Elden Ring is the latest title from FromSoftware, and it is absolutely amazing. Recently, Elden Ring won Game of the Year 2022 thanks to the support of its community and the phenomenal gameplay. The best part about all this is that you can even play the game on the Steam Deck which is always a welcomed addition.
However, if you decide to use Very High or High settings, you will notice that there are a lot of FPS drops. This is especially true if you are exploring the open world or fighting a boss. To counter this issue, we have mentioned the best Elden Ring settings for Steam Deck so that you have a smooth experience.
Elden Ring: Best Steam Deck Settings For Increased FPS
We have mentioned all the graphics settings that you need to adjust in order to get a stable FPS and run the game smoothly. Keep in mind that you will have to adjust the settings between Low and Medium. Anything higher than that will cause your FPS to drop and lag the game occasionally.
The only issue that you’ll face initially is the small text size but you’ll be adjusted to that easily. Also, while you are playing on Low-Medium graphics, the game still looks good thanks to the resolution being 1280×800 on the Steam Deck.
While you might want to get that sweet 60 FPS, it can be a bit problematic to ensure continuous stable FPS. So, we have mentioned two modes (30 FPS and 40 FPS) where you will get stable frames and can play the game smoothly.
Best Elden Ring Settings for Steam Deck (30 FPS)
Playing Elden Ring at 30 FPS on the Steam Deck offers the best experience. While some players might think that this ruins the gameplay, it doesn’t affect it that much. Since you are playing on a smaller screen and a lower resolution, 30 FPS will not seem less to you.
Plus, the biggest advantage of the Steam Deck is that you can take it anywhere while playing. So, if you are tired of getting defeated by Malenia on your consoles or PC, you can always take the Deck and die to her in your bed or any other place.
| Setting | Option |
|---|---|
| Frame Rate | 30 |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| TDP Limit | 9 |
| Half Rate Shading | Off |
| Scaling Filter | Linear |
| Terrain Quality | Medium-High |
| Antialiasing Quality | High |
| SSAO | Medium |
| Depth of Field | Off (optional) |
| Motion blur | Low |
| Shadow Quality | Low |
| Lighting Quality | Medium |
| Effects Quality | Medium |
| Volumetric Quality | Medium |
| Reflection Quality | Low |
| Water Surface Quality | High |
| Shader Quality | Low |
| Global Illumination Quality | Low |
| Grass Quality | Medium |
Best Elden Ring Settings for Steam Deck (40 FPS)
If you use the settings mentioned below, you can get up to 40 FPS. However, keep in mind that you will see your FPS drop to 35-37 during an intense boss fight or when there are too many effects on the screen. Due to the lower resolution, you won’t feel the drop in FPS nearly as much as you would on your PC.
| Setting | Option |
|---|---|
| Frame Rate | 40 |
| Refresh Rate | 40 Hz |
| TDP Limit | 12 |
| Half Rate Shading | Off |
| Scaling Filter | Linear |
| Terrain Quality | Low |
| Antialiasing Quality | Low |
| SSAO | Medium |
| Depth of Field | Off |
| Motion blur | Low |
| Shadow Quality | Low |
| Lighting Quality | Low |
| Effects Quality | Low |
| Volumetric Quality | Low |
| Reflection Quality | Low |
| Water Surface Quality | High |
| Shader Quality | Low |
| Global Illumination Quality | Low |
| Grass Quality | Medium |
Should You Play Elden Ring on the Steam Deck?
Now that we have mentioned all the best settings for the game, the next question is: should you play Elden Ring on the Steam Deck? Well, the answer is both yes and no. In short, you can play the game on your Steam Deck and enjoy the benefits of portability.
However, due to the lower resolution and smaller screen size, it takes away from the game. You will not feel the smooth gameplay and precise dodges as you would on a console or PC. Plus, if you are someone that loves to enjoy the scenery or like beautiful graphics, you will not have fun on the Steam Deck.
If you plan to play the game for a short duration while you are traveling, that is fine. However, if you decide to do a full playthrough on the Steam Deck, you will have a tough time. Whether it is the lower audio quality, low resolution/graphics, or the small text, there are a lot of issues.
The worst part is that despite being verified for the Deck, the game still causes various performance drops and problems. So, to make the most out of the game, I suggest that you play it on your PC or on a console. Even if you play the game on last-gen consoles, you will still have an amazing time.
This will also give you time to truly admire the art style and the world of Elden Ring. Plus, reading texts won’t be an issue either. Since the game features a lot of hidden lore that you can discover by reading item descriptions, you will have a bit of difficulty on the Steam Deck.
Conclusion
That’s everything you need to know about the best Elden Ring settings for Steam Deck. As you can see in the setting above, you can get stable 30-40 FPS with these settings. While players might prefer a constant 60 FPS, the Steam Deck cannot run Elden Ring at those settings right now. However, this doesn’t take away from the experience at all. The game still feels amazing and you’ll have a great time.
What are your thoughts on the game so far? Are you going to play it on the Steam Deck? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
