F125 low FPS on PC

Learn about F125 low FPS on PC


Updated October 17, 2025

If F125 low FPS on PC is ruining your laps, you’re not alone. It’s frustrating to see stutter or choppy frames in a precision racer. F1 25 pushes both CPU and GPU hard: 20 AI cars, physics, weather, lighting, and reflections. This guide gives you a clear, step‑by‑step path to smooth, consistent performance you can trust in races.

Quick Answer

Update your GPU driver, set the game to Exclusive Fullscreen at your monitor’s native refresh, turn Ray Tracing off, use an upscaler (DLSS/FSR/XeSS) on Quality or Balanced, lower Shadows/Reflections/Crowd to Medium, disable Motion Blur/Film Grain, cap FPS to a stable number (e.g., 60/90/120), and close overlays/background apps. Test in a 20‑car grid start.

Why F125 low FPS on PC Feels So Hard at First

  • You’re juggling two limits: your GPU (graphics) and your CPU (AI, physics, draw calls). F1 25 can bottleneck either depending on track, weather, and grid size.
  • Some “pretty” options (especially Ray Tracing, heavy reflections, and shadows) are disproportionately expensive and cause frame‑time spikes that feel worse than pure low FPS.

By the end of this guide you’ll know which settings actually matter, how to set a stable target FPS, and how to diagnose GPU‑ vs CPU‑bound situations in F1 25.

What F125 low FPS on PC Actually Means in F1 25

  • Low FPS: Fewer frames per second (e.g., <60) causing obvious choppiness.
  • Frame‑time spikes: Irregular delivery of frames (stutter) even when average FPS looks fine. This is what ruins corner entry/exit feel.
  • GPU‑bound: GPU at or near 100% while CPU headroom remains. Lower graphics quality or use upscaling.
  • CPU‑bound: One or more CPU cores pegged while GPU isn’t fully busy. Lower CPU‑heavy settings (crowd, shadows, mirrors), reduce AI load where possible, and cap FPS.

Tip: Use an FPS overlay (Steam/EA overlay or MSI Afterburner + RivaTuner) and watch GPU usage. ~95–100% GPU usage with smooth frame times is good. Low GPU usage plus low FPS usually means CPU‑bound.

Before You Start (Prerequisites)

  • Hardware:
    • A discrete GPU (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) with current drivers
    • SSD/NVMe install for the game
    • Optional VRR display (G‑SYNC/FreeSync) for smoother frame pacing
    • Wheel or controller (doesn’t change FPS, but wheel drivers can affect latency)
  • Game:
    • F1 25, latest patch
    • Know the menus: Settings > Graphics (Video Mode, Display, Graphics Quality), Settings > On‑Screen Display (for telemetry), and Telemetry/UDP if you use apps
  • Tools:
    • Driver control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel / AMD Adrenalin / Intel Arc Control)
    • FPS overlay (Steam/EA app) or MSI Afterburner + RivaTuner Statistics Server

