps you don't need, and turn off Memory Integrity if you're chasing every last frame — re-test after each change.
- Power plan → High Performance / Ultimate
- Disable non-essential startup apps in Task Manager
- Turn off Game Bar + background recording
- Set Graphics preference → High Performance for the game's .exe
- ✓Ethernet over Wi-Fi (or 5GHz + DFS channel if you must)
- ✓Power plan → High Performance / Ultimate
Skip the manual work
Bravo applies every tweak in this guide — and hundreds more — in one click, fully reversible. Tuned per game, per rig.
See the tweak packs →