Star Citizen is the rare game where the honest first answer to “why is my FPS low” is “which FPS?” The StarEngine client renders your frames, but the server simulates the universe, and when a shard is struggling everything on screen stutters and hitches even if your GPU is coasting. Type r_DisplayInfo 3 into the console (the tilde key) and you will see both your client frame rate and the server FPS side by side; if the server figure is in the single digits, no local setting will help. On the client side, Star Citizen is unusually CPU- and memory-bound. It streams an entire star system from disk, wants a fast NVMe drive and genuinely benefits from 32 GB of RAM, and the volumetric clouds over planets are among the heaviest effects in any current game. Shader caches also go stale with every patch, and the local USER folder accumulates years of settings that can hold the client back. Working through those in order is how most players get their frame rate back in 2026.
- Likely Causes
- Fix 1: Confirm whether the server is the problem
- Fix 2: Delete the shader cache
- Fix 3: Lower Planet Volumetric Clouds and Scattered Object Distance
- Fix 4: Give the game enough memory
- Fix 5: Move the install to an NVMe SSD
- Fix 6: Reset the USER folder
- Fix 7: Switch between the DirectX 11 and Vulkan renderers
- Fix 8: Remove overlays and background load
- If Nothing Works
- FAQ
Quick answer: Our top pick in 2026 is the Server FPS is low — our #1 rated choice. See the full ranked comparison, alternatives and buying advice below.
Likely Causes
| Cause | How to confirm | Fix difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Server FPS is low | r_DisplayInfo 3 shows server FPS under 10 while client FPS is acceptable |
Not fixable client-side |
| Stale shader cache after a patch | Stutter and low FPS immediately after an update | Easy |
| Planet Volumetric Clouds at High | FPS recovers when leaving atmosphere or lowering the setting | Easy |
| Insufficient RAM or page file | 16 GB systems; committed memory near limit; stutter in cities | Moderate |
| Game installed on a hard drive or slow SATA SSD | Long texture pop-in and hitching while traveling | Moderate |
| Bloated or corrupted USER folder | Performance far below similar hardware; fresh USER folder helps | Easy |
| DirectX 11 renderer where Vulkan runs better (or vice versa) | Switching renderer changes FPS noticeably | Easy |
| Overlays and background apps | FPS improves with Discord, Afterburner and browsers closed | Easy |
Fix 1: Confirm whether the server is the problem
How to check
Press the tilde key to open the console and type r_DisplayInfo 3. The overlay reports your client FPS and the server’s FPS, along with shard information. A healthy server sits in the twenties or higher; when it drops below 10, ships stutter, elevators hang and doors stall regardless of your hardware.
What to do
If the server FPS is the issue, log out and back in to be placed on a different shard, or switch regions in the RSI Launcher settings. Nothing else in this guide will help while the server is struggling.
How to undo it
Type r_DisplayInfo 0 to hide the overlay.
Fix 2: Delete the shader cache
How to check
Every patch changes shaders. If your FPS dropped after an update or you see heavy stutter as new effects appear, the cached shaders in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Star Citizen are out of date.
What to do
Close the game and the RSI Launcher. Delete the contents of %LOCALAPPDATA%\Star Citizen (this folder holds only shader caches). Relaunch. The first few minutes will stutter as shaders rebuild; afterward performance should settle. Many players do this after every major patch as routine maintenance.
How to undo it
Nothing to revert; the cache rebuilds automatically.
Fix 3: Lower Planet Volumetric Clouds and Scattered Object Distance
How to check
Fly from space into a cloudy planet’s atmosphere and watch r_DisplayInfo. If client FPS halves as the clouds appear, the Planet Volumetric Clouds setting is the cost.
What to do
In Options, Graphics, set Planet Volumetric Clouds to Medium or Low. Set Scattered Object Distance to Medium to reduce distant rock and vegetation draw. Terrain Tessellation Distance and Scattered Object Distance together control how much ground detail streams in; both can come down a step on mid-range cards without much visual loss. Keep an eye on the Quality preset field, which switches to Custom when you edit individual values.
How to undo it
Choose your previous preset or raise each value manually.
