COD Black Ops 3 Low FPS Drops on PC: Released in 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III remains a top-tier multiplayer zombie action first-person shooter developed by Treyarch and published by Activision.
As a sequel to the 2012 hit Call of Duty: Black Ops II, the game has garnered a dedicated following. However, following a recent update, many players have reported experiencing low FPS drops on their PCs, leading to concerns about overall game performance.
If you are encountering similar frame rate drops and stuttering during your gaming sessions, you are not alone in facing this challenge. To help you effectively address these issues, we recommend following this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, which is designed to enhance your gaming experience and optimize performance.
Fix COD Black Ops 3 Low FPS Drops on PC | Increase Performance
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of potential solutions that may assist you in resolving your issue. We recommend you try each method sequentially until the problem is fully addressed. Let’s get started without delay.
1. Check System Requirements
Compatibility problems related to your PC’s specifications are often the root cause of these issues. Therefore, it’s advisable to thoroughly review both the game’s system requirements and your PC specifications before reaching any conclusions. Below, we have provided the minimum and recommended system requirements for this title.
Minimum System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 7 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit / Windows 8.1 64-Bit
- Processor: Intel Core i3-530 @ 2.93 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 810 @ 2.60 GHz
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470 @ 1GB / ATI Radeon HD 6970 @ 1GB
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 100 GB of available space
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
2. Update Graphics Drivers
To ensure optimal performance of games and other graphics-heavy applications, it’s advisable to check for updates to your graphics drivers. Here’s how you can do this on your PC:
- 1. Begin by right-clicking the Start Menu to bring up the Quick Access Menu.
- 2. Select “Device Manager” from the options provided.
- 3. Locate and expand the “Display adapters” section by double-clicking it.
- 4. Right-click on your dedicated graphics card listed there.
- 5. Choose “Update driver” and then select “Search automatically for drivers.”
- 6. If an update is available, it will download and install automatically.
After the update completes, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver directly from the official website of your graphics card manufacturer. For users with Nvidia graphics cards, you can update through the GeForce Experience application available on their official site. AMD graphics card users can find the necessary updates on the AMD website.
3. Switch Between Display Modes
To enhance the performance of the game based on your screen resolution and computer specifications, consider toggling between fullscreen borderless and windowed bordered display modes in the in-game settings menu.
This adjustment has proven beneficial for some players experiencing issues. It’s worth experimenting with this option to see if it improves your gaming experience.
4. Run the game as an administrator
To prevent any privilege-related issues associated with User Account Control, it’s advisable to execute the COD Black Ops 3 game file with administrative rights. Here’s how you can do that:
- 1. Locate the COD Black Ops 3 executable shortcut on your computer and right-click on it.
- 2. Choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu that appears.
- 3. Navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab in the Properties window.
- 4. Look for the option labeled ‘Run this program as an administrator’ and check the box next to it.
- 5. Finally, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm and save your changes.
5. Close Background Running Tasks
Unwanted background applications and tasks can significantly drain your CPU and memory resources, potentially leading to system instability, such as crashes, lagging, stuttering, and drops in frame rates. To mitigate these issues, follow these steps:
- 1. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- 2. Navigate to the Processes tab, where you’ll find a list of currently running tasks.
- 3. Identify and select any programs that are running unnecessarily in the background and consuming substantial resources.
- 4. Click on “End Task” to terminate these processes. Repeat this operation for all unnecessary tasks you find.
- 5. Finally, restart your computer to ensure that all changes take effect.
By managing these background processes, you can improve your system’s performance and stability.
6. Stop Background Downloads
It’s likely that you are attempting to download or install multiple game updates at the same time, regardless of the client you are using. To ensure a smoother experience while launching and playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, it is advisable to pause or halt any other background downloads. After you complete your gaming session, you can resume your downloads or patch installations.
7. Switch to Auto Settings in Video
If you are still experiencing frame drop issues, consider adjusting your video settings to auto mode. Here’s how you can do that:
- 1. While in gameplay, press the Esc key on your keyboard.
- 2. Navigate to the Settings menu and select the Video option.
- 3. Choose Auto Settings from the available options.
- 4. Resume gameplay to see if the frame drops or lag persist.
Should you continue to encounter lag or frame drops, try selecting “All” and reduce the video settings within the game menu for better performance.
8. Set High Performance in Power Options
If your Windows system is currently set to Balanced mode in the Power Options, it’s likely that both the system and hardware aren’t operating at their maximum capabilities. For an enhanced gaming experience, consider switching to High-Performance mode. However, keep in mind that this setting may lead to increased battery consumption if you are using a laptop. Here’s how you can make the change:
- 1. Open the Start Menu and type “Control Panel” in the search bar, then select it from the results.
- 2. Navigate to **Hardware and Sound** and then click on **Power Options**.
- 3. Choose the **High Performance** option to activate it.
- 4. After making this change, be sure to close the window and completely shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu, select **Power**, and then choose **Shut Down**.
- 5. Once your system has powered off, you can turn it back on to enjoy improved performance.
9. Contact COD Black Ops 3 Support
Should the suggested methods fail to resolve your issue, we recommend reaching out to COD Black Ops 3 Support for additional assistance.
Thank you for your attention. We hope this guide has been beneficial to you. If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
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