Hogwarts Legacy: Fixing Engine Stuttering via Engine.ini Tweaks

The “stuttering” in Hogwarts Legacy typically occurs when the engine moves data between the VRAM and system RAM as you transition between areas like the Great Hall or Hogsmeade. The Unreal Engine 4 implementation in this title can be aggressive with its garbage collection and texture loading. By fine-tuning the Engine.ini, we can define a clearer memory budget and force the CPU to handle vertex data more efficiently, which significantly stabilizes the framerate during exploration.

Hardware Compatibility & Expectations

• VRAM Capacity: This is the most critical factor. Your PoolSize must be calculated based on your GPU’s total memory.
• NVMe SSD: These tweaks rely on fast asset streaming. If the game is on an HDD, these edits may cause visual “pop-in.”
• System RAM: 16GB is the baseline, but 32GB users will see the most benefit from increased streaming buffers.

Backup and Preparation

Before making any changes, ensure you have a fallback point.

1. Completely exit Hogwarts Legacy.
2. Navigate to the configuration folder (path below).
3. Right-click Engine.ini, select Copy, and save a backup to your desktop.
4. Use Notepad++ to perform the edits for better formatting.

File Location

You can quickly access the folder by pressing Win + R and pasting: %LocalAppData%\Hogwarts Legacy\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\Engine.ini

Best Config Settings

Scroll to the bottom of the file and paste the following blocks. Make sure to adjust the r.Streaming.PoolSize value based on your VRAM using the table in the next section:

[SystemSettings]
r.bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=True
r.GTSyncType=1
r.OneFrameThreadLag=1
r.FinishCurrentFrame=0
r.TextureStreaming=1
r.Streaming.PoolSize=3072
r.Streaming.LimitPoolSizeToVRAM=1
r.Streaming.HLODStrategy=0

[ConsoleVariables]
AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdates=1
AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdatesDuringGamethreadUpdates=1
AllowAsyncRenderThreadUpdatesEditor=1

Key Parameters Explained

Parameter	Recommended Value	Impact
r.Streaming.PoolSize	See Table Below	Sets the dedicated VRAM pool for textures to prevent overflow.
r.GTSyncType	1	Improves synchronization between the Game Thread and GPU.
r.bForceCPUAccess…	True	Reduces stutters caused by character model loading.
AllowAsync…	1	Enables parallel processing of rendering updates, reducing CPU hits.

PoolSize Calculation Table

Update the r.Streaming.PoolSize line in your config based on your GPU:

• 4GB VRAM: 1024
• 6GB VRAM: 2048
• 8GB VRAM: 3072
• 10GB+ VRAM: 4096 or 5120

In-Game Settings vs. Config

To complement your .ini tweaks, adjust these in the game menu:

• Upscale Type: Use DLSS or FSR (Quality) to give your GPU more breathing room.
• Ray Tracing: If stutters persist, turn Ray Tracing OFF, as it doubles the VRAM requirement.
• NVIDIA Reflex: Set to On + Boost for the lowest input latency.

Troubleshooting & Common Fixes

• Blurry Textures: If textures look low-res, your PoolSize is likely too small. Increase it by 512.
• Settings Overwritten: If the game resets your changes, right-click Engine.ini, go to Properties, and check Read-only.
• Out of Memory Crash: This happens if you set the PoolSize too high (e.g., setting it to 8000 on an 8GB card). Lower the value immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion and Expected Results

By manually configuring the Engine.ini, you take control of the Unreal Engine’s memory allocation. Users typically report a much smoother experience while flying and a significant reduction in the 1-second “freezes” when opening doors or entering new rooms. Your hardware can now focus on the magic, not the background asset management.