• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 13:44
CET 19:44
KST 03:44
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT28Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book19Clem wins HomeStory Cup 289HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview13Rongyi Cup S3 - Preview & Info8
Community News
Weekly Cups (Feb 16-22): MaxPax doubles0Weekly Cups (Feb 9-15): herO doubles up2ACS replaced by "ASL Season Open" - Starts 21/0258LiuLi Cup: 2025 Grand Finals (Feb 10-16)46Weekly Cups (Feb 2-8): Classic, Solar, MaxPax win2
StarCraft 2
General
Terran AddOns placement How do you think the 5.0.15 balance patch (Oct 2025) for StarCraft II has affected the game? Nexon's StarCraft game could be FPS, led by UMS maker ByuL: The Forgotten Master of ZvT Oliveira Would Have Returned If EWC Continued
Tourneys
PIG STY FESTIVAL 7.0! (19 Feb - 1 Mar) SEL Doubles (SC Evo Bimonthly) WardiTV Team League Season 10 RSL Season 4 announced for March-April The Dave Testa Open #11
Strategy
Custom Maps
Publishing has been re-enabled! [Feb 24th 2026] Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 514 Ulnar New Year The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 513 Attrition Warfare Mutation # 512 Overclocked
Brood War
General
TvZ is the most complete match up BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Soma Explains: JD's Unrelenting Aggro vs FlaSh ACS replaced by "ASL Season Open" - Starts 21/02 BW General Discussion
Tourneys
[LIVE] [S:21] ASL Season Open Day 1 ASL Season 21 Qualifiers March 7-8 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2 Fighting Spirit mining rates Simple Questions, Simple Answers Zealot bombing is no longer popular?
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Battle Aces/David Kim RTS Megathread Path of Exile Beyond All Reason New broswer game : STG-World
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine UK Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread Mexico's Drug War
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books Anime Discussion Thread
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TL MMA Pick'em Pool 2013
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Laptop capable of using Photoshop Lightroom?
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
YOUTUBE VIDEO
XenOsky
Unintentional protectionism…
Uldridge
ASL S21 English Commentary…
namkraft
Inside the Communication of …
TrAiDoS
My 2025 Magic: The Gathering…
DARKING
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 2096 users

Low FPS since patch 4.0?

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
Normal
mansnicks
Profile Joined January 2010
Latvia120 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-11 01:06:03
December 11 2017 01:03 GMT
#1
This week I finished a re-run of WoL and HotS campaigns. I now started the LotV campaign and I immediately notice that the game feels laggy.
So I check the fps and I'm surprised that I have 40 fps. I have played through all of WoL and HotS campaign with solid 60 fps (which is my max set), or at least it not once felt laggy.
I did have 1-2 months break from SC2, but before that - I did play SC2 on daily basis for the entire year. Arcades and co-op, always with solid 60 fps.
So now I try out co-op to see if anything changed about that. And yes, I do have 40-45 fps even at the start of co-op just like in LotV campaign. I played 100+ co-op games this year and they were all with 60 fps.

Nothing on my laptop was changed during that break of mine.

However, it is worth noting that my sc2 launch settings have been reset (why?). So no "launch 32bit instead of 64bit" and no "additional command line arguments".
I tried that 32bit option - it changes nothing. I tried to open SC2 through SC2Switcher - it changes nothing. I remember that in the additional command line arguments I had in the past it set to use some directx version, to launch the game windowed version instead of full, and some 3rd command that I don't remember. I highly doubt any of them changed anything since they were there for like forever and I don't even remember why they were.


Hopefully, I can get some answers. Otherwise, I can't play SC2 anymore
Super passive with no scouting is a recipe for disaster.
SCHWARZENEGGER
Profile Joined July 2016
206 Posts
December 11 2017 01:07 GMT
#2
running sc2 as an admin gave me almost x2 more fps
Fango
Profile Joined July 2016
United Kingdom8987 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-11 01:08:26
December 11 2017 01:07 GMT
#3
I've been having random FPS drops as well. I played a ladder game today on 30-40 for a good portion of it (would normally be in the 100s). Thought it was just my system crapping out
Zest, sOs, PartinG, Dark, and Maru are the real champs. ROOT_herO is overrated. Snute, Serral, and Scarlett are the foreigner GOATs
mansnicks
Profile Joined January 2010
Latvia120 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-11 01:31:50
December 11 2017 01:26 GMT
#4
I double checked my claim. And indeed - I have 60 fps in WoL and HotS while 40 fps in LotV campaign and co-op (I do not dare to try out custom games).
Wtf happened to SC2? Why it lags all of a sudden?


