Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown PC Best Settings: DLSS 4 vs 4.5, Frame Gen & Patch Checklist
Charting the Unknown unlocks Oct 29 15:00 PT (Oct 30 07:00 KST). Install the base patch and driver 621.01, use DLSS 4 over 4.5, and best settings per GPU.
TL;DR: Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown unlocks on Oct 29, 2026 at 15:00 PT / 18:00 ET (22:00 UTC). In Korea and Japan that's Oct 30 at 07:00 KST/JST. A base-game patch drops at the same moment. Install it before you launch. On NVIDIA, update to Game Ready Driver 621.01 (it lists the DLC), or the 621.12 hotfix if your RTX 50 card has video freezes. For image quality, use DLSS 4 (Preset K), not DLSS 4.5. DSOGaming, Corsair and TechSpot all found 4.5 noisier and more flickery in this game. Keep ray tracing on (it costs almost nothing here), set Lighting to Ultra or Cinematic, never Max, and run at the highest render resolution you can.
Release time and what's in the DLC
Pearl Abyss announced on Sept 30 that it was pushing the DLC back two weeks, from Oct 15 to Oct 29, to "deliver a more polished and stable gameplay experience" (Pearl Abyss, Polygon). Unlock times (Pearl Abyss):
| Region | Unlock |
|---|---|
| North America | Thu Oct 29, 15:00 PT / 18:00 ET |
| Europe | Thu Oct 29, 22:00 UTC / 23:00 CET |
| Korea / Japan | Fri Oct 30, 07:00 KST/JST |
It's out on Steam, Epic, Xbox and PlayStation. Only PS5 gets a pre-download, 24 hours early. On PC the download starts at unlock (Pearl Abyss). On Steam the price is $24.99. The DLC page lists 50 GB of extra space and the same CPU/GPU specs as the base game (Steam). It isn't on the Mac App Store at launch, and it's blocked in some regions after an age-rating review (Pearl Abyss).
What you get, and when it unlocks (Pearl Abyss features overview):
- Three new storylines (Kliff, Oongka, Damiane). These start from the Journal after you finish the main story.
- An ocean storyline, available after the main-story quest "Howling Hill".
- Diving and underwater exploration with ruins, chests and new creatures and mounts. There's no unlock requirement, but you have a breath meter. Diving suits help.
- Ship building and sailing. This unlocks after you set up the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill. Build a ship through a dispatch mission at a port, or buy one from a Fleet Office manager.
- Romance, marriage and camp visitors, an upgraded housing system (unlocked by Luke's Request in "Grounds of the Sunrise"), three claimable castles, business management, and Garden of Trials, a boss rush you unlock after the main story.
If the new stories don't show up, you most likely haven't met these prerequisites yet. It's not a bug.
Patch and driver checklist (do this before 15:00 PT)
- Install the base-game update first. Pearl Abyss says the update ships at the same time as the DLC: "Please make sure to download and install that patch before launching the game" (Pearl Abyss). On Steam, open Library → Crimson Desert → Properties → Updates and set it to update immediately. Then wait until both the base game and the DLC finish downloading.
- Free up roughly 50 GB on the SSD for the DLC (Steam). The base game already lists 150 GB, and an SSD is required.
- NVIDIA: install Game Ready Driver 621.01 WHQL (Oct 21). Its release notes list Game Ready support for "Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown" (NVIDIA).
- RTX 50 owners with video freezes or black screens after 621.01: install hotfix 621.12 (Oct 27). It fixes "video playback may freeze or black screen on some GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs… after updating to GRD 621.01" (NVIDIA). NVIDIA labels it beta and optional, so skip it if you don't have the problem. Step-by-step install and rollback: NVIDIA hotfix 621.12 guide.
- AMD: update to the newest Adrenalin. That's 26.10.1 at the time of writing (AMD). Day-one Crimson Desert support arrived back in 26.3.1 (AMD). Intel Arc: update to the latest driver. Arc support and XeSS 3 came in patch 1.03.00.
