Atomic Heart - Lags, stuttering issues and low FPS - fix it!

Atomic Heart – Fix Lags, Stuttering and Low FPS

Experiencing lags, stuttering, low FPS, or delays in Atomic Heart? These issues can ruin the fun and make gameplay frustrating. Luckily, there are several ways to improve performance and make Atomic Heart run smoother. Follow the steps below and enjoy a better gaming experience.

Why Atomic Heart Might Lag or Stutter

Poor optimization, outdated drivers, background programs, or incorrect settings can all lead to performance problems. Sometimes the cause is the game’s code itself, but in many cases, you can fix it with the right tweaks. If nothing works, check if other players are reporting similar problems, for example on the Atomic Heart Steam community forum.

1. Download the Latest Update or Patch

Make sure you have the most recent version of Atomic Heart. Game updates often contain bug fixes and optimizations. On Steam, updates install automatically when you launch the game. If you own a physical copy or standalone installer, visit the publisher’s or developer’s website to download the latest patch.

2. Update Your Drivers

Outdated drivers, especially for your graphics card, can cause lags, stuttering, and FPS drops. Always keep your drivers up to date to ensure compatibility with the latest game technologies.

If you don’t know how to update them manually, use a trusted tool that will scan your PC and automatically install the latest versions.

Click here to see our recommended program for automatic driver installation.

3. Adjust Graphics Settings

Lowering graphics quality can dramatically improve performance in Atomic Heart. Even if your PC meets the recommended specs, poor optimization can still cause issues. Try reducing settings like shadows, anti-aliasing, and texture quality to gain more FPS.

4. Set the Game to High Priority

This tells your operating system to allocate more CPU resources to Atomic Heart, which can help improve performance.

1. Open Atomic Heart.
2. While in-game, press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to open Task Manager.
3. Go to the Details tab and find the game’s main process.
4. Right-click it, go to Set Priority, and select High.
5. Restart the game and check if FPS improves.

5. Disable the Steam Overlay

The Steam overlay uses CPU, GPU, and RAM, which can slightly reduce FPS. Disabling it may improve performance.

1. Open Steam and go to Library.
2. Right-click Atomic Heart and choose Properties.
3. In the General tab, uncheck Enable Steam Overlay while in-game.
4. Restart the game and check your FPS.

6. Clean Up Your PC

Remove unused programs, free up disk space, and scan for viruses. Too many background processes can lower performance. Also, clean your PC physically — dust buildup can cause overheating, which reduces your CPU and GPU efficiency.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can fix lags, stuttering, and low FPS in Atomic Heart. Small changes often bring big improvements, so test different combinations until you find what works best for your system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is Atomic Heart running slowly or lagging?

Performance drops can be caused by high graphics settings, insufficient hardware resources, outdated drivers, or too many background applications. Lowering graphics quality, updating your GPU drivers, and closing unnecessary programs often helps improve performance.

What causes stuttering in Atomic Heart?

Stuttering can occur due to inconsistent frame rates, slow storage devices, outdated drivers, or insufficient RAM. Make sure your drivers are updated, consider moving the game to an SSD, and adjust in-game settings to maintain a stable FPS.

How do I fix low FPS in Atomic Heart?

Lower your graphics settings, reduce resolution, enable performance-boosting features like DLSS or FSR if supported, and ensure your drivers are up to date. Also, check for overheating issues that may cause your hardware to throttle performance.

Can my internet connection affect lag in Atomic Heart?

Yes, if the game has online features, a slow or unstable connection can cause network lag. Use a wired connection if possible, avoid streaming or downloading in the background, and restart your router to refresh the connection.

Does enabling V-Sync reduce stuttering in Atomic Heart?

V-Sync can help eliminate screen tearing, but it may introduce input lag or reduce FPS if your hardware cannot consistently match the refresh rate. You can also try adaptive sync options like G-Sync or FreeSync if your monitor supports them.

Why did performance in Atomic Heart drop after an update?

Sometimes new updates introduce bugs, higher system requirements, or compatibility issues. Check the game’s patch notes, update your drivers, and wait for hotfixes if the problem is widespread in the community.