Crimson Desert PC Guide: Settings, Input & Performance
A platform setup checklist: compare input, display, and performance choices before you start a session.
Input
Controller vs mouse and keyboard is a real choice in Crimson Desert. The official guidance and player consensus agree on the trade-off.
Controller recommended
Camera control, grappling and combo cancels are significantly easier with a pad on PC.
Mouse and keyboard works
Playable, but rebind early. The default camera and grab inputs are the first thing to change.
Display & upscaling
Crimson Desert supports a range of PC upscaling technologies; check your platform's supported options before tuning.
Upscaling support
DLSS and FSR with ray reconstruction are available on supported hardware; console platforms use their own implementations.
Frame rate targets
Start with the performance preset, then raise individual settings — the frame-rate loss per setting is not equal.
Performance checks before you start
Three quick checks that catch most setup problems before they become gameplay problems.
- Confirm your GPU driver and upscaling mode match your monitor
- Set a frame-rate target and lock it before adjusting quality
- Run one benchmark encounter, change one setting, rerun — never many at once