Step-by-Step: How to Fix / Improve F125 low FPS on PC

  1. Update and reboot
  • Update your GPU driver (clean install if you’ve skipped several versions).
  • Update Windows, motherboard chipset, and controller/wheel firmware.
  • Reboot after installs.
  1. Set Windows for gaming
  • Turn on Windows Game Mode.
  • Optional: Hardware‑Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) can help some systems; try ON and test.
  • Laptop users: Plug in, set system to High Performance, and use the discrete GPU.
  1. Close background apps and overlays
  • Quit browser tabs, RGB suites, clip recorders, hardware monitors you don’t need.
  • Disable overlays you don’t use: Xbox Game Bar, Discord overlay, GeForce/Adrenalin overlay, EA/Steam overlay (keep one FPS counter only).
  1. Verify the game and storage
  • Install F1 25 on an SSD/NVMe.
  • Verify files in the EA App/Steam if you’ve had crashes or corrupted settings.
  1. Display and sync basics (in-game: Settings > Graphics > Video Mode/Display)
  • Display Mode: Exclusive Fullscreen (most stable with VRR and lowest latency).
  • Resolution: Native of your monitor.
  • Refresh Rate: Set to your monitor’s max.
  • V‑Sync:
    • With VRR (G‑SYNC/FreeSync): Disable in‑game V‑Sync, enable VRR in driver/monitor, and set an in‑game frame cap a few FPS below refresh (e.g., 118 on 120 Hz).
    • Without VRR: Use in‑game V‑Sync or a frame cap to avoid tearing (try cap at 60/90/120 based on your target).
  1. Establish a safe graphics baseline (Settings > Graphics > Graphics Quality)
  • Start from the Medium preset.
  • Turn Ray Tracing OFF to begin (enabling it has a large hit; add back later if you have headroom).
  • Set Anti‑Aliasing to TAA or the default temporal option.
  • Set Motion Blur to 0, Film Grain OFF, Chromatic Aberration OFF, Depth of Field OFF (reduces blur and overhead).
  1. Use upscaling and frame generation (if available to you)
  • Upscaling: DLSS/FSR/XeSS to Quality (1080p/1440p) or Balanced (4K). Adjust sharpening to taste.
  • Frame Generation: If your GPU and this F1 25 build support it, you can enable FG for higher FPS. Latency tools (e.g., Reflex/Anti‑Lag) may pair with FG on supported hardware—use them if available.
    • Note: FG can increase perceived latency. For competitive multiplayer, prioritize consistent non‑FG FPS if input lag bothers you.
  1. Tame the heavy hitters (biggest FPS wins)
  • Shadows: Medium (or Low on weak GPUs).
  • Reflections/Reflections Quality: Low–Medium.
  • Mirrors/Mirror Quality: Low–Medium; high mirror refresh rates cost CPU/GPU.
  • Ambient Occlusion/SSAO: Off or Low.
  • Screen Space Reflections: Low or Off if you’re struggling.
  • Crowd: Low (CPU‑heavy in busy scenes).
  • Weather/Particles/Volumetrics: Medium (reduce further for rain performance).
  • Ray Tracing (if you re‑enable later): Prefer just RT Shadows or Reflections, not all; test per track.
  1. Keep the detail where it’s cheap
  • Textures: Set as high as your VRAM allows (watch the in‑game VRAM bar). 8 GB GPUs: High; 6 GB: Medium; 4 GB: Medium/Low.
  • Anisotropic Filtering: 8x–16x (nearly free on modern GPUs).
  1. Cap your FPS for stability
  • Set the in‑game Frame Rate Limit to a number you can hold in worst‑case conditions (e.g., heavy rain at Singapore with a full grid). 60, 90, or 120 are sensible targets.
  • A steady 90 with tight frame times beats a fluctuating 120–80 any day.
  1. Wheel and USB sanity checks (if you run a wheel)
  • If you use a very high device polling rate (1000 Hz) and see stutter, try 500 Hz or 250 Hz.
  • Update wheel base firmware/drivers.
  • In Telemetry/UDP settings, use a moderate send rate if you stream data to apps (very high rates can add CPU overhead).
  1. Driver control panel quick wins
  • NVIDIA: Power Management Mode = Prefer maximum performance (F1 25 profile). Low Latency Mode = On/Ultra if available; test both. Texture Filtering Quality = High performance or Quality.
  • AMD: Graphics > Gaming profile for F1 25. Set Power Tuning as needed; Anti‑Lag/Anti‑Lag+ if supported. Texture Filtering Quality to Performance/Standard.
  • Intel: Similar power/perf preferences in Arc Control.
  • Don’t force extra AA/AF/override settings from the driver unless you know why—you can add stutter.
  1. Test in repeatable scenarios
  • Time Trial: Clear weather at Monaco or Singapore (night lighting is demanding).
  • 20‑car race start at a demanding track (rain if you want a worst‑case).
  • Watch both average FPS and frame‑time stability. Tune one setting at a time.
  1. Optional advanced: config/caches
  • If settings won’t stick, check the game’s hardware settings file in Documents\My Games\F1 25\ (look for a “hardwaresettings” folder and a hardware_settings_config.xml). Make a backup before editing. Paths can vary by store/version.
  • If you experience new stutter after a patch, deleting the graphics cache folders in the same area (the game will rebuild them) can help.

You should now see a consistent FPS target with noticeably smoother inputs and fewer hitches in busy race moments.

