Forza Horizon 4 is the exhilarating open-world racing game set in a stunning virtual rendition of the United Kingdom. The game boasts a diverse car lineup and dynamic seasons that impact gameplay, and the seamless integration of online multiplayer and captivating single-player campaigns makes it a fan favorite.
The game is also a great fit for the Steam Deck. Now you can take the high-speed action on the road and enjoy an immersive and comfortable racing experience in a portable form factor.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the best settings to optimize Forza Horizon 4 on the Steam Deck, ensuring you can enjoy every hairpin turn and breathtaking jump while gaming on the go.
Forza Horizon 4 Best Steam Deck Settings
<table style="margin: 1rem auto; color: #ddd; background-color: #23262F; border-radius: 0.5rem; padding: 0; border-collapse: separate;">
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">Compatibility Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Proton Version</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Default</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">BIOS Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">UMA Frame Buffer Size</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">4G</td>
</tr>
</table>
Compatibility Settings |
Proton Version |
Default |
BIOS Settings |
UMA Frame Buffer Size |
4G |
Forza Horizon 4 used to be nearly unplayable on the Steam Deck due to stuttering problems, but a recent update has fixed nearly all these issues. Background videos still won’t play in Fullscreen mode, so switch to Borderless Windowed mode.
In our testing, we’ve found the game runs fine on the default Proton version, but many users have reported better performance with Proton Experimental. Just keep in mind that the settings below were tested using the default Proton.
When first starting the game, you’ll have to log in using your Microsoft account. Hold the Steam button and use the trackpad to force mouse movement and navigate this window.
Enhance your device’s performance by adjusting your BIOS settings to increase the UMA Frame Buffer Size to 4G. This will optimize texture streaming and elevate your device’s framerate, resulting in a seamless experience.
Performance Settings (Native@60fps | ~2h00m)
The Steam Deck can deliver Forza Horizon 4 with stunning visuals at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. To achieve this level of performance, we’ll have to make a few changes to the settings to optimize GPU usage. Nearly ever other setting is set to high, so even with these adjustments, the game remains a sight to behold.
You can expect a bit more than 2 hours of gameplay on a full charge. To extend your gaming sessions, consider heading over to the Steam Deck Performance Settings menu. Here, you can set a refresh rate limit and a framerate limit of 40Hz.
<table style="margin: 1rem auto; color: #ddd; background-color: #23262F; border-radius: 0.5rem; padding: 0; border-collapse: separate;">
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">In-Game Video Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">Basic Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Dynamic Optimization</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Resolution</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">1280x800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Frame Rate</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">60 fps</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Vertical Synchronization</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">On</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Full Screen</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Motion Blur</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Short</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">User Interface Scale</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">100</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">Advanced Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Preset</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Custom</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Anisotropic Filtering</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Night Shadows</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Shadow Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Low</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Motion Blur Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Low</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Environment Texture Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Static Geometry Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Dynamic Geometry Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">MSAA</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">2x</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">FXAA</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">SSAO Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Reflection Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Windshield Reflection Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Mirror Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">World Car Level of Detail</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Deformable Terrain Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">SSR Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Lens Effects</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Shader Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Particle Effects Quality</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Medium</td>
</tr>
</table>
In-Game Video Settings |
Basic Settings |
Dynamic Optimization |
Off |
Resolution |
1280×800 |
Frame Rate |
60 fps |
Vertical Synchronization |
On |
Full Screen |
Off |
Motion Blur |
Short |
User Interface Scale |
100 |
Advanced Settings |
Preset |
Custom |
Anisotropic Filtering |
High |
Night Shadows |
Off |
Shadow Quality |
Low |
Motion Blur Quality |
Low |
Environment Texture Quality |
High |
Static Geometry Quality |
High |
Dynamic Geometry Quality |
High |
MSAA |
2x |
FXAA |
Off |
SSAO Quality |
Off |
Reflection Quality |
High |
Windshield Reflection Quality |
High |
Mirror Quality |
High |
World Car Level of Detail |
High |
Deformable Terrain Quality |
High |
SSR Quality |
High |
Lens Effects |
High |
Shader Quality |
High |
Particle Effects Quality |
Medium |
<table style="margin: 1rem auto; color: #ddd; background-color: #23262F; border-radius: 0.5rem; padding: 0; border-collapse: separate;">
<tr bgcolor="#3f434f">
<th colspan="2" style="padding: 0.5rem;">Steam Deck Performance Menu Settings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Refresh Rate</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Framerate Limit</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Allow Tearing</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">On</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Half Rate Shading</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Thermal Power (TDP) Limit</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Manual GPU Clock Control</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Off</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Scaling Filter</td>
<td style="padding: 0.5rem">Linear</td>
</tr>
</table>
Steam Deck Performance Menu Settings |
Refresh Rate |
60 |
Framerate Limit |
60 |
Allow Tearing |
On |
Half Rate Shading |
Off |
Thermal Power (TDP) Limit |
Off |
Manual GPU Clock Control |
Off |
Scaling Filter |
Linear |