On December 11 2017 10:07 SCHWARZENEGGER wrote:
running sc2 as an admin gave me almost x2 more fps

I will try that out ASAP. brb in 1min
Edit: Didn't help
Super passive with no scouting is a recipe for disaster.
engesser1
Profile Blog Joined December 2016
264 Posts
December 11 2017 01:44 GMT
#5
same here, random fps drops since 4.0.0. tons of bugs and lags.
Maru, he is the reason why i'm still playing and watching sc2
Aegwynn
Profile Joined September 2015
Italy460 Posts
December 11 2017 03:05 GMT
#6
Do you have vsync off? Because mine was actually acting like it was on even if it was turned off in the options. I just forced it off from nvidia control panel to resolve it.
ggrrg
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
Bulgaria2716 Posts
December 11 2017 03:17 GMT
#7
I actually have more fps after 4.0 oO about 20-30 fps more on avg, but I have only checked it with arcades and not campaign or ladder.
mansnicks
Profile Joined January 2010
Latvia120 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-11 04:08:42
December 11 2017 04:07 GMT
#8
On December 11 2017 12:05 Aegwynn wrote:
Do you have vsync off? Because mine was actually acting like it was on even if it was turned off in the options. I just forced it off from Nvidia control panel to resolve it.

Tbh I play with Intel graphics card and so in this control panel there are only 2 options for vsync: use application settings, or use driver settings (doesn't say what it does). Changing it doesn't seem to help.

Still, the most interesting part is that WoL and HotS campaign I can play with my usual fps that I had all this year. That's so strange...
Super passive with no scouting is a recipe for disaster.
mansnicks
Profile Joined January 2010
Latvia120 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-11 09:51:00
December 11 2017 09:49 GMT
#9
On December 11 2017 12:05 Aegwynn wrote:
Do you have vsync off? Because mine was actually acting like it was on even if it was turned off in the options. I just forced it off from nvidia control panel to resolve it.

I think you are right.
Since the only option in Intel control center is to use "application settings",+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
I have no way of testing if it's 100% true.
But I did try enabling and disabling it in SC2 options. And it changes NOTHING for me. I clearly remember experiencing fps drops in the past when I tried to turn it on. So I guess you are right - it is on even if it's switched off.
Lucky me I guess. Blizzard just create this new bug and I just so happen to use Intel :/


I wonder if someone could test it if it's really true and therefore a bug? Then there would be hope that Blizzard could fix it.
Super passive with no scouting is a recipe for disaster.
RandomPlayer
Profile Joined April 2012
Russian Federation400 Posts
December 11 2017 17:29 GMT
#10
They might have fired their performance testing engineer for SC2
Boxihobo
Profile Joined December 2010
Hungary37 Posts
December 12 2017 07:17 GMT
#11
Hey I ran into similar after a windows update, was able to run the game on med - high without a problem and then suddenly dropped to constant 25 -26 fps on LOWEST

What fixed it for me is right click the SC 2 icon and under the compatibility tab Check to disable the full screen optimization thingy.

Another thing you can try is to disable if you haven't yet the Xbox gaming DVR bullcrap like this :support.steampowered.com

Hope this helps
This is Puruttyaaaa
Divain
Profile Joined November 2014
France17 Posts
December 12 2017 11:42 GMT
#12
Low FPS since patch 3.0*
kinsky
Profile Joined November 2010
Germany368 Posts
December 12 2017 12:56 GMT
#13
same here - everything on low, had decent fps in wol and hots. cant play coop or 2v2 cuz it stutters so hard when there are many units on screen.
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20326 Posts
Last Edited: 2017-12-12 14:10:31
December 12 2017 14:02 GMT
#14
Every major patch (and some minor ones) since 2010 there are people making threads like this and almost all of the time the performance hasn't actually changed at all

The performance of the game changes a lot depending on what you're doing and is partially linked to the CPU performance of the slowest PC in the game, that can give a lot of unexpected results or particularly laggy single games. If anyone is hitting below about 30fps then everyone in the game will start to see weird performance including stuttering and playing slower than real time and this is a common thing to experience in co-op + endgame 2v2 battles since a lot of people run the game that poorly.

