Halo: Campaign Evolved FPS Optimization & Full Breakdown Comparison

This is the full breakdown of Halo: Campaign Evolved FPS throughout different graphics options. Ordered by what matters most to the least impactful options.

Quality Preset

Quality Preset has a sizable impact on visuals and performance impact as it changes all available options. Lighting of course has the largest impact, but otherwise the quality of this game’s visuals are still top-notch. This is represented in the FPS difference of around ~15 on my system. Moving from 55 to 69 FPS points to this game having options on the higher visual quality end. The largest jump came when moving from Ultra to High (which is where I’d recommend you leave this option) and get the rest of your FPS boost through upscaling, assuming you’re playing at 2K or 4K.

Upscaling (DLSS)

DLSS offered me the largest performance difference between Ultra and Low, 56 to 95 FPS. The scene is noticably blurrier for each step down, as you would expect and offers comparable results to TSR and XeSS.

Upscaling (FSR)

Similar to DLSS the performance difference is comparable, however it seems that Native has less Anti-Aliasing or “smoothing” applied as objects and terrain appears just a little sharper. For all Native options, FSR is my favourite.

Upscaling (XeSS)

Upscaling (TSR)

TSR appears currently broken where there is no visual change, as well as no performance difference between these. When it is fixed it should be safe to assume the performance curve should follow other upscaling methods, with the usual pitfalls of TSR.

Lighting Quality

Lighting Quality has a large visual impact. Performance-wise this is not reflected as we only move from 67 to 72 FPS. Most noticably in trees as well as lighting bouncing off the weapon in your hand.

Global Illumination

This option is difficult to compare as the clouds change the lighting in the scene so much. For the most part the performance difference between 68 to 72 FPS - it’s best to drop to High for a small bonus in FPS and to leave it there as most if the improvement is in the higher-end.

Atmospheric Quality

FPS lows are improved by dropping from Ultra to High, but average is not impacted. Average FPS only sees an improvement, and a sizable one when dropping from Medium to Low. Visuals-wise I don’t see much difference between these. Clouds do visibly flicker which is only intensified by lower Upscaling options on Low, so anything above that should be fine.

Async Compute

Async Compute is a free FPS boost for most systems, and should be enabled by default. Unless you have a seriously underpowered CPU this should be a freebie to enable for higher FPS.

Reflections

Reflections appear sharper on weapons and the environment when at the higher end. There is a performance boost from dropping from Ultra to High with almost no visual impact. Dropping further shouldn’t be required on most systems unless you’re really constrained by a low-powered GPU.

Geometric Quality

This option is hard to see a difference for, but did throw me off getting to the same position every time after a reload - Small rocks and other items in the environment are removed on lower settings. Environment geometry mostly stays about the same, and unless you’re very VRAM constrained you can leave this maxxed out. From Ultra to Low I did not see a VRAM difference.

Effects Quality

Almost no impact on visuals and performance. Most of the change should happen with explisions and similar things - for which there were many while benchmarking these in the scene captured. Performance-wise there is no difference, and unless you’re heavily limited by your system leave this on Ultra. You’ll know you need to lower this if FPS drops drastically in-combat, which is something that did not affect me at all.

Texture Quality

This is usually an option that massively improves the visual quality of the game with almost no FPS impact - and here one is more true than the other. Average FPS was not impacted for me, but surprisingly Lows were - How the game stutters. On my 12GB GPU I was at most using 8.7, which doesn’t fully explain the impact. I move from 8.5GB used at Low to 9.3 on Ultra. Assuming you have enough VRAM left-over, crank this up and enjoy a better looking game.

Motion Blur

No FPS impact, but it is included here mainly for the visual difference. The screenshot is from an Xbox controller, holding the right stick fully to the right for consistent blur.