What’s the impact of screen space reflections on FPS?

Screen space reflections (SSR) in Red Dead Redemption 2 are a graphical setting that enhances the visual realism of reflective surfaces, such as water, windows, and metallic objects. When enabled, SSR calculates reflections based on what is visible on the screen, creating a more immersive environment. However, this feature can significantly impact your FPS (frames per second), especially on lower-end systems or when combined with other demanding settings.\n\nTo understand the impact of SSR on FPS, it’s important to know how it works in the game. SSR dynamically renders reflections in real-time, which requires additional processing power from your GPU. This can lead to a noticeable drop in performance, particularly in areas with many reflective surfaces, such as Saint Denis or near large bodies of water like Flat Iron Lake. For example, enabling SSR in Saint Denis, with its numerous windows and wet streets, can cause FPS to drop by 10-15 frames compared to disabling it.\n\nFor players experiencing performance issues, adjusting SSR is one of the most effective ways to improve FPS. To do this, navigate to the Graphics Settings menu in the game. Under the Advanced Settings tab, you’ll find the Screen Space Reflections option. Lowering this setting from Ultra to Medium or Low can provide a significant boost in performance without drastically reducing visual quality. On lower-end systems, disabling SSR entirely is recommended for the best FPS gains.\n\nIt’s also worth noting that SSR interacts with other graphical settings. For instance, pairing SSR with high-resolution textures or volumetric lighting can compound the performance hit. If you’re struggling with FPS, consider balancing SSR with other settings. For example, reducing shadow quality or turning off MSAA (Multisample Anti-Aliasing) can help offset the performance cost of SSR.\n\nFor new players, it’s advisable to start with SSR set to Medium or Low and adjust based on your system’s capabilities. Experienced gamers with high-end systems can experiment with higher settings but should monitor FPS in demanding areas like Valentine or during intense weather effects, such as rain, which amplifies reflections.\n\nIn summary, screen space reflections add visual depth to Red Dead Redemption 2 but come at a performance cost. By adjusting this setting strategically, you can maintain a balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay. Always test changes in different environments to ensure consistent performance across the game’s diverse landscapes.