Buzz
With a staggering player base exceeding 350 million, Fortnite has cemented itself as a gaming giant, largely due to its widespread availability. The game is free to install and play across all major consoles, numerous smartphones, Windows PCs, and Macs (with significant limitations). Even older computers with less powerful hardware can manage to run Fortnite in a functional state—and Epic has recently introduced new graphical settings designed to help even the most underpowered systems deliver smoother gameplay.
Performance mode
The newly introduced “Performance” mode in Fortnite simplifies the game’s visual settings to prioritize higher frame rates. While the graphics may lose some detail, the improved frame rate ensures a smoother experience, especially for PCs that previously struggled to run the game effectively.
Here are a few examples of the performance improvements older PCs can achieve in performance mode, as stated by Epic:
Fortnite will automatically suggest switching to performance mode if it detects that your PC’s hardware is less powerful. However, players can manually enable or disable this mode in the settings menu under Video > Advanced Graphics > Rendering mode.
Remove Fortnite’s HD textures via the Epic Games app
Older PCs often struggle with Fortnite’s substantial installation size. While Epic has recently decreased the required disk space on PC from 90GB to 31.71GB, players now have the option to remove Fortnite’s high-resolution textures directly from the installation folder via the Epic Games app.
Although this will lower the visual fidelity, it significantly reduces the overall installation size.
As shown in the screenshot, disabling HD textures reduces Fortnite’s disk space requirement from 31.71GB to just 16.81GB. This cuts the installation size nearly in half and is a drastic reduction from the original 90GB requirement. This not only frees up hard drive space but also shortens installation and potential load times.
To remove Fortnite’s HD textures on PC using the Epic Games app, follow these steps:
Navigate to the “Library” tab.
Click the three-dot icon beside Fortnite and choose “Options.”
On the options screen, deselect the checkbox next to “High Resolution Textures.”
Click “Apply” and allow the app to update the installation folder.
You can restore the textures anytime by reselecting the “High Resolution Textures” option.
Additional methods to enhance Fortnite performance on older PCs
While enabling performance mode and removing HD textures can improve Fortnite’s performance, upgrading your hardware remains the most effective way to boost the game’s overall performance.
These improvements don’t necessarily require costly new GPUs or building an entire gaming system; even minor upgrades can have a noticeable impact.
Epic suggests that users with older systems should consider upgrading to at least 6GB of RAM (8GB is ideal) and installing the game on an internal SSD if their device supports it. These relatively simple upgrades can enhance both the appearance and performance of Fortnite.
[Engadget]
