The objective is to stabilize the Anvil Engine’s heavy draw-call pipeline, ensuring your benchmark results reflect real-world stability in dense areas like Kyoto or during high-speed combat.
1. Establishing a “Precision” Baseline
Before running the benchmark, you must eliminate OS-level interference. In 2026, Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS) and Resizable BAR are non-negotiable for this title’s VRAM management.
- Display Mode: Use Borderless Window. The engine is optimized for Windows 11’s modern flip-model, providing better frame pacing than legacy fullscreen.
- Frame Rate Limiter: Set to Off. A limiter during a benchmark masks the true performance ceiling and skews the 1% low data.
- V-Sync: Off. This is critical to see raw frame delivery intervals ($T_{frame}$).
2. Analyzing the Benchmark Summary
After the run, don’t just look at the “Average FPS.” Pay attention to the Stutter Counter and the CPU/GPU Bottleneck percentage.
| Metric | Target Value | Technical Meaning |
| GPU Bound % | >90% | Ideal. Your GPU is the primary limiter, which leads to smoother frame pacing. |
| CPU Bound % | >20% | Warning. Your CPU is struggling with RTGI draw calls; lower “Scatter Density.” |
| 1% Lows | >60 FPS | The threshold for perceived “smoothness” in 2026 AAA titles. |
| Stutter Counter | 0 | Any number above 0 indicates VRAM swapping or shader compilation hitches. |
3. High-Precision “Optimized” Config (The 2026 Standard)
To achieve the most consistent benchmark (and gameplay) results on mid-to-high-end hardware:
- RTGI (Ray Traced Global Illumination): Set to “Diffuse Everywhere”. This provides the intended visual depth without the massive $30\%$ performance penalty of “Specular Everywhere.”
- Texture Streaming Pool: This is the most common cause of benchmark stutters.
- 8GB VRAM: Medium
- 12GB+ VRAM: Ultra High
- Upscaler (DLSS/FSR/XeSS): Set to “Quality”. The 2026 Anvil Engine uses a dynamic resolution scaling ($DRS$) upper/lower bound based on this setting.
- Hair Strands: Set to “Player Only”. High-precision hair simulation on NPCs is a major “Benchmark Killer” during crowd scenes.
4. Solving the “31 FPS” Cutscene Cap
Our GameEngineer.net labs identified a persistent bug in the initial 2025/2026 builds where cutscenes lock to 31 FPS, affecting the overall benchmark average if the scene transitions too early.
- The Fix: Ensure your monitor’s refresh rate is an even multiple of your target. If using a 144Hz panel, use NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Adrenalin to force a “Fast” or “Enhanced Sync” override, which can decouple the engine’s internal 31 FPS cap from the output.