[Top 15] FF14 Best Video Settings For Improved Gameplay Experience

final fantasy xiv, ffxiv, mmorpg, best mmo 2021, best mmorpg 2021, best video setting, best fps setting

Updated:

16 May 2022

Final Fantasy XIV has a large number of players, including those using low-end to high-end computers and devices. Of course, this MMORPG has framerate issues, especially for players with low-end graphics cards or devices. As a result, a player's enjoyment of the game may suffer as a result of the negative impact on their gameplay. As a result, this article aims to assist players who may be experiencing low framerate and gameplay issues by demonstrating what settings players can change to have a better, improved gameplay experience in Final Fantasy XIV.

1. Frame Rate

The most obvious first thing a player should change if they are experiencing framerate issues is, of course, the frame rate setting.

How Frame Rate Setting Fixes the problem:

Setting Maximum frame rate will allow players to have a smoother gameplay.
Setting it to either 50 or 100 is very ideal.
Smoother frame rate will allow players to have a better experience in playing FFXIV.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose System Configuration.
Scroll down until you find Frame Rate, and set it according to your device (100 for higher-end devices).

2. Limiting Frame Rate

Another feature that can be added to the Frame Rate setting is the ability to limit them during specific times, which will be useful when you are not playing the game.

How Limiting frame rate Fixes the problem:

This allows the game to limit framerate when you are away from the keyboard or when the client is inactive.
Limiting frame rate when you are inactive will allow you to have a smoother screen when away from the game, which allows the computer and CPU to cool down.
Allowing it to cool down will, of course, let you enjoy better gameplay when you eventually return to the game.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose System Configuration.
Scroll down until you find Frame Rate, and click the box for Limiting Frame Rate When Client is Inactive.
Also Click the box for Limiting Frame Rate when Away From Keyboard.

3. Graphics Settings

The graphics of the game are a single point that usually has a significant impact on one's frame rate. Players who are having difficulty with FPS can certainly adjust their graphics to better adjust the device they are using to play.

How Graphics Setting help:

This allows your device to be able to handle better graphics, as putting your graphics higher than your device can handle will certainly cause gameplay issues.
Instead, setting it on standard instead of maximum quality will definitely help reduce things from being consumed by the CPU.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Set the Graphics Setting to the one you wanted or suit your device.

4. Occlusion Culling

An option that is available underneath Graphics Setting.

How this setting may help:

Disabling rendering of objects when they are not visible will help lower the CPU or GPU usages.
By disabling this setting, it will help the game run smoother.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Check the box for the option to ‘Disable rendering of objects when not visible (Occlusion Culling).’

5. LOD Setting

A setting that allows the use of lower-quality and lower-detail render objects.

How this setting may help:

Disabling rendering of objects when they are not visible will help lower the CPU or GPU usages.
By disabling this setting, it will help the game run smoother.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Check the box for the option to ‘Use low-detail models on distant objects (LOD).’

6. Real-time Reflections

Real time reflections also hit the computer hard as they are a huge graphical boost.

How this setting may help:

Having real-time reflections on is very taxing on the CPU, and therefore turning it off is ideal for those who may suffer from lag or latency.
Therefore, lowering it down or turning it off entirely is going to be very useful.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn off Real-time reflections or lower them down.

7. Edge-Smoothing (Anti-aliasing)

Another setting that can cause lag in the game is anti-aliasing, which can be turned off for smoother gameplay.

How this setting may help:

Having anti-aliasing on might be hard for those who have lower-end devices, and therefore turning them off might help with smoothness.
Therefore, turning off anti-aliasing is helpful towards gameplay smoothness.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn off Edge-Smoothing (Anti-aliasing).

8. Shadows

Shadows is another aspect of the game that can be lowered to reduce lag in the game.

How this setting may help:

Turning off some of the shadow settings may help reduce lag and enhance smoothness of the gameplay.
You do not need most of the details from certain settings of Shadows, so turning it off is beneficial.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Scroll down and turn off the Shadow option for Party Members, Other NPCs, and Enemies.

9. Screen Space Ambient Occlusion

The ambient setting is a nice setting that may improve the graphics and look of the game, but it has a significant impact on performance.

How this setting may help:

Turning off Screen Space Ambient Occlusion can help raise performance by up to 30%, especially if you have it at maximum previously.
Players can also adjust this setting based on the device, instead of turning them off completely. Experimenting with it is the best way to do it.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Choose Screen Space Ambient Occlusion and turn it off or set it down to whatever your device will be able to handle.

10. Shadow Quality and Resolution

Going back to the shadow setting of the game, it is again a very heavy graphical setting that may impact performance and cause performance or gameplay issues.

How this setting may help:

Lowering the quality and resolution of the shadow may improve FPS and performance by up to 20%.
Because of this, it is beneficial to lower down the quality of shadows as it does not impact the graphics too much.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Click the box for ‘Use low-detail model on Shadows (LOD)’
Lower the shadow resolution to Normal (1024p).

11. Texture Detail

Texture Detail is another graphics setting that, while it can make your game look nicer, can have a negative impact on performance.

How this setting may help:

Texture and Anisotropic Filtering may impact your gameplay smoothness when they are put on too high.
Therefore, lowering them down will help immensely in keeping the game smooth and playable.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Set Texture Filtering to Trilinear
Set Anisotropic Filtering to x4

12. Movement Physics

Lowering or turning off movement physics in FFXIV is another graphical setting that may help improve gameplay experience.

How this setting may help:

Turning off movement physics will be able to reduce lag and be able to improve gameplay experience.
It does not make too much difference in the game as well, so nothing is missed from doing so.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn off movement physics for both other npcs and enemies.
Set the movement physics for party members to simple.

13. Grass Quality

Grass Quality in FFXIV may be set to high in default, and this also may impact your performance in the game.

How this setting may help:

Turning off grass quality will be able to reduce lag and performance drop, as well as make the gameplay feel smoother.
Players don’t really pay attention to grass quality as it makes little to no difference to gameplay enjoyment.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn Grass Quality to Low.

14. Battle Effects

Being an MMORPG with battle in its heart and soul, it is no wonder that battle effects in FFXIV might be flashy and amazing, but while it is a delight to the eyes, it can also cause a significant performance drop.

How this setting may help:

Turning down battle effects will be able to reduce performance drop and be able to see things in the field clearer.
You will be able to solve mechanics easier with less battle effects going on in the field, especially in 24-man Alliance Raids.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn off battle effects for others
Set battle effects for party members to be simple.

15. Water Refraction

Water is a huge part of the open world graphics in the game, but too much details can also cause performance loss.

How this setting may help:

Turning off water refraction or setting it to low will be able to increase performance rate, especially in areas where there are a lot of water sources.
Because of this, players are recommended to turn them down if they have or experience performance problems in the game.

How To Apply this setting:

Go to settings by clicking the window on it in the game or press ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Choose the third button from the top on the left side of the screen.
Turn off movement physics for both other npcs and enemies.
Set the movement physics for party members to simple.