You might have come across Multithreaded Rendering in the Fortnite settings. You can turn it on or off — but what exactly does it do, and how does it affect the playing experience?
It’s not such a straightforward answer: multithreaded rendering can either improve the game’s performance or actually worse it, depending on a few factors. Let’s find out more!
Also, read 5 Things You Must Know about Fortnite Apk
What is Multithreaded Rendering?
In Multithreaded rendering, the drawing work is split across multiple threads. It’s something that can be achieved on a multi-core CPU. Rendering is very taxing on the CPU, so multithreaded quite simply uses more than one thread to get the job done. If you don’t use multi-threaded rendering, the default would be a single thread rendering.
That means that the CPU is using only one thread for the rendering while others are occupied in the sound operations, physics and other decompression of resources. With multi-threaded rendering, the CPU can accomplish an acceleration in rendering by splitting up the work-load. Now whether this acceleration in rendering is really accomplished depends on the number of cores and strength of the CPU — otherwise, it runs the danger of compromising on the other functions.
Can you use Multithreaded Rendering?
Not every computer has the option to enable multithreaded rendering. If you check your computer settings and don’t find it: it’s because your CPU doesn’t have enough cores.
For multithreaded rendering, you need 4 cores or more. A quad-core processor is a minimum requirement for multithreaded rendering to be possible.
What if you don’t know how many cores your computer has? Here’s the way to check.
- Go to Task Manager. The simplest way to do this is by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. This should open up Task Manager. If it doesn’t work, you can also right click on the Windows icon to find a pop up menu. Task Manager is one of them. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Delete. This gives you another menu from where you can select Task Manager.
- Once you’ve opened up Task Manager, click on More Details. The window will open up with tabs that read: Processes, Performance, App History, Startup, Users, Details, Services.
- Click on Performance. On the left side, there are vertical tabs with the options CPU, Memory, Disk 0, Disk 1, Wifi. This can vary depending on your computer and network connections. You need to ensure you’ve clicked on CPU.
- In CPU, you’ll see a graph. Underneath this you’ll find the number of Cores.
Here is an example of the system I am using right now. It’s an old computer and has only 2 cores, which is why I don’t have the Multithreaded Rendering option in Fortnite.
The bottom line is that if you are using a system with a quad-core processor or better, enabling multithreaded rendering will improve your FPS. If you go into specifics, tests show that multithreaded rendering helps the game’s performance the most in a moving fast-paced game. If you’re not moving much in the game, let’s say, just staring at one point in a blank Fortnite Creative Map — the improvement of the FPS with multithreaded rendering is much less pronounced.
How to Switch on Multithreaded Rendering in Fortnite?
If you’re deciding to give Multithreaded Rendering a go, then this is how you can switch it on in the settings.
- Go to the Fortnite menu by pressing either the Esc. button if you’re using a computer, or by pressing the start button on your controller if you’re playing with a console.
- You will see a dropdown list. You have to choose Settings from all of the options.
- Select Video Settings.
- Scroll through the many options in Video Settings until you see the Advanced Graphics tab. Click on this.
- In Advanced Graphics, you’ll find the Allow Multithreaded Rendering. Now you can make sure that it’s switched on.
The Results
Many players have run tests with Multithreaded Rendering switched on and off to see if there really is any tangible difference in the gameplay experience and the FPS (frames per second).
Multithreaded Rendering can help prevent drops in FPS which will give you a much more consistent performance. Naturally, that means that the animations are visibly smoother as well.
This happens because multithreaded rendering improves performance at the 1% low and also the 0.1% low FPS. We say this assuming that you are using a computer with four ‘quad cores’ or higher. You’ll definitely get the most ‘visible’ results with a computer that has six cores.
However, this isn’t the end all be all. The results of multithreaded rendering can vary depending on your system, the specificities of your hardware, your internet connection, and other factors. The best way to find out if switching on multithreaded rendering will really enhance your gaming experience is to actually run some tests of your own.
How do you run these tests? We recommend that you play the game with multithreaded rendering turned off and take a look at the Average FPS, the 1% low as well as the 0.1% low. If you want more reliable results, try it with both low settings as well as high settings.
Now, play the game with multithreaded rendering turned on and look at the same Average FPS, 1% and 0.1% low. If you see a significant difference in the consistency of FPS, then you can safely assume that multithreaded rendering would actually improve your game. Of course, apart from just looking at the statistics, it’s important to be aware of your own personal experience with the look and feel of playing the game. Sometimes, the stats may indicate one thing, but you just might be more comfortable with another thing.
Why does it matter anyway?
We know that Fortnite is full of pro players. That’s the whole reason why Skill based matchmaking and bots were introduced — to give the newbies a break. And for someone new to the game: playing against seasoned players isn’t just difficult, it’s practically impossible.
Here’s an interesting fact: 99% of Fortnite pro players are using a 144 FPS gear or better. The average recommended FPS for video games is 60FPS, to put that in perspective.
Now, of course we can’t completely chalk out the success of Pro Players to their gear. But what if we had an even playing field: where two players of equal skill played against each other, one using 144 FPS and the other using 60 FPS. Would the player with higher FPS win every time?
The answer, surprisingly or unsurprisingly, is yes.
In a game like Fortnite, reaction time is key. The game is fast-paced and if your system is lagging behind even by a split second, you may not get a chance to react.
You might be familiar with ghosting and tearing. These are problems that arise with a low frame rate or refresh rate and can be a huge distracting element to deal with while you’re playing your game.
But the biggest culprit is latency. With a low FPS, you see things much later than they actually happen. That’s because by the time the CPU interprets the input you’ve given, and sends them to your GPU to render, and finally your monitor that refreshes the screen to show the new render developments: it’s already too late. A powerful GPU with a higher average frame rate can do this process in a fraction of the time.
That’s why playing against pro players with better gear is so impossible: you quite literally are not seeing what they see. Or even if you do see it, you see it much later. By then, you’re dead.
If you’re not ready to upgrade your gear just for a better Fortnite experience, consider switching on multithreaded rendering so that you can get that much-needed edge.
