Optimisation guide · Updated October 1, 2026
How to boost Death Stranding Director's Cut FPS on Mac
Death Stranding Director's Cut 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 Air M5
Ultra, unoptimised
54FPS
With the guide’s settings
65FPS
+ MetalFX Quality
80FPS
1080p, 16 GB. Applying the guide and MetalFX gains 48% FPS on this Mac. See every figure →
The settings that cost the most FPS
- Model Detail: the setting with the most effect on FPS in open landscapes.
- Screen Space Ambient Occlusion and depth of field: small visual loss 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 Air M1 | 1080p Medium · 31 FPS | 1080p High · 32 FPS | 26FPS |
| MacBook Pro M1 | 1080p High · 33 FPS | 1440p Medium · 31 FPS | 33FPS |
| MacBook Pro M1 Pro | 1080p High · 65 FPS | 1440p Medium · 61 FPS | 65FPS |
| MacBook Air M2 | 1440p Low · 31 FPS | 1080p Low · 61 FPS | 35FPS |
| MacBook Air M3 | 1440p Low · 33 FPS | 1080p Low · 65 FPS | 38FPS |
| MacBook Pro M3 Pro | 1440p Low · 66 FPS | 1440p Medium · 70 FPS | 74FPS |
| MacBook Air M4 | 1080p Low · 67 FPS | 1080p Medium · 71 FPS | 48FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 | 1080p High · 67 FPS | 1440p Medium · 63 FPS | 67FPS |
| Mac mini M4 | 1440p Low · 61 FPS | 1440p Medium · 65 FPS | 69FPS |
| iMac M4 | 1080p Medium · 67 FPS | 1440p Low · 61 FPS | 56FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 Pro | 1440p High · 69 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 71 FPS | 104FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 Max | 1440p Ultra · 99 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 115 FPS | 136FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 | 1440p Medium · 69 FPS | 1440p High · 71 FPS | 89FPS |
| MacBook Air M5 | 1080p High · 65 FPS | 1440p Medium · 61 FPS | 65FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | 1440p Ultra · 73 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 88 FPS | 120FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Max | 1440p Ultra · 115 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 127 FPS | 140FPS |
| Mac mini M6 | 1440p High · 71 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 73 FPS | 105FPS |
| Mac mini M5 Pro | 1440p Ultra · 75 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 91 FPS | 123FPS |
| Mac Studio M5 Max | 1440p Ultra · 117 FPS | 1440p Ultra · 129 FPS | 141FPS |
| MacBook Neo | 1080p Medium · 32 FPS | 1080p High · 33 FPS | 27FPS |
Death Stranding Director's Cut-specific tips
- Enable MetalFX upscaling in Quality mode before lowering any other option.
- The game can run at high frame rates; cap it at your display refresh to avoid heat on MacBook Air.
- 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 Death Stranding Director's Cut?
Model Detail: the setting with the most effect on FPS in open landscapes.
Does Death Stranding Director's Cut support MetalFX?
Yes. MetalFX Quality usually adds around 24% FPS with little visible loss.
How many FPS does this guide gain?
On a MacBook Air M5, going from Ultra to the recommended settings and MetalFX Quality takes the game from 54 to about 80 FPS at 1080p (+48%).
Want to know exactly how many FPS YOUR Mac gets in Death Stranding Director's Cut?
Death Stranding Director's Cut FPS on every Mac →Estimates from our calibrated formula. Methodology