On December 11 2017 18:49 mansnicks wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 11 2017 12:05 Aegwynn wrote:
Do you have vsync off? Because mine was actually acting like it was on even if it was turned off in the options. I just forced it off from nvidia control panel to resolve it.

I think you are right.
Since the only option in Intel control center is to use "application settings",+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
I have no way of testing if it's 100% true.
But I did try enabling and disabling it in SC2 options. And it changes NOTHING for me. I clearly remember experiencing fps drops in the past when I tried to turn it on. So I guess you are right - it is on even if it's switched off.
Lucky me I guess. Blizzard just create this new bug and I just so happen to use Intel :/


I wonder if someone could test it if it's really true and therefore a bug? Then there would be hope that Blizzard could fix it.


Windows vsyncs everything on win10 and 8 unless you play in exclusive fullscreen (not windowed fullscreen) and windows 7 does as well unless you use certain desktop themes

For the "always at 60fps" stuff i'd have to assume that you weren't monitoring performance very well - far more powerful systems drop below "60fps" in co-op and high unit count 2v2 games, even on FPS optimal settings; they always have.

There could be a lot of legit reasons for your system having performance or maybe this is one of the patches that does affect FPS, you're just not gonna get 60+ at all times by fixing it if there is a problem. One thing that you can look at is running your older replays, they'll load a 3.x version of the game if they were played on it so the game will run as it did in that patch.
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
ggrrg
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
Bulgaria2716 Posts
December 13 2017 00:52 GMT
#15
^ i mostly play an arcade game with the same ~150 people. previously, i could always notice a clear difference in fps between patches - i think around 3.0 was the first time that the fps was just cut by about 20% for me. there were a bunch of other patches that also reduces the fps by another 5-10% each. however, 4.0 was the first time that i actually got a fps increase from a blizz patch. i went from about 140-150 to 155-180, which was quite a noticable increase. considerting that i mostly play one arcade with the same ~150 people and rack up about 40 games per week, i am pretty sure that any fps changes are only caused by the patches and have nothing to do with the connections of the people i have been playing with for years.
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20326 Posts
December 13 2017 01:19 GMT
#16
You can benchmark it by comparing new and old replays since loading an older replay loads the version of the game that it was made on
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
Aegwynn
Profile Joined September 2015
Italy460 Posts
December 13 2017 02:27 GMT
#17
On December 11 2017 18:49 mansnicks wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 11 2017 12:05 Aegwynn wrote:
Do you have vsync off? Because mine was actually acting like it was on even if it was turned off in the options. I just forced it off from nvidia control panel to resolve it.

I think you are right.
Since the only option in Intel control center is to use "application settings",+ Show Spoiler +
[image loading]
I have no way of testing if it's 100% true.
But I did try enabling and disabling it in SC2 options. And it changes NOTHING for me. I clearly remember experiencing fps drops in the past when I tried to turn it on. So I guess you are right - it is on even if it's switched off.
Lucky me I guess. Blizzard just create this new bug and I just so happen to use Intel :/


I wonder if someone could test it if it's really true and therefore a bug? Then there would be hope that Blizzard could fix it.

Can't you click on that "on" text to make vsync off? I don't know about intel graphics but try to google how to disable vsync for it.
mansnicks
Profile Joined January 2010
Latvia120 Posts
December 16 2017 02:04 GMT
#18
On December 12 2017 23:02 Cyro wrote:
One thing that you can look at is running your older replays, they'll load a 3.x version of the game if they were played on it so the game will run as it did in that patch.

Thanks. Now I know that I was right.
I checked a replay from this patch and a replay from the same co-op mission that was played more than a half year ago (patch 3.14)
Today's replay was with 40-53 fps while that old replay was with solid 60 fps (my max set). Both of which were first few minutes of replay - didn't see a point to watch any further.
I know that ~10-15 fps drop doesn't sound like much, but on a 60Hz monitor, it sure can be felt.
I didn't double or triple check with other older replays because I'm 100% convinced that I'm right.

