Best Deadlock Settings for Visibility & Performance

For most players, the top pick is a mix of Low-to-Medium graphics with Ultra Fidelity and DLSS/FSR set to Balanced, plus a few specific visibility toggles. This combination gives you the best frame rate for smooth aiming while keeping enemy models and outlines clear, which is what actually wins fights. It works across a wide range of hardware, from mid-range GPUs to high-end rigs, and it’s the baseline we recommend before you tweak anything else.

What to Look For

Deadlock is a fast-paced MOBA shooter, so your settings need to balance two goals: seeing enemies clearly and maintaining a high, stable frame rate. Here are the criteria that matter most:

• Frame Rate Stability: You want a frame rate that doesn’t dip during team fights. A stable 60 FPS is the minimum; 120+ FPS is ideal for competitive play. Look for settings that reduce GPU load without sacrificing visibility.
• Enemy Visibility: Deadlock uses colored outlines and glowing effects to show enemies. Settings that add too much post-processing, bloom, or shadow detail can make enemies blend into the background. You want flat, bright textures and clear outlines.
• Input Latency: Lower input lag means your mouse clicks register faster. This is affected by frame rate, V-Sync, and upscaling settings. You want minimal latency, even if it means sacrificing some visual quality.
• Upscaling Quality: DLSS (Nvidia) and FSR (AMD) are crucial for performance. They render at a lower resolution and upscale, giving you higher FPS. The “Quality” or “Balanced” presets usually look good and boost performance significantly.
• Resolution Scaling: If you don’t have an upscaling-capable GPU, you can manually lower the resolution scale. This is a blunt tool, but it works. Be aware that it can make text and UI blurry.

Option 1: The Competitive Baseline (Low-Medium + Balanced Upscaling)

Settings: Set Graphics Quality to Low or Medium, Fidelity to Ultra, and Upscaling to DLSS/FSR Balanced. Disable V-Sync, set Max FPS to your monitor’s refresh rate or higher, and enable Nvidia Reflex/AMD Anti-Lag if available.

Strengths: This maximizes frame rate and minimizes input lag. Low shadows and effects make enemies pop out, and the Fidelity setting keeps the game’s art style readable.

Trade-offs: Visual quality is noticeably lower, with less detailed textures and lighting. Some particle effects (like smoke) may be harder to see through, but this is a rare trade-off for the clarity you gain.

Best for: Players with mid-range GPUs (GTX 1660, RTX 2060, RX 5600 XT) or anyone who prioritizes competitive performance over looks.

Option 2: High Refresh Rate Enthusiast (Medium-High + Quality Upscaling)

Settings: Set Graphics Quality to Medium or High, Fidelity to Ultra, and Upscaling to DLSS/FSR Quality. Keep V-Sync off, and set Max FPS to your monitor’s refresh rate (e.g., 144 or 240). Enable Reflex/Anti-Lag.

Strengths: This gives you a beautiful, smooth experience with high frame rates. The Quality upscaling preset looks nearly native, and the higher detail settings make the game feel more immersive without hiding enemies.

Trade-offs: Requires a more powerful GPU (RTX 3070, RX 6700 XT or better) to maintain high FPS. Shadow and lighting details can sometimes make enemies slightly less visible in dark corners, but the Fidelity setting helps mitigate this.

Best for: Players with high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz+) and mid-to-high-end GPUs who want a balance of performance and visual polish.

Option 3: Maximum Visibility (All Low + Native Resolution)

Settings: Set Graphics Quality to Low, Fidelity to Ultra, and turn Upscaling off (or set to Native). Disable V-Sync, and set Max FPS to unlimited or your refresh rate.

Strengths: This gives the absolute clearest enemy models. No upscaling artifacts, no blur, and the lowest possible graphical effects. It’s the most “sterile” look, but it makes spotting enemies trivial.

Trade-offs: You need a very strong GPU to run at native resolution with low settings and still get high FPS. If your hardware can’t push 144+ FPS at native, this will hurt your performance. Also, the game will look flat and less polished.

Best for: Players with high-end GPUs (RTX 3080/4080, RX 6800/7900 XT) who want the absolute best clarity and have the hardware to afford it.