- Reboot, launch once, and check your graphics settings. Big patches sometimes reset them.
System requirements
Official PC specs (Pearl Abyss support, Game Informer). Every tier needs 16 GB RAM, Windows 10 64-bit, DirectX 12 and an SSD.
| Tier | Target | GPU (NVIDIA / AMD) | CPU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 1080p/30 (upscaled from 900p) | GTX 1060 / RX 5500 XT | i5-8500 / Ryzen 5 2600X |
| Low | 1080p/30 | GTX 1660 / RX 6500 XT | i5-8500 / Ryzen 5 2600X |
| Recommended | 1080p/60 or 4K/30 | RTX 2080 / RX 6700 XT | i5-11600K / Ryzen 5 5600 |
| High | 1440p/60 | RTX 4070 / RX 7700 XT | i5-12600K / Ryzen 5 7600X |
| Ultra | 4K/60 | RTX 5070 Ti / RX 9070 | i5-13600K / Ryzen 7 7700X |
How it actually runs: benchmark numbers
TechSpot (Hardware Unboxed) tested 40 GPUs at native resolution, without upscaling or frame generation, on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D in the town of Hernand (TechSpot). These are launch-build results, since nobody has DLC benchmarks yet. The table only includes cards whose FPS appears in TechSpot's text.
| GPU | 1440p High (avg FPS) | GPU | 1080p High (avg FPS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5070 Ti | 116 | RTX 4070 | 97 |
| RX 7900 XTX | 110 | RX 7800 XT | 95 |
| RX 9070 XT | 103 | RTX 5060 Ti | 92 |
| RX 9070 | 93 | RTX 3080 | 92 |
| RTX 3060 Ti | 53 | RTX 3070 | 72 |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 52 | RTX 3060 Ti | 68 |
| RX 6750 XT | 51 | RTX 4060 | 61 |
| RTX 4060 | 45 | RX 7600 | 59 |
Other TechSpot numbers you can use:
- Cinematic 4K native: RTX 5090 110 FPS, RTX 4090 82 FPS. No Radeon card reaches 60.
- Cinematic 1440p: RTX 4090 123, RX 7900 XTX 93, RX 9070 XT 89, RX 9060 XT 53.
- Preset scaling: Cinematic → Ultra is about +16%. Ultra → High → Medium adds only about 6% in total. Medium → Low is +18–24%.
- Upscaling (DLSS 4 / FSR 4): Quality mode gives +32–36% over native, Balanced about +8–11% more, Performance about +10% more.
- 8 GB VRAM is fine in this game.
DSOGaming found the same thing: ray tracing costs only 3–4 FPS, and in some scenes RT runs faster than raster (DSOGaming). TechSpot even measured a 1–2 FPS loss with RT turned off.
DLSS 4 vs DLSS 4.5: use DLSS 4
The game's menu offers both DLSS 4 and DLSS 4.5 (Preset M and Preset L). Three outlets tested it and reached the same conclusion:
- DSOGaming: "DLSS 4.5 suffers from flickering issues (that are not present in DLSS 4)… for now, I recommend using DLSS 4 and not DLSS 4.5" (DSOGaming).
- Corsair: the game "runs best with DLSS 4.0 rather than DLSS 4.5 or 4.5L… less visual noise and shimmering" (Corsair).
- TechSpot: "using DLSS 4.0 instead of DLSS 4.5 is essential for reducing noise" (TechSpot).
DLSS 4.5 is also more expensive on older cards. One optimization video measured about 16% lower FPS going from DLSS 4 to 4.5 Preset M on an RTX 3060 Ti (Balanced, 1440p), and about 26% with Preset L. On an RTX 4070 Super the drop was 8% and 12% (YouTube optimization guide). There is one trade-off: the same video found DLSS 4 shows rain and leaves less clearly than 4.5. Pearl Abyss has fixed some DLSS problems since March, including DLSS-RR distortion noise in 1.03.00, but it hasn't announced a fix for the 4.5 flicker. After the DLC patch, compare the two yourself in an indoor scene.