Common Mistakes and Myths About F125 low FPS on PC

  • “DLSS/FSR will always fix low FPS.” Not if you’re CPU‑bound. Lower CPU‑heavy settings (crowd, shadows, mirrors) or cap FPS.
  • Running Ray Tracing during races on mid‑range GPUs. Save RT for replays or photo mode unless you have headroom.
  • V‑Sync + VRR + external frame cappers all on. Pick one approach. With VRR, disable in‑game V‑Sync and use a tight frame cap.
  • Setting textures too low when you have the VRAM. Low textures look bad and don’t fix CPU bottlenecks.
  • Borderless Window with VRR displays. Use Exclusive Fullscreen for the most reliable VRR and lowest latency.
  • Stacking overlays/recorders. Multiple hooks can tank frame pacing.

Troubleshooting and “What If It Still Feels Wrong?”

  • Heavy stutter in rain/night scenes

    • Likely cause: reflections/volumetrics and screen‑space effects.
    • Fix: Lower Reflections/SSR/Volumetrics/Weather Effects. Reduce Shadows one notch.

  • Good average FPS but micro‑stutter in corners

    • Likely cause: frame pacing conflicts (V‑Sync/VRR mismatch) or background apps.
    • Fix: Use Exclusive Fullscreen, one FPS limiter only, and close overlays. Cap FPS a few frames below refresh.

  • GPU at 60–70% but low FPS

    • Likely cause: CPU‑bound.
    • Fix: Lower Crowd, Shadows, Mirrors, Particles. Reduce AI load in test scenarios. Cap FPS to a stable value.

  • Big dips when lots of cars are visible

    • Likely cause: draw call/CPU pressure.
    • Fix: Lower Shadows/Crowd/Reflections, reduce Mirror quality/update rate, and cap FPS.

  • Game ignores graphics changes or resets on launch

    • Likely cause: read‑only config or cloud overwrite.
    • Fix: Ensure hardware_settings_config.xml isn’t read‑only; disable cloud sync temporarily; change settings, Apply, then relaunch.

  • Sudden hitch every 30–60 seconds

    • Likely cause: background scan/recording (antivirus, cloud backup, clip recording).
    • Fix: Pause scans, exclude the game folder, disable background recording in Xbox Game Bar/NVIDIA/AMD software.

  • Laptop stuck on integrated graphics

    • Fix: Force the high‑performance GPU for F1 25 in NVIDIA/AMD/Intel control panels. Use the MUX switch if available. Plug in power.

  • Higher latency with Frame Generation

    • Cause: FG inserts frames but doesn’t reduce input processing time.
    • Fix: Enable your vendor’s low‑latency feature if supported with FG. If still bothersome, turn off FG and target a lower but stable native/upscaled FPS.

  • Overheating/thermal throttling

    • Symptom: Clocks drop during longer sessions; FPS decays.
    • Fix: Clean fans/filters, increase fan curve, consider a small undervolt, and cap FPS to reduce heat.

Note: Don’t max every slider “just because.” A few targeted reductions (Shadows/Reflections/Crowd) beat a blanket drop in overall quality.

Pro Tips Once You’re Comfortable

  • Track‑specific presets: Night/rain tracks need lower Reflections/SSR. Sunny day tracks allow more eye candy.
  • FPS headroom strategy: Cap 5–10% below your worst‑case FPS to stabilize frame times and reduce heat.
  • Photo/replay mode: Temporarily enable Ray Tracing and higher Reflections, then switch back for racing.
  • Latency > FPS for racing: A locked 90 with low input lag often feels better than a spiky 120.

How to Know It’s Working (Definition of Done)

  • You can run a 5‑lap race with a full grid at a demanding track without noticeable hitches.
  • Frame rate stays within ±3 FPS of your cap in heavy scenes; frame‑time graph looks smooth (no tall spikes).
  • GPU usage is high and steady when GPU‑bound, or you’ve capped FPS to avoid CPU spikes.
  • VRAM usage stays below your card’s limit (no sudden stutters when new assets load).
  • Inputs feel predictable into and out of corners—no surprise lag when fighting wheelspin.
  • F125 stutter and frame pacing: Get rid of micro‑hitches once and for all.
  • F125 graphics settings explained: What each option does and what it costs in FPS.
  • F125 input lag reduction: Settings and habits that make the car feel more connected.

If you follow this guide for F125 low FPS on PC, you’ll have a stable, predictable baseline you can tweak per track. Now go run some laps and enjoy the consistency.

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