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Advanced performance tweaks

Power-user FPS gains, after you've done the basics in Performance & FPS. Some of these (large pages, regedit, BIOS) are only for people who know what they're doing.

Video settings (detail)

From the recommended Arma 2 video settings:

  • Video Memory: Very High — fixes low-FPS-and-flush-the-VRAM and the "receiving" screen. Use it if your GPU has ≥4 GB VRAM.
  • Antialiasing: Off or Low depending on GPU (Off at 4K; higher is fine at 1080p/1440p on a GTX 1070/2060+).
  • HDR: Normal (try max only with a strong GPU, watching FPS).
  • A known-good baseline: Texture Low, Objects/Terrain/Shadow Very low, Postprocess Disabled, Anisotropic/AA/ATOC Disabled, Vsync Off.

NVIDIA driver settings

  • NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D settings → Program Settings → add arma2oa.exe → Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance. (Also set it globally if you like.)
  • Windows power plan → High Performance (Control Panel → System and Security → Power Options).
  • Debloat the NVIDIA driver (search Panjino's "NVIDIA GPU? Please try these settings" guide). ⚠️ When doing this, keep the PhysX checkbox enabled, or Arma can crash.

Large memory pages (≥16 GB RAM only)

A big potential FPS boost from Arma 2's memory allocator — only with ≥16 GB RAM (32 GB+ better). Be careful at 8 GB. Do NOT do it at 6 GB or 4 GB.

  1. Open Local Security Policy → Local Policies → User Rights Assignment → "Lock pages in memory".
  2. Add your user account, your Administrator account, and Everyone (one by one).
  3. OK, close, reboot.
  4. Run Arma 2: OA (Combined Operations) as Administrator every time — the feature only works as admin.

Prefer the registry route? Run the community a2_regedit1.reg / a2_regedit2.reg as admin (reboot after), or do it by hand:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Arma2OA.exe]
"UseLargePages"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Arma2OA_BE.exe]
"UseLargePages"=dword:00000001

⚠️ Editing the registry wrongly can break Windows. Only do this if you understand it.

Lossless Scaling (frame generation)

The Steam app Lossless Scaling (~$5.59) adds frame generation to Arma. X2 frame-gen is the sweet spot and works well even on Chernarus. Below ~15–20 fps you may see helicopter-blade glitches. Pairs nicely with the in-game view-distance tuner (toggle it with a hotkey as needed).

Automatic view-distance tuner (in-mission)

The mission can auto-tune view distance to hold a target FPS:

  • Use Action 18 — toggle the feature on/off (turn it on each session).
  • When on: Use Action 19/20 decrease/increase target FPS (default 60, min 30, max 240, step 1).
  • When off: Use Action 19/20 decrease/increase view distance (1000 m per press).

The full Use Action reference is in Action shortcuts.

Extra (advanced, BIOS/Windows)

Only if you know what you're doing: enabling DEP globally (System Properties → Performance → Data Execution Prevention), and BIOS/UEFI TPM 2.0 + Secure Boot for Windows Security. Some need BIOS support and may require a Windows reinstall — don't attempt blind.