How to switch presets
Option 1: in the game (easiest). Go to Settings → Video → Upscale Mode, pick DLSS 4 (not 4.5), then set the quality level (Quality, or DLAA if you have the headroom).
Option 2: NVIDIA App override. Use this if the game keeps landing on 4.5 or the patch resets your setting.
- Open the NVIDIA App → Graphics → Program Settings → Crimson Desert.
- Open DLSS Override – Model Presets → Super Resolution → Custom → Preset K (the DLSS 4 transformer model). Presets M/L are DLSS 4.5 (NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 FAQ).
- In the game, press Alt+Z → Statistics → Statistics View, and turn on the DLSS readout to confirm which preset is active.
Option 3: DLSS Swapper. You only need this if a patch ships a DLSS DLL you don't want. DLSS Swapper backs up and replaces nvngx_dlss.dll per game. Download it only from the official GitHub (our guide to the real download), compare the tools in DLSS Swapper vs Manager vs OptiScaler, and if something breaks, see how to restore the original DLLs. After any swap, verify the game files in Steam before you report bugs.
Best settings by GPU tier
Start from TechSpot's optimized settings. They run about 18% faster than the Cinematic preset and look nearly the same (TechSpot):
- Model Ultra, Texture Cinematic, Shadow Ultra, Ray tracing On, Lighting Ultra, Reflection Cinematic, Water Cinematic, Foliage Cinematic, Volumetric Fog High, Effects / Simulation / Post-processing Cinematic, Advanced Weather On.
- Never use Lighting Max unless Ray Reconstruction forces it. It costs more than 30% and adds artifacts.
- In this game, lighting samples follow the internal render resolution, so DLAA or Quality looks noticeably better than Balanced or Performance. Use the highest render resolution you can.
Then adjust for your card:
| GPU | Resolution | Preset / key changes | Upscaler | Ray Reconstruction / Regeneration | Frame generation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5080 / 5090, RTX 4090 | 4K | Optimized settings | DLSS 4 Quality (DLAA at 1440p) | On, with DLSS Performance, if you want the cleanest image | DLSS FG / MFG 2x–3x on 240 Hz screens, when base FPS is 60+ |
| RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 4080 | 1440p–4K | Optimized settings | DLSS 4 DLAA at 1440p, Quality at 4K | Optional (Corsair says on for 4080/5080-class) | FG 2x when base FPS is 60+ |
| RTX 5070, 4070 / 4070 Super, 5060 Ti | 1440p | Optimized; drop Model to High or Medium if needed | DLSS 4 Quality | Off | FG 2x only if you're under your refresh rate with base 50–60+ |
| RTX 5060, 4060 / 4060 Ti | 1080p (1440p with Quality) | High preset, Lighting Ultra | DLSS 4 Quality / DLAA at 1080p | Off | FG 2x for 120 Hz+, base 50+ |
| RTX 3080 / 3070 / 3060 Ti, RTX 20 | 1080p–1440p | High preset, Lighting Ultra | DLSS 4 Quality (avoid 4.5 M/L) | Off | No DLSS FG on RTX 30/20. FSR FG works but test the latency |
| RX 9070 / 9070 XT / 9060 XT | 1440p | Optimized settings | FSR 4 native (AA) or Quality | Ray Regeneration only on 9070 XT with FSR Performance | FSR FG + Anti-Lag 2 |
| RX 7000 / 6000 | 1080p–1440p | High preset | FSR 3 Quality | n/a | FSR FG at base 60+ |
| Intel Arc B-series | 1080p | High preset | XeSS 3 Quality | n/a | XeSS FG |
Notes:
- Ray tracing stays on for every tier. Only the Low and Minimum presets turn it off. If your card truly can't hold 30 FPS, Low and Minimum add +18–24% and another +16% (TechSpot).
