Quick Links
- Why Is God of War Ragnarök Not Using My GPU?
- 1: Check If Your PC Meets the System Requirements
- 2: Force God of War Ragnarök to Use Your Dedicated GPU
- 3: Update Your GPU Drivers (NVIDIA & AMD)
- 4: Verify & Repair Game Files
- 5: Disable Overlay Applications
- 6: Adjust In-Game Settings (Disable V-Sync & Ray Tracing)
- Final Words
God of War Ragnarök is a stunning game, but if it’s not using your dedicated GPU, you might experience low FPS, stuttering, or even crashes. This can be frustrating, especially when your hardware is more than capable of running the game smoothly.
If you’re facing this issue, don’t worry! This guide will walk you through the possible causes and step-by-step solutions to make sure your GPU handles the game properly and delivers the best performance.
Why Is God of War Ragnarök Not Using My GPU?
Before jumping into fixes, let’s understand why the game might not be utilizing your dedicated graphics card.
Common Causes:
✔ Integrated GPU Preference – If your system has both an integrated and a dedicated GPU, the game might be running on the weaker integrated GPU instead.
✔ Outdated GPU Drivers – Old or corrupted drivers can cause the game to misallocate GPU resources.
✔ Incorrect Game Settings – Some settings like V-Sync, Ray Tracing, or Power Management could be limiting GPU usage.
✔ Overlay Applications – Apps like Discord, GeForce Experience, or MSI Afterburner can interfere with GPU allocation.
✔ Background Processes – High CPU or RAM usage from background tasks can reduce GPU performance.
✔ Corrupt Game Files – Missing or damaged files can prevent proper GPU utilization.
1: Check If Your PC Meets the System Requirements
Before troubleshooting, ensure your PC meets at least the minimum system requirements. If your hardware doesn’t match, the game might default to using the CPU or integrated GPU instead.
Minimum Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel i5-4670k / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) / AMD RX 5500 XT (8GB)
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 190GB available space
Recommended Requirements for High Settings
- Processor: Intel i7-7700k / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 (8GB) / AMD RX 6800 (16GB)
- Storage: SSD (for faster loading times)
If your system falls short, consider upgrading to avoid performance issues.
2: Force God of War Ragnarök to Use Your Dedicated GPU
Sometimes, Windows automatically assigns the integrated GPU instead of the dedicated one. To fix this, follow the steps below:
For NVIDIA Users:
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel – Right-click on your desktop and select “NVIDIA Control Panel.”
- Go to Manage 3D Settings – In the left panel, click on “Manage 3D settings.”
- Select Program Settings – Navigate to “Program Settings” and click “Add.”
- Find God of War Ragnarök – Select the game from the list or manually browse to its .exe file.
- Set Preferred Graphics Processor – Choose “High-performance NVIDIA processor.”
- Apply Changes – Click “Apply” to save your settings.
For AMD Users:
- Open AMD Radeon Software – Right-click on the desktop and select “AMD Radeon Settings.”
- Go to System Tab – Click on “System.”
- Switchable Graphics – Select “Switchable Graphics” from the settings.
- Find the Game – Click “Running Applications” and locate God of War Ragnarök. If it’s missing, browse manually.
- Set to High Performance – Change its profile to “High Performance.”
This ensures your dedicated GPU is being used instead of the integrated one.
3: Update Your GPU Drivers (NVIDIA & AMD)
Using outdated drivers can lead to poor GPU performance or even cause the game to ignore the dedicated GPU. Here’s how to update them:
For NVIDIA Users:
- Download & Open GeForce Experience – If you don’t have it, get it from the official NVIDIA website.
- Check for Updates – Go to the “Drivers” tab and click “Check for updates.”
- Download & Install – If a new driver is available, install it and restart your PC.
For AMD Users:
- Open AMD Radeon Software – If you don’t have it, download it from AMD’s official website.
- Check for Updates – Click on “Updates” and then “Check for Updates.”
- Install the Latest Drivers – If an update is available, install it and restart your PC.
4: Verify & Repair Game Files
Corrupt or missing files can cause the game to behave unexpectedly, including not using the GPU correctly.
For Steam Users:
- Open Steam – Launch the Steam client.
- Go to Library – Right-click on God of War Ragnarök and select “Properties.”
- Verify Game Files – Click “Installed Files” > “Verify integrity of game files.”
- Wait for Completion – Steam will check for missing/corrupt files and replace them.
For Epic Games Users:
- Open Epic Games Launcher – Navigate to Library.
- Locate the Game – Click on the three dots next to God of War Ragnarök.
- Click “Verify” – The launcher will scan and fix any missing files.
5: Disable Overlay Applications
Overlays from applications like Discord, Steam, GeForce Experience, or MSI Afterburner can interfere with the game’s GPU usage.
How to Disable Overlays:
- Discord: Go to User Settings > Game Overlay > Turn Off Overlay.
- Steam: Open Steam > Settings > In-Game > Disable Steam Overlay.
- GeForce Experience: Open it > Settings > Disable In-Game Overlay.
Disabling these overlays can boost performance and prevent GPU conflicts.
You May Also Like:
- How To Disable Steam Overlay?
- How to Disable Discord Overlay?
- How to Enable & Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay?
6: Adjust In-Game Settings (Disable V-Sync & Ray Tracing)
Some in-game settings can bottleneck performance and prevent full GPU usage.
Best Performance Settings for God of War Ragnarök:
- Turn Off V-Sync – Reduces input lag and improves FPS.
- Disable Ray Tracing – Unless you have an RTX 3080+, it can lower FPS significantly.
- Lower Shadows & Reflections – These consume a lot of GPU power.
- Set FPS Limit to Uncapped – Ensures the game utilizes maximum GPU power.
Final Words
If God of War Ragnarök isn’t using your dedicated GPU, follow these steps to fix it. Checking your system requirements, forcing the game to use the dedicated GPU, updating drivers, disabling overlays, and adjusting settings should solve the issue.
Now, go ahead and enjoy the epic journey of Kratos without performance worries!