If you’ve ever been mid-Simulated Universe run, only to have your frame rate drop right as you’re about to land a critical Ultimate, you know how frustrating choppy gameplay can be. Honkai Star Rail’s vibrant open worlds, flashy combat animations, and dense particle effects can push even mid-tier devices to their limits, so hitting that buttery smooth 120 FPS mark feels like a total game changer. I’ve spent weeks testing settings across three different devices to figure out how to get 120 FPS on Honkai Star Rail without sacrificing too much visual quality, and I’ve broken down all the working fixes below, no fancy tech knowledge required.
Device Eligibility: Can Your Hardware Run 120 FPS on Honkai Star Rail?
Before you start tweaking in-game sliders, you first need to confirm your device can actually support 120 FPS output for the game. A lot of players waste hours adjusting settings only to realize their display only runs at 60Hz, so this step will save you a ton of frustration. The basic requirements are straightforward across all platforms:
- PC requirements: A GPU that supports 120Hz output (most NVIDIA GTX 1060 or newer, AMD RX 580 or newer) paired with a 120Hz or higher monitor, and at least 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
- Mobile requirements: A flagship Android or iOS device with a 120Hz ProMotion or high-refresh display, including iPhone 13 Pro and newer, Samsung S21 Ultra and newer, or OnePlus 9 Pro and newer.
- Console requirements: PlayStation 5 connected to a 120Hz compatible TV or monitor via HDMI 2.1, as PS4 and older consoles do not support 120 FPS for the game.
How to Get 120 FPS on Honkai Star Rail: Optimized In-Game Settings
Once you confirm your device supports 120Hz output, you can adjust your in-game settings to hit that steady frame rate without stripping out all the game’s visual charm. You don’t have to turn every slider to the lowest setting unless you’re running on entry-level flagship hardware; small, targeted tweaks will give you most of the performance gain with barely noticeable visual trade-offs.
Start with Graphics Mode set to Performance first, then adjust individual sliders to match your preferences. Set Frame Rate Limit to 120 FPS, and turn off VSync unless you have a GSync or FreeSync compatible monitor, as regular VSync can cause input lag and occasional frame locks. Next, set Render Resolution to 90% or 100% — anything higher will put unnecessary stress on your GPU for almost no visible improvement, and 90% resolution is nearly indistinguishable from 100% during fast combat.
Shadow quality is one of the biggest frame hogs in the game, so set that to Medium or Low. You won’t notice the difference during busy fights, but you’ll gain 15-20 FPS instantly. If you main characters with flashy, particle-heavy Ultimates like Jing Yuan or Kafka, you can leave Particle Effects on Medium, but drop it to Low if you notice drops during crowded fights. One setting a lot of people overlook is Dynamic Resolution — turn this on if you still get occasional frame drops during big fights. It will automatically lower your render resolution slightly when the game gets busy, and most people can’t even tell the difference, but it will keep your frame rate locked at 120 almost all the time. I keep my particle effects on Medium and shadows on Low on my RTX 3060 laptop, and I hit a steady 120 FPS even in the Luofu's busiest areas, no stutters at all.
Hidden Fixes for Stutter and Frame Drops Even With Correct Settings
Sometimes you’ll have all the right in-game settings enabled, but you’ll still get random stutters or frame drops that pull you out of the action. These issues almost always come from system-level problems, not the game itself, so these quick fixes will resolve most common issues without you having to lower your visual settings further.
For PC users, close any background apps that are using large amounts of RAM or GPU power before launching the game. Chrome with 20 open tabs, Discord screen share, or running video editing software in the background can eat up 30% or more of your GPU’s capacity, leaving less for the game. You can open Task Manager to see what’s using the most resources, and close anything you don’t need for your play session. Also make sure your GPU drivers are updated to the latest version; both NVIDIA and AMD release regular game-specific optimizations for Honkai Star Rail that can boost FPS by 10-15% out of nowhere. Another common issue on PC is overlays: Discord, Steam, and NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlays can all cause random stutters even if your settings are perfect. Try turning all overlays off before launching the game, and see if that fixes your frame drops. I had this issue last month, and disabling the Steam overlay gave me an extra 10 FPS right away.
For mobile users, turn on your device’s built-in Performance Mode before launching the game, and close all background apps to free up RAM. Don’t play while your phone is charging, either — most devices throttle performance heavily when they heat up to prevent battery damage, which will drop your frame rate to 60 or lower even if you have all settings correct. If you're on PlayStation 5, make sure you have "Performance Mode" enabled in the PS5 system settings, not "Resolution Mode", and that you’re using the official HDMI 2.1 cable that came with the console. Third-party HDMI 2.0 cables won’t support 120Hz output, so you’ll be locked to 60 FPS no matter what you change in the game’s settings.
Is Running 120 FPS Worth It For Honkai Star Rail?
Everyone talks about 120 FPS as the gold standard for gaming, but it’s not the right choice for every player, depending on your hardware and play style. There are clear benefits, but there are also trade-offs you should consider before locking your frame rate to 120 permanently.
The biggest upside is that Smoother combat animations make it much easier to time parries, perfect dodges, and Ultimate activations, especially in high-stakes endgame content like Memory of Chaos or Pure Fiction. The fluid motion also reduces eye strain during long play sessions, so you can grind for hours without feeling tired like you would on 60 FPS. But there are downsides too: On mobile, running 120 FPS will drain your battery 30-40% faster than 60 FPS, so you won’t get as much play time away from a charger. On PC, it can make your GPU run hotter and louder, especially if you have a smaller case or older cooling system.
If you mostly play the game for story and casual exploration, you probably won’t notice a big enough difference to justify the trade-offs, but if you grind endgame content regularly, it’s a total game changer. You also don’t have to stick to one setting permanently. Most devices let you switch frame rate limits in 10 seconds, so you can toggle between 60 and 120 depending on what you’re doing that day. If you’re just running around collecting materials, 60 FPS is fine, but if you’re trying to beat a tough MoC boss with tight timelines, 120 FPS will make the process much less stressful. I switch between 120 FPS when I’m pushing MoC floors, and 60 FPS when I’m just doing dailies or reading story scenes, that way I get the best of both worlds without wasting battery or putting unnecessary stress on my hardware.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to get 120 FPS on Honkai Star Rail is all about balancing your hardware capabilities with your personal play preferences. You don't need a $2000 PC or the latest flagship phone to hit that smooth frame rate, just a few small tweaks to your settings and system setup. If you try all the tips above and still can't hit 120, don't stress too much — 60 FPS is more than enough for most casual play, and you can always adjust settings gradually to find what works best for you. Next time you load into the game, test out a few of these changes and see how much of a difference they make for your runs.
