The three NVIDIA Control Panel options most directly tied to gameplay are Low Latency Mode, Max Frame Rate and Vertical sync, and the safest direction is to leave Global Settings alone and change them one at a time for a single game under Program Settings. Power management mode has no documented default or performance ranking in NVIDIA's help, so note its current value before you change it. NVIDIA's own documentation names no best value that suits every game, because each option does a different job. Option names and defaults below follow the NVIDIA Control Panel help (vLatest) as checked on September 30, 2026; for input lag in general, see how to reduce input lag in games, while this guide sticks to Control Panel options.
Bottom line: leave Global alone and change one game at a time
The 3D settings are not a bank of "turn this on to go faster" switches. They cover different jobs: frame queueing, a frame cap, display synchronization and shader storage. NVIDIA's help separates global settings from per-game program settings, so changing values only for the one game that misbehaves and leaving everything else at default makes the cause easier to isolate. Where the help page does not list a default, note the current value before you change it. Encoder options for recording are a different area and are covered in NVIDIA recording settings explained.
How to change a value for one game
- 1Open NVIDIA Control Panel — Open NVIDIA Control Panel. The help says the Desktop menu option is selected by default and adds the NVIDIA Control Panel item to the desktop context menu. If you cannot find the item, check NVIDIA's official support documents.
- 2Select Manage 3D settings — In the navigation tree pane, under 3D Settings, select Manage 3D settings. This page lets you change 3D global settings and also create settings for specific games or programs.
- 3Choose Global Settings or Program Settings — Use the Global Settings tab to affect every 3D program, or the Program Settings tab to affect a single game. In Program Settings, pick the game from the Select a Program to Customize list and use Add if it is not listed. Checking Show only programs found on my computer narrows the list.
- 4Change one value, then click Apply — In the Settings box, click the feature you want to change and pick a value from the drop-down, then click Apply when done. Program settings are used automatically each time you launch that program. To isolate causes, change only one option at a time and test in the game.
- 5Use Restore if something feels off — On the Global Settings tab, the Restore button restores the global defaults; on the Program Settings tab, it restores the selected program to its defaults. To go back to the value you had before rather than the default, select the value you noted earlier and apply it again.
What the main 3D settings do (checked September 30, 2026)
| Option (official name) | What NVIDIA's documentation says | Check before changing |
|---|---|---|
| Power management mode | Sets how the graphics card's performance level changes when running most DirectX or OpenGL 3D applications. Four options: NVIDIA driver controlled, Adaptive, Prefer maximum performance, Prefer consistent performance. | The reference page lists no default. Note the current value, and compare results yourself rather than relying on the documentation. |
| Low Latency Mode | Reduces latency by limiting how many frames the CPU can prepare before the GPU processes them. Off (default) allows frame queueing, On limits the queue to one frame, Ultra minimizes it. | NVIDIA's 2019 announcement said it matters most when a game is GPU bound at 60 to 100 FPS, and that in DX12 and Vulkan titles the game decides when to queue the frame. |
| Max Frame Rate | Sets the maximum frame rate the GPU will render for 3D games or applications. Default is Off; turning it On gives a slider from 20 to 1000 fps. | The help says it can help extend battery life and reduce system latency. A recommended value when combined with Vertical sync was not confirmed. |
| Vertical sync | Synchronizes the application frame rate to the display refresh rate to remove tearing. Six options: Use the application setting, Off, On, Adaptive, Adaptive (half refresh rate), Fast. Fast applies to Pascal and later GPUs only. | Use the application setting is the choice that follows the value the game itself sets. |
| Shader Cache Size | The maximum disk space the driver uses to store shader compilations. Choose from Disabled, Unlimited, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB or 100 GB. | The help notes that shader compilation usually happens on every game launch and is a common source of stutter. |
| Threaded optimization | Allows applications to take advantage of multiple CPUs. | The help gives only this one-line description, with no claim that turning it on is better. |
| Monitor Technology | G-SYNC removes tearing with minimal latency, ULMB improves motion clarity, and Fixed Refresh Rate uses the display's standard refresh rate. | These need a compatible monitor, so only the technologies your display supports are relevant. |
After-change checklist
- Did you change the problem game's Program Settings before touching Global Settings?
- If the game has an NVIDIA Reflex option, did you check the in-game option first? NVIDIA says the latency benefits from the Reflex SDK are generally much better than the driver's Ultra mode.
- Do you remember that Low Latency Mode, per the 2019 announcement, covers DX9 and DX11 games while DX12 and Vulkan titles decide the queue themselves?
- Did you change one option at a time and write down what you changed and its previous value?
- If you turned on Max Frame Rate, did you stay within the 20 to 1000 fps range and re-check the official docs on combining it with Vertical sync?
- If results look wrong, did you use Restore to return to the defaults, and check NVIDIA's support documents if the Control Panel is missing or will not open?
Where this meets game recording
The Control Panel 3D settings shape how a game is rendered, while recording is a separate area. DOR is a free Windows desktop app that automatically records the full match as an mp4 once it detects a supported game such as Rainbow Six Siege. Rainbow Six Siege on PC is supported for full-match auto recording only, with no automatic kill highlight clips. If you compare the same scene before and after a change, you need footage to compare; on NVIDIA graphics cards DOR uses NVENC hardware encoding by default and records game audio and microphone together, so the comparison clip keeps both. If GPU load during recording is your concern, see how to reduce GPU load while recording.
Official sources and check date
These are the NVIDIA official documents checked on September 30, 2026. Option names, descriptions and defaults are in the Manage 3D settings reference, the per-game procedure is in how to set 3D settings for a program, and the difference between Reflex and the driver-level low latency mode is in NVIDIA's Reflex overview. The Low Latency Mode conditions come from NVIDIA's 2019 Gamescom Game Ready driver announcement, and current driver behavior was not confirmed. Options can differ by driver and Control Panel version.