Option 4: Balanced Aesthetic (High + DLAA/FSR Native AA)

Settings: Set Graphics Quality to High or Ultra, Fidelity to Ultra, and enable DLAA (Nvidia) or FSR Native AA (AMD) if your GPU supports it. Keep V-Sync off, and set Max FPS to your refresh rate.

Strengths: This is the best-looking option. DLAA renders at native resolution and uses AI to smooth edges, giving you crisp visuals with no upscaling artifacts. It’s a great choice for players who want the game to look its best while still maintaining good performance (if your GPU can handle it).

Trade-offs: DLAA/FSR Native AA is more demanding than upscaling, so you need a top-tier GPU (RTX 4080/4090, RX 7900 XTX) to get high frame rates. It also doesn’t improve visibility as much as lowering other settings.

Best for: Players with the best GPUs who want maximum visual fidelity and are willing to accept slightly lower FPS for it.

Option 5: Low-End Hardware Fallback (Performance Upscaling + Low)

Settings: Set Graphics Quality to Low, Fidelity to Low, and Upscaling to DLSS/FSR Performance or Ultra Performance. Disable V-Sync, and set Max FPS to 60 or your monitor’s refresh rate.

Strengths: This is the only way to get playable frame rates on older GPUs (GTX 1050 Ti, RX 570, Intel integrated graphics). The Performance upscaling mode renders at a very low resolution, boosting FPS dramatically.

Trade-offs: The image will be noticeably blurry, and distant enemies may be hard to see. However, the game is still playable, and you can compensate by learning to rely on the minimap and audio cues.

Best for: Players with low-end hardware who want to play Deadlock at all. It’s a trade-off, but it’s better than not playing.

How to Choose

Budget: Your GPU is the main factor. If you have a mid-range card, start with the Competitive Baseline. If you have a high-end card, try the High Refresh Rate Enthusiast or Maximum Visibility options. Low-end hardware should use the Low-End Fallback.

Use Case: Are you playing casually or competitively? If you’re in ranked or tournament play, prioritize visibility and frame rate over looks. If you’re playing for fun with friends, you can afford to turn up the graphics.

Common Trade-offs: The biggest trade-off is between visual clarity and frame rate. Lowering settings makes enemies easier to see but makes the game look worse. Upscaling helps with both, but it can introduce blur. You also have to balance input latency: V-Sync adds latency, so turn it off. Reflex/Anti-Lag reduces latency, so turn it on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I turn off V-Sync?

Yes, always. V-Sync caps your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate and adds input lag. Turn it off and use Reflex/Anti-Lag instead.

What does “Fidelity” do in Deadlock?

Fidelity controls the game’s post-processing effects like bloom, motion blur, and ambient occlusion. Setting it to Ultra keeps these effects at their best quality, which actually helps visibility by making outlines and glows more distinct.

Is DLSS or FSR better for Deadlock?

Both are excellent. DLSS is generally slightly better in terms of image quality, but FSR works on all GPUs. Use whichever your GPU supports. If you have an Nvidia RTX card, DLSS is the way to go; if you have an AMD card, FSR is your choice.

Why do I see enemies better with low settings?

Low settings reduce shadows, reflections, and particle effects that can obscure enemies. With fewer visual distractions, the game’s outline system (which highlights enemies in red) becomes more prominent, making them easier to spot.

Should I set Max FPS to my monitor’s refresh rate?

Yes, if you have a 144Hz monitor, set Max FPS to 144 or higher (like 240) to avoid screen tearing. If your GPU can’t hit that, set it to 60 or just leave it unlimited.

Does changing resolution scale help?

Yes, lowering the resolution scale (e.g., from 100% to 75%) reduces the rendering resolution, which boosts FPS. It’s a less sophisticated alternative to DLSS/FSR, but it works. Be aware that it can make text and UI blurry.

Bottom Line

Start with the Competitive Baseline (Low-Medium graphics, Ultra Fidelity, DLSS/FSR Balanced, V-Sync off, Reflex/Anti-Lag on). It’s the best all-around choice for most players. If you have a high-end GPU and want better visuals, try the High Refresh Rate Enthusiast or Maximum Visibility options. If you’re on low-end hardware, use the Fallback. The key is to keep Fidelity on Ultra and turn off V-Sync. Test your settings in the practice range or a bot match to see how they feel, and adjust from there.

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