Fix 4: Give the game enough memory
How to check
Open Task Manager’s Performance tab while in Lorville or New Babbage and watch In Use and Committed memory. Star Citizen routinely commits more than 20 GB in cities. On 16 GB systems, or where the page file is small or on a hard drive, the result is constant hitching.
What to do
If you have 16 GB, set a fixed page file of at least 16384 MB on your fastest SSD through System Properties, Advanced, Performance Settings, Advanced, Virtual Memory. If you have 32 GB or more, a system-managed page file is fine. Close browsers and other memory-heavy applications during play. Upgrading to 32 GB is the long-term answer and is the most impactful hardware change for this game.
How to undo it
Re-enable automatic page file management.
Fix 5: Move the install to an NVMe SSD
How to check
Star Citizen streams assets constantly. If textures pop in late, hangars appear as gray boxes for seconds, and hitches occur when flying between areas, the drive is not keeping up. Check the install location in the RSI Launcher settings.
What to do
In the RSI Launcher, Settings, change the Games Library location to a folder on an NVMe SSD and reinstall, or move the StarCitizen folder manually and point the launcher at it. A hard drive is below the minimum specification and a SATA SSD is the practical floor.
How to undo it
Move the folder back and update the launcher path.
Fix 6: Reset the USER folder
How to check
Your settings live in C:\Program Files\Roberts Space Industries\StarCitizen\LIVE\USER\Client\0\Profiles\default\attributes.xml. This folder persists across patches and accumulates deprecated values. If your performance is well below players with similar hardware, a fresh USER folder is a low-risk test.
What to do
Before deleting, export your keybinds in game by typing pp_ExportActionMaps mybinds in the console; the file is saved under USER\Client\0\Controls\Mappings. Copy that folder somewhere safe. Close the game, rename USER to USER.old, and launch. Rebuild graphics settings, then import binds with pp_RebindKeys mybinds after copying the Mappings folder back.
How to undo it
Delete the new USER folder and rename USER.old back.
Fix 7: Switch between the DirectX 11 and Vulkan renderers
How to check
In Options, Graphics, look for the Renderer setting. The Vulkan path is newer and often relieves CPU-side overhead on systems where the render thread is the bottleneck, but driver maturity varies.
What to do
Select the other renderer, restart the client and compare r_DisplayInfo readings in the same location. Keep the one that gives higher and steadier client FPS. Also try the in-game upscaler options (DLSS, FSR or the engine’s own TSR) at Quality mode if your GPU rather than CPU is the limit.
How to undo it
Switch the Renderer setting back and restart.
Fix 8: Remove overlays and background load
How to check
Star Citizen’s main thread is easily disturbed. Discord overlay, RivaTuner, browser tabs playing video and the RSI Launcher itself if left in the foreground all cost CPU time.
What to do
Disable the Discord overlay and Xbox Game Bar, close RivaTuner if you do not need it, minimize the Launcher and close browsers. Set Windows power mode to Best performance.
How to undo it
Re-enable each item you want back.
If Nothing Works
Run the RSI Launcher’s Verify option (Settings, Games, Verify) to check file integrity. Test a fresh Windows user account. Compare your results with players who post their r_DisplayInfo readings for the same location and hardware, and remember that Star Citizen’s frame rate is highly location-dependent: a station in deep space will always run far better than a landing zone full of players. If your hardware sits near the minimum specification, especially in RAM and storage, upgrading those two items does more than any settings change. And check the current patch notes; some performance regressions are engine-side and are acknowledged as known issues.
FAQ
Why is my GPU usage low while FPS is also low?
Star Citizen is often CPU- or server-bound. Check server FPS first, then memory and storage, before touching graphics settings.
How often should I delete the shader cache?
After every major patch, or whenever you notice new stutter following an update. It is safe and rebuilds automatically.
Does deleting the USER folder remove my ships or progress?
No. Progress and inventory are stored on the server. Only local settings and keybinds live in USER, and you can export binds first.
Is 16 GB of RAM enough?
It meets the minimum but produces regular hitching in cities. A large page file on an SSD helps; 32 GB removes the problem.
Ready to decide? Our #1 pick for 2026 is the Server FPS is low.
Live price & availability on Amazon.