I actually am not very happy about being right.... this time..
RIP co-op. At least I can still play Arcade I guess...
Super passive with no scouting is a recipe for disaster.
Sundr
Profile Joined November 2017
34 Posts
December 18 2017 03:56 GMT
#19
FPS I get in this game is very funny. My specs:
Core i5-2400 3.40 GHz
8Gb RAM
GTX 960 960 4 Gb VRAM
HDD
Win10 x64

Yeah, it's pretty low range rig, but game is 2010 itself, so that shouldn't be a big problem, right?

I have custom graphic settings, but average is medium, and there's no way I can get steady 60 in 2v2, 3v3 or coop. 4v4 sometimes going slideshow. In 3v3s can drop below 30s.
Recently I followed Hybrid Settings thread and tried to set blob shadows with high shaders. I got simple blob shadows working fine, it even improved visibility, but it just ate additional 10 FPS... I checked 3v3 replay, in big fight with normal medium shadows I get 30-40 FPS, with blob ones I get 20. What the hell? Thankfully at least 1v1 mostly sits on smooth 60.

Anyone got any tips on what to tweak to get a bit more FPS outta this game? Anything I've tried already didn't work so well...
Cyro
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United Kingdom20326 Posts
December 18 2017 06:54 GMT
#20
It's CPU limited so there's not much that you can do short of buying a much faster CPU which means new motherboard and RAM, even the fastest struggle at those sorts of times but they're a lot better than what you currently have
"oh my god my overclock... I got a single WHEA error on the 23rd hour, 9 minutes" -Belial88
Sundr
Profile Joined November 2017
34 Posts
December 18 2017 19:29 GMT
#21
On December 18 2017 15:54 Cyro wrote:
It's CPU limited so there's not much that you can do short of buying a much faster CPU which means new motherboard and RAM, even the fastest struggle at those sorts of times but they're a lot better than what you currently have


Yeah, it's logical to assume my CPU will bottleneck with an RTS game, but I still don't get why blob shadows eat ~10 more frames...
Normal
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
DaveTesta Events
18:15
The Dave Testa Open #11
davetesta28
Liquipedia
PSISTORM Gaming Misc
16:55
FSL s10 TeamLeague: ASH vs PTB
Freeedom33
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
SteadfastSC 212
ProTech140
JuggernautJason64
gerald23 52
MindelVK 46
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 27068
Sea 2702
Dewaltoss 126
Hyun 59
IntoTheRainbow 28
JYJ 22
Dota 2
Gorgc5714
qojqva1500
canceldota15
Super Smash Bros
hungrybox566
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor583
Liquid`Hasu352
Other Games
gofns29039
tarik_tv13852
Beastyqt643
B2W.Neo574
crisheroes281
ToD188
mouzStarbuck141
QueenE111
KnowMe101
Liquid`VortiX98
Trikslyr65
Mew2King52
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick615
WardiTV463
Counter-Strike
PGL299
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• printf 47
• Kozan
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• sooper7s
• intothetv
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• Airneanach30
• Pr0nogo 2
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos2711
• Shiphtur400
Other Games
• imaqtpie598
Upcoming Events
AI Arena Tournament
1h 16m
Replay Cast
5h 16m
PiG Sty Festival
14h 16m
Clem vs Serral
Maru vs ShoWTimE
Sparkling Tuna Cup
15h 16m
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
20h 16m
Replay Cast
1d 14h
Wardi Open
1d 17h
Monday Night Weeklies
1d 22h
Replay Cast
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
4 days
The PondCast
4 days
KCM Race Survival
4 days
Replay Cast
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
CranKy Ducklings
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-02-26
LiuLi Cup: 2025 Grand Finals
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Acropolis #4 - TS5
Jeongseon Sooper Cup
Spring Cup 2026
[S:21] ASL SEASON OPEN 2nd Round
[S:21] ASL SEASON OPEN 2nd Round Qualifier
WardiTV Winter 2026
PiG Sty Festival 7.0
Nations Cup 2026
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025

Upcoming

ASL Season 21: Qualifier #1
ASL Season 21: Qualifier #2
ASL Season 21
Acropolis #4 - TS6
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
CSLAN 4
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
RSL Revival: Season 4
NationLESS Cup
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
CCT Season 3 Global Finals
FISSURE Playground #3
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.