Steam Deck

Borderlands 3 Best Steam Deck Settings

Unlock the full mayhem of Borderlands 3 on the go with these optimal configurations for Steam Deck!

Enter the chaotic world of Borderlands 3, where pandemonium reigns, and untold treasures await. Gearbox Software's action-packed first-person shooter RPG has captivated gamers worldwide with its exhilarating gunplay, diverse character classes, and a uniquely whimsical art style that oozes charm. Now, the excitement intensifies as we explore the best configurations to savor the Borderlands 3 experience on the Steam Deck — Valve's revolutionary handheld gaming device. Discover how to harness the Steam Deck's power and immerse yourself in the sheer enjoyment of playing Borderlands 3 on the go, wherever you may wander.

Borderlands 3 Best Steam Deck Settings

Compatibility Settings
Proton Version Default
BIOS Settings
UMA Frame Buffer Size 4G
CryoUtilities Settings
Swap File Size 16GB*
Swappiness 1
*Set to as large as your Steam Deck will allow

While Borderlands 3 will run the game just fine on the Steam Deck's default Proton settings. However, the default settings don't support DirectX 12 (activating it in the menu will cause the game to crash), so you won't have access to the graphics options and optimizations DX12 offers. There are also reports of stuttering issues when running Borderlands 3 with the default Proton settings. From our experience, Proton Experimental largely eliminates the stuttering problem.

Also, if you haven't yet, download CryoUtilities and change the settings according to those listed in the table above. These settings add small but noticeable gains in framerate stability, which is important in a fast-paced shooter like Borderlands 3.

Recommended — Balanced Settings (Native@40fps | ~2h15m)

These settings give you a stable 40 frames per second at Medium settings. We essentially activate the Medium preset then make a few tweaks to keep the frame rate above 40 in any situation.

Borderlands 3 looks great with this configuration, and the stable 40fps ensures smooth gameplay without overly taxing the Steam Deck. We also get decent battery life with roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes of playtime.

Basic Settings - General
Graphics API DirectX 12
Display Default Monitor
Display Mode Full Screen
Aspect Ratio 16:10
Resolution 1280x800
Vertical Sync Off
Resolution Scale 100%
Limit Frame Rate Custom
Custom FPS Limit 40
Field of View 90*
Vehicle Field of View 110*
Advanced Settings - General
Graphics Quality Medium
Anti Aliasing FXAA
Texture Streaming Medium
Material Quality Medium
Anisotropic Filtering 8x
Shadows Medium
Display Stats Off
Advanced Settings - Environment
Draw Distance Medium
Clutter Medium
Terrain Detail Medium
Foliage Medium
Volumetric Fog Off
Screen Space Reflections Medium
Advanced Settings - Characters
Character Detail Medium
Advanced Settings - Post Processing
Ambient Occlusion Medium
Camera Motion Blur Off*
Object Motion Blur Off
FidelityFX Sharpening On
*Set to personal preference.
Steam Deck Performance Menu Settings
Refresh Rate40
Framerate Limit40
Allow TearingOff
Half Rate ShadingOff
Thermal Power (TDP) LimitOff
Manual GPU Clock ControlOff
Scaling FilterLinear

High Performance Settings (Native@60fps | ~2h15m)

For performance purists, it's 60fps or bust. Don't worry; we hear you. This configuration will give you a stable 60 frames per second at native resolution. Battery life is still decent, but there's a noticeable and necessary hit to visual fidelity as the Steam Deck renders more frames every second.

Basic Settings - General
Graphics API DirectX 12
Display Default Monitor
Display Mode Full Screen
Aspect Ratio 16:10
Resolution 1280x800
Vertical Sync Off
Resolution Scale 100%
Limit Frame Rate Custom
Custom FPS Limit 300
Field of View 90*
Vehicle Field of View 110*
Advanced Settings - General
Graphics Quality Very Low
Anti Aliasing None
Texture Streaming Low
Material Quality Low
Anisotropic Filtering Trilinear
Shadows Low
Display Stats Off
Advanced Settings - Environment
Draw Distance Low
Clutter Low
Terrain Detail Low
Foliage Low
Volumetric Fog Off
Screen Space Reflections Off
Advanced Settings - Characters
Character Detail Low
Advanced Settings - Post Processing
Ambient Occlusion Off
Camera Motion Blur Off
Object Motion Blur Off
FidelityFX Sharpening Off
*Set to personal preference.
Steam Deck Performance Menu Settings
Refresh Rate40
Framerate Limit40
Allow TearingOff
Half Rate ShadingOff
Thermal Power (TDP) LimitOff
Manual GPU Clock ControlOff
Scaling FilterLinear