Steam Deck

DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Best Steam Deck Settings

Optimize your Steam Deck settings for your trek through this fractured world.

The Steam Deck presents a unique canvas for traversing the haunting landscapes of Death Stranding. In this guide, we navigate the intricacies of setting configuration, fusing Kojima's visual masterpiece with the portable prowess of the Steam Deck. Uncover the perfect equilibrium between breathtaking visuals and seamless gameplay, as we fine-tune to get the DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT best Steam Deck settings.

DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT Best Steam Deck Settings

Compatibility Settings
Proton VersionProton 8.0-2
BIOS Settings
UMA Frame Buffer Size4G

DEATH STRANDING runs fine on the default Proton settings, but you'll get the best performance by switching to a version of Proton 8. We tested the settings below in Proton 8.0-2.

Don't forget to hop into the BIOS settings and raise the UMA Frame Buffer Size to 4G.

Recommended — Balanced Settings (Native@40fps | ~1h15m)

These settings will get you a mostly consistent 40fps with the occasional dip in the later acts. At native resolution on the Steam Deck's screen, the game looks and plays even better than the original PlayStation 4 version.

In-game Video Options
Screen Mode Full Screen
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Vsync Off
Maximum Framerate 60
Model Detail Default
Memory for Streaming Default
Shadow Resolution Low
Ambient Occlusion On
Screen Space Reflections Off
Anti-Aliasing TAA
Depth of Field On
Motion Blur 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

Best Quality Settings (Native@30fps | ~1h30m)

You can get improved visuals if you're willing to play at 30 frames per second. Enabling Screen Space Reflections helps improve immersion, though the effect is used sparingly. Improving Shadow Resolution also reduces the ugly aliasing on shadows that we get with the previous configuration.

In-game Video Options
Screen Mode Full Screen
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Vsync Off
Maximum Framerate 60
Model Detail Default
Memory for Streaming Default
Shadow Resolution Medium
Ambient Occlusion On
Screen Space Reflections On
Anti-Aliasing TAA
Depth of Field On
Motion Blur Off*
*Set to personal preference.
Steam Deck Performance Menu Settings
Refresh Rate60
Framerate Limit30
Allow TearingOff
Half Rate ShadingOff
Thermal Power (TDP) LimitOff
Manual GPU Clock ControlOff
Scaling FilterLinear