- Ray Reconstruction fixes grass ghosting and noise, but TechSpot measured roughly one-third of Cinematic FPS on an RTX 5060 Ti with it on, because it also forces Lighting Max. Only use it on high-end cards, paired with DLSS Performance.
- Model Quality has the clearest FPS gain of the cheap settings (Low ≈ +9%). Texture, Water, Effects and Simulation cost almost nothing.
Frame generation: when to turn it on
Crimson Desert supports DLSS Frame Generation, DLSS Multi Frame Generation on RTX 50 (NVIDIA), FSR Frame Generation, and XeSS Frame Generation (added in 1.03.00) (Pearl Abyss FAQ, patch 1.03.00 notes).
- Get to 50–60 FPS without frame gen first (upscaler plus settings). Frame gen multiplies a good base. It can't rescue a bad one.
- Use 2x before 3x or 4x. DSOGaming rated the DLSS FG implementation "a bit of a mixed bag," with artifacts during fast camera pans (DSOGaming). Higher multipliers make that worse.
- Keep Reflex (NVIDIA) or Anti-Lag 2 (AMD) on when frame gen is active.
- Cap your FPS a few frames below your refresh rate with G-SYNC/FreeSync on. Turn off in-game V-Sync if the NVIDIA App override doesn't seem to take effect.
- RTX 50: if you'd rather adjust the multiplier yourself, the NVIDIA App's Frame Generation override (including Dynamic MFG) works the same way it does in our Cyberpunk DLSS 4.5 Dynamic MFG guide. If FG feels heavy on a mid-range card, try Frame Generation Preset C.
Fixes for common problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| New stories or sailing don't appear | Make sure the base-game patch is installed. Character stories need the main story finished. The ocean story needs "Howling Hill". Sailing needs the Greymane Camp at Howling Hill |
| Flickering, shimmering or boiling, especially indoors | Switch to DLSS 4 (Preset K). Set Lighting to Ultra or Cinematic (not Max). Raise the render resolution (DLAA / Quality) |
| Grass ghosting | Turn on Ray Reconstruction (RTX) or Ray Regeneration (RX 9000) and pair it with Performance upscaling |
| Rain disappears | Ray Reconstruction treats rain as noise (TechSpot). Turn RR off |
| Image looks blurry with upscaling | Known in this game. Use DLAA / FSR 4 native, or at least Quality |
| Video freezes or black screens on RTX 50 after 621.01 | Install hotfix 621.12 or wait for the next WHQL driver |
| Settings reset or DLSS changed after the patch | Re-check Upscale Mode in the game. Pin Preset K with the NVIDIA App override |
| Arc A-series: broken image with XeSS 3 / XeSS FG | Known issue in the 1.03.00 notes. Use FSR or native AA instead |
| Crashes after updating | Verify the game files (Steam: Properties → Installed Files → Verify), then do a clean install of the driver |
Caution: all benchmark figures above are from the March launch build. The Oct 29 patch and the DLC areas (ocean, underwater) may perform differently.
Sources
- Pearl Abyss: Charting the Unknown features overview & release times
- Pearl Abyss: Release date update (Sept 30)
- Pearl Abyss: Global release times & base-game patch (Oct 28)
- Pearl Abyss: Pre-orders & market availability
- Pearl Abyss support: system requirements and supported upscalers
- Steam: Charting the Unknown
- Polygon: DLC delayed
- NVIDIA: Game Ready Driver 621.01 and Hotfix 621.12
- NVIDIA: Crimson Desert DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation
- DSOGaming: Crimson Desert PC performance analysis
- Corsair: Best settings for Crimson Desert
- TechSpot: 40-GPU benchmark and optimization guide
- Game Informer: PC spec tiers
- Patch 1.03.00 notes (ConsolePCGaming)
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