How to Fix God of War Ragnarök Not Using GPU

God of War Ragnarök, the critically acclaimed action-adventure title from Santa Monica Studio, has finally arrived on PC, bringing Kratos's epic journey to a new audience. While the anticipation has been immense, some players have encountered performance hurdles, particularly low GPU utilization leading to stuttering, frame drops, and lag. This isn't uncommon in PC gaming, and often boils down to driver issues, in-game settings, or improper GPU configurations. Even powerful gaming rigs can struggle if the game isn't optimized correctly. This comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and troubleshooting steps to maximize your GPU's potential and ensure a smooth, immersive God of War Ragnarök experience on both Steam and Epic Games Launcher.

Decoding the GPU Bottleneck: Why is God of War Ragnarök Not Using My GPU?

A game running on your CPU or integrated graphics instead of your dedicated GPU manifests in several telltale signs:

• Low and fluctuating FPS: Experience sluggish gameplay and noticeable performance dips.
• Stuttering, Lagging, and Screen Tearing: Visual hiccups disrupt the flow of combat and exploration.
• Graphical Glitches: Textures may fail to load correctly, or you may encounter visual artifacts.
• Extended Load Times or Black Screens: The game struggles to load assets, leading to frustrating delays.

These issues often stem from:

• Incorrect GPU Settings: The game might not be configured to use your dedicated graphics card.
• V-Sync or Ray Tracing Conflicts: These demanding features can strain your GPU if not properly managed.
• Outdated or Corrupted Graphics Drivers: Old drivers can cause compatibility problems and hinder performance.
• Background Applications: Resource-intensive programs running in the background can steal GPU power.
• Corrupt or Missing Game Files: Damaged game data can lead to instability and performance issues.

Let's delve into the most effective solutions to rectify these problems and unleash the full power of your GPU.

1. System Requirements Check: Laying the Foundation

Before diving into troubleshooting, it's crucial to verify that your PC meets the minimum and recommended system requirements for God of War Ragnarök.Minimum Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel i5-4670K / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
• RAM: 8GB
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) / AMD RX 5500 XT (8GB) / Intel Arc A750
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190GB SSD recommended

Recommended Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor: Intel i5-8600 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• RAM: 16GB
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 Super / AMD RX 5700 / Intel Arc A770
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 190GB SSD recommended

If your system falls short of these requirements, performance issues are likely unavoidable. Upgrading your hardware might be necessary for optimal gameplay. If your system does meet these specs, but performance issues persist, proceed to the following fixes.

2. Forcing God of War Ragnarök to Use Your Dedicated GPU: Taking Control

Sometimes, games fail to correctly identify and utilize your dedicated GPU. Here's how to explicitly tell your system which graphics card to prioritize:For NVIDIA Users:

Right-click on your desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel."

Navigate to "3D Settings" > "Manage 3D Settings."

Click on "Program Settings" and locate "God of War Ragnarök" in the dropdown menu. If it's not there, you may need to add the game's executable file manually.

Select "High-performance NVIDIA processor" from the dropdown menu.

Apply the changes and restart your PC.

For AMD Users:

Right-click on your desktop and select "AMD Radeon Settings."

Go to "System" > "Switchable Graphics."

Locate "God of War Ragnarök" and set it to "High-Performance GPU."

Save the changes and reboot your PC.

For Xbox Game Pass (Windows Settings) Users:

Open Windows Settings (Win + I).

Go to "System" > "Display" > "Graphics Settings."

Locate "God of War Ragnarök" (or manually add the game's executable).

Click "Options" and select "High Performance."

Save the changes, then restart the Xbox app and the game.

3. Update Your GPU Drivers: Keeping Up with the Times

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers are a common culprit behind low GPU utilization and instability. Keeping your drivers up-to-date is crucial for optimal performance.Method 1: Using Device Manager:

Press Win + X and select "Device Manager."

Expand "Display adapters."

Right-click on your dedicated GPU.

Select "Update Driver" > "Search automatically for drivers."

If an update is found, install it and restart your PC.

Method 2: Manually Downloading Drivers:

• For NVIDIA: Visit the official NVIDIA website and download the latest drivers for your specific graphics card model.
• For AMD: Visit the official AMD website and download the latest drivers for your specific graphics card model.

4. Verify and Repair Game Files: Ensuring Integrity

Corrupted or missing game files can lead to a variety of performance issues.Both Steam and Epic Games Launcher offer built-in tools to verify theintegrity of your game files.

For Steam Users:

Open Steam and go to your Library.

Right-click on "God of War Ragnarök" > "Properties."

Go to "Local Files" > "Verify Integrity of Game Files."

Wait for the process to complete, then restart your PC.

For Epic Games Users:

Open the Epic Games Launcher.

Go to your Library and click the three-dot menu next to "God of War Ragnarök."

Select "Verify" and wait for the process to finish.

Relaunch the game.

5. Disable Overlay Applications: Minimizing Interference

Overlay applications, while often useful, can sometimes interfere with GPU performance, causing FPS drops or crashes.

Disable Discord Overlay:

Open Discord > "Settings" (gear icon).

Select "Overlay" > Toggle "Enable in-game overlay" OFF.

Restart your PC.

Disable Xbox Game Bar:

Press Win + I > "Gaming."

Click "Game Bar" > Toggle OFF.

Disable NVIDIA GeForce Experience Overlay:

Open GeForce Experience > "Settings."

Click on "General" > Disable "In-Game Overlay."

Restart your PC.

6. Disable V-Sync and Ray Tracing: Balancing Visuals and Performance

V-Sync and Ray Tracing are graphically demanding features that cansignificantly impact performance. Disabling them can often lead to anoticeable FPS boost.

For NVIDIA Users:

Right-click on your desktop and open the "NVIDIA Control Panel."

Go to "Manage 3D Settings" > Scroll down to "Vertical Sync."

Set it to "Off" and click "Apply."

For AMD Users:

Open AMD Radeon Software > Click "Global Graphics."

Find "Wait for Vertical Refresh" and set it to "Always Off."

You can also disable these settings within the game's graphics options menu.

7. Close Background Tasks: Reclaiming Resources

Too many background processes can consume valuable system resources, including GPU power.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.

Click on the "Processes" tab.

End Task on unnecessary applications (e.g., web browsers, chat clients,update utilities). Be cautious about ending essential system processes.

Restart your game.

By systematically working through these troubleshooting steps, you shouldbe able to identify the cause of your GPU performance issues andoptimize God of War Ragnarök for a smoother, more enjoyable gamingexperience. Remember to test the game after each adjustment to pinpointthe most effective solutions for your specific setup. With a littlepatience and tweaking, you'll be ready to immerse yourself in Kratos'sworld without performance hiccups holding you back.

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