The Last Of Us Part 2 | OPTIMIZATION GUIDE | Every Setting Tested | Best Settings

Summary

The video reviews The Last of Us Part II’s PC port, praising visual fidelity but critiquing inconsistent performance and shader compilation choices that cause stuttering. Teaming Iron Galaxy with Nixxes improves stability over the first game, yet shader pre-compilation and upscaling introduce shimmering—especially with older DLSS—so the presenter recommends the DLSS Transformer model or DLSS4 Quality for best balance. The guide walks through optimal settings (LOD, textures, shadows, reflections, lighting, and post-processing), prioritizing VRAM-friendly choices for 8GB GPUs and offering specific trade-offs to boost FPS. Benchmarks show the optimized profile boosts performance substantially versus Very High presets.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Last of Us Part II's PC port improves shader compilation by pre-compiling them during gameplay, but this causes inconsistent performance and high CPU usage.
• 😀 Despite being a 5-year-old PS4 game, The Last of Us Part II remains demanding on GPUs, but offers a highly customizable graphics menu for better performance tuning.
• 😀 DLSS in the game suffers from shimmering, particularly in areas with indirect lighting, but the newer DLSS Transformer model improves stability and image quality, especially for RTX GPUs.
• 😀 Anti-aliasing options like DLAA and the Transformer model deliver better image quality and performance compared to older methods, with DLAA being softer in motion.
• 😀 Some settings in the game, such as Dynamic Screen Space Shadows and Real-Time Cloud Shadow Reflections, do not produce noticeable changes in visuals or performance, and may be unnecessary.
• 😀 The 'Level of Detail' settings significantly impact visuals, with 'High' recommended for Dynamic Objects and Characters, and 'Medium' or 'High' for Environmental Detail.
• 😀 Texture quality settings, particularly for Dynamic Objects, Characters, and Environments, affect VRAM usage. For 8GB GPUs, 'Medium' settings for dynamic and character textures are advised.
• 😀 Shadow settings such as Spotlights and Point Lights Shadow Resolution have little impact on performance but can enhance visual quality, with 'High' or 'Very High' being the recommended options.
• 😀 Volumetric effects and Particle Density settings offer noticeable visual improvements but come with performance costs. 'High' settings are recommended for most cases, with 'Medium' for Particle Density.
• 😀 The optimized settings for The Last of Us Part II deliver up to a 39% performance boost over the 'Very High' preset, especially with DLSS 4 in Quality Mode, making it a better choice for maintaining smooth gameplay.

Q & A

What was the main issue with the PC port of The Last of Us Part 1?

The main issue with the PC port of The Last of Us Part 1 was its disastrous performance, specifically the lengthy shader compilation process in the main menu that caused a lot of delays and poor optimization.

How did The Last of Us Part II attempt to improve the shader compilation process on PC?

To improve shader compilation, The Last of Us Part II pre-compiles shaders for each level in the menu and also asynchronously during gameplay when the player reaches a new area. However, this still led to high CPU usage and inconsistent performance during gameplay.

Why does the pre-compiling of shaders during gameplay still cause performance issues?

Pre-compiling shaders during gameplay causes high CPU usage and inconsistent performance because it results in frame pacing issues as the game loads shaders while you play, disrupting smooth gameplay.

What’s the recommended approach for users who want to avoid performance issues with shader compilation?

The recommended approach is to wait several minutes in the main menu for shaders to compile rather than experiencing frame pacing issues during gameplay, even though this might not be the most convenient option.

What are the main graphical issues with DLSS in The Last of Us Part II?

The main graphical issues with DLSS in the game are noticeable shimmering, especially in indirectly lit areas, and aliasing on the ground. This occurs regardless of which upscaling option is chosen.

How does the Transformer DLSS model compare to the older CNN model?

The Transformer DLSS model significantly reduces ground aliasing and provides cleaner images and better motion clarity compared to the older CNN model, making it a better choice for users with an RTX GPU.

What anti-aliasing options are available in the game, and which one is recommended?

The anti-aliasing options in the game include DLAA, FSR3 AA, XeSS AA, and DLSS. The Transformer DLSS model is recommended for better image quality and performance, while DLAA is slightly more stable but softer in motion.

What did the test reveal about the Dynamic Screen Space Shadows and Real-Time Cloud Shadow Reflections settings?

Testing revealed that the Dynamic Screen Space Shadows setting does not have a noticeable impact on either visuals or performance, and similarly, the Real-Time Cloud Shadow Reflections setting doesn't affect performance or visuals, even when enabled.

What is the best setting for Texture Quality and VRAM usage in The Last of Us Part II?

For 8GB GPUs, it’s recommended to keep Dynamic Objects and Characters Texture Quality at Medium to avoid VRAM strain. Environments Texture Quality should be kept at High for the best visual impact without overloading VRAM.

How does the Bounced Lighting setting affect performance, and when should it be disabled?

Bounced Lighting simulates indirect light and enhances realism but comes with a significant performance cost of around 10%. It’s recommended to leave it enabled, especially indoors, unless performance is struggling even in those areas.

What are the performance costs associated with Field of View (FOV) settings in the game?

Increasing the FOV has a notable performance impact, with a 9% cost when going from -10 to 0 and up to 15% when going to 10. It’s important to monitor performance when adjusting the FOV to avoid performance issues.

What settings are recommended for optimizing performance in The Last of Us Part II without compromising visual quality?

To optimize performance, it's recommended to use the Optimized Settings, which result in a 27% performance boost compared to the Very High Preset at 1440p. Additionally, using the Quality DLSS4 setting helps achieve better performance without compromising image quality.