Reduce frame-time spikes in The Finals

Stop thermal throttling

Performance that vanishes after ten minutes is almost always heat. A throttling CPU or GPU silently drops clocks mid-match.

A modest undervolt often keeps clocks higher than stock by running cooler — counter-intuitive but consistent.

• Custom fan curve — ramp earlier, not louder-at-the-end
• GPU undervolt for cooler, steadier clocks
• Verify case airflow: intake front/bottom, exhaust top/rear
• Repaste if temps climbed over the last year

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

Cap your frame rate (yes, really)

An uncapped frame rate sounds faster but produces uneven frame times and extra latency. A cap a few frames below your refresh rate keeps pacing tight.

For a 240Hz panel in The Finals, cap around 234–237 FPS. On 144Hz, target ~141. Use the in-game limiter first, then the driver as a backstop.

Verify it actually worked

Never trust the average FPS number alone. Watch 1% and 0.1% lows and frame-time consistency in The Finals — that's what 'smooth' really means.

Run the same replay or aim-trainer routine before and after, capture with a frame-time overlay, and only keep changes that flatten the graph.

• Benchmark the same scene before/after
• Track 1% lows, not just average FPS
• Watch the frame-time line — flatter is better
• Change one thing at a time so you know what moved the needle