Optimisation guide · Updated October 1, 2026
How to boost Crimson Desert FPS on Mac
Crimson Desert runs natively on Apple Silicon Macs and includes MetalFX, Apple’s upscaler. These are the settings that cost the most FPS and the preset that holds 60 FPS on each Mac.
What you would gain on a MacBook Pro M4 Pro
Ultra, unoptimised
31FPS
With the guide’s settings
37FPS
+ MetalFX Quality
45FPS
1080p, 24 GB. Applying the guide and MetalFX gains 45% FPS on this Mac. See every figure →
The settings that cost the most FPS
- Global illumination and shadow quality: the heaviest settings in the open world.
- Vegetation density and view distance: large gains in forests when lowered.
Which preset to use on each Mac
The highest setting that holds 60 FPS (or 30 when 60 is out of reach), with and without MetalFX Quality.
| Mac | Native | MetalFX | 1080p High |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro M4 Pro | 1440p Low · 32 FPS | 1080p Low · 63 FPS | 37FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 Max | 1080p High · 65 FPS | 1440p Medium · 61 FPS | 65FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 | 1080p Medium · 34 FPS | 1440p Low · 30 FPS | 28FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | 1080p Low · 64 FPS | 1080p Medium · 68 FPS | 46FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Max | 1440p Medium · 61 FPS | 1440p High · 62 FPS | 78FPS |
| Mac mini M6 | 1440p Low · 30 FPS | 1080p Low · 60 FPS | 35FPS |
| Mac mini M5 Pro | 1080p Low · 67 FPS | 1080p High · 60 FPS | 49FPS |
| Mac Studio M5 Max | 1440p Medium · 64 FPS | 1440p High · 65 FPS | 81FPS |
Crimson Desert-specific tips
- The game requires an M2 Pro or better; on Pro chips use MetalFX upscaling and target 30–40 FPS.
- Frame generation is best kept for Max and Ultra chips, where the base frame rate is already high.
- Play in full screen so macOS turns on Game Mode, and close your browser: memory is shared with the GPU.
FAQ
Which setting gains the most FPS in Crimson Desert?
Global illumination and shadow quality: the heaviest settings in the open world.
Does Crimson Desert support MetalFX?
Yes. MetalFX Quality usually adds around 24% FPS with little visible loss.
How many FPS does this guide gain?
On a MacBook Pro M4 Pro, going from Ultra to the recommended settings and MetalFX Quality takes the game from 31 to about 45 FPS at 1080p (+45%).
Want to know exactly how many FPS YOUR Mac gets in Crimson Desert?
Crimson Desert FPS on every Mac →Estimates from our calibrated formula. Methodology