Marvel Rivals, an exhilarating team-based PVP shooter set in the Marvel Universe, developed by Marvel Games and NetEase Games, launched on December 6, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. With its action-packed gameplay and a roster of 35 iconic Marvel heroes and villains, it promises an unforgettable gaming experience. However, some PC players have reported low GPU usage issues, leading to performance problems such as lags, stutters, graphical glitches, and frame drops.
This issue is not uncommon in PC gaming and often arises due to optimization challenges, outdated drivers, or in-game settings like V-Sync and Raytracing. Even high-end gaming rigs can struggle if the game is not properly configured. To help you resolve these GPU-related problems, we’ve compiled a comprehensive troubleshooting guide, including fixes for both Steam and Epic Games Launcher.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix Marvel Rivals Not Using GPU
There are several potential reasons why your PC games may not be utilizing the GPU properly, and it’s important to consider each one and troubleshoot accordingly. Common culprits include V-Sync being turned on, motion blur being enabled, issues with raytracing, problems with your graphic driver, failure to use the dedicated graphics card, corrupted or missing game files, outdated game patches, and background tasks running in the background. Following a comprehensive troubleshooting guide should help resolve this issue. Let’s dive right in and get started.
1. Check System Requirements
Minimum System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit (1909 or newer)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580 / Intel Arc A380
- DirectX: Version 12
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 70 GB available space
- Additional Note: Install the game on an SSD for better performance.
Recommended System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit (1909 or newer)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-10400 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 (Super) / AMD RX 5700-XT / Intel Arc A750
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 70 GB available space
- Additional Note: An SSD is highly recommended for an optimal experience.
2. Use a Dedicated Graphics Card
Ensure your computer system uses the dedicated or external graphics card to run the Marvel Rivals game. Undoubtedly, it’ll eventually reduce game stutters, lags, and frame drops. If you don’t know which settings to adjust, follow the steps below.
For NVIDIA GPUs:
- Right-click on the desktop and open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Go to 3D Settings > Manage 3D Settings.
- Switch to the Program Settings tab.
- Add Marvel Rivals from the drop-down menu.
- Select High-performance NVIDIA processor.
- Save changes and restart your PC.
For AMD GPUs:
- Right-click on the desktop and open AMD Radeon Settings.
- Navigate to System > Switchable Graphics.
- Assign Marvel Rivals to High-Performance GPU.
- Save changes and reboot your system.
3. Update GPU Drivers
An outdated or corrupted graphics card driver can trigger multiple game or system performance issues. It’s highly recommended to check the graphics driver update. To do so:
- Press the Win+X keys to open the Quick Link Menu.
- Click on Device Manager from the list > Double-click on Display adapters.
- Right-click on the dedicated graphics card that you’re currently using.
- Click on Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- If the latest update is available, it’ll automatically download & install the latest version.
- Once done, restart the computer to apply changes immediately.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest graphics driver version and install it on the PC via the official website. Download the graphics driver file respective to your graphics card model and manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the Nvidia official site, and AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same.
4. Update Marvel Rivals
It’s essential to keep your game patch updated to avoid problems such as crashes, lags, stutters, and CPU/GPU-related issues. Check for updates regularly and install the latest version when it’s available. Follow the steps below to update your game patch.
For Steam Users:
- Open the Steam Client and navigate to Library.
- Select Marvel Rivals and check for available updates.
- If updates are available, click Update and wait for the process to finish.
- Restart your PC after updating.
For Epic Games Users:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher.
- Go to Library and locate Marvel Rivals.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the game and select Manage.
- Enable Auto Update or manually update the game.
- Restart your PC once the update is complete.
5. Verify and Repair Game Files
Corrupted or missing game files may trigger issues with the game launching or running smoothly. Verify the game files and repair them via the Steam Games Launcher by following the steps below to fix Marvel Rivals Not Using GPU easily.
For Steam:
- Open Steam > Library.
- Right-click on Marvel Rivals > Properties > Local Files.
- Select Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC.
For Epic Games:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher.
- Navigate to Library and click the three-dot menu next to Marvel Rivals.
- Select Verify and let the process finish.
- Relaunch the game to check if the issue is resolved.
6. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
At times, certain applications may come with an additional overlay app that can be quite useful for streamers or gamers. However, these overlay apps can create conflicts with the game files and lead to issues such as FPS drops, black screen problems, lags, glitches, and so on. If you face any such crashing issue, try disabling the overlay apps manually before launching the game again. This will help you cross-check whether the issue has been resolved or not. Here’s how you can disable the overlay apps:
Disable Discord Overlay:
- Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
- Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on the Games tab > Select Marvel Rivals.
- Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
- Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
- Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Finally, restart the PC to apply changes and relaunch the game.
Some other overlay apps can cause trouble for you such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. You should turn them off as well.
7. Close Background Running Tasks
Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage reducing system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues often appear. Simply close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Now, click on the Processes tab > to select tasks unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
- Click on End Task to close it one by one.
- Once done, restart your system.
8. Turn Off V-Sync
V-Sync or FreeSync mostly comes enabled by default in the Marvel Rivals game. It seems that V-Sync or FreeSync somehow conflicts with the game’s refresh rate and monitor’s refresh rate. So, it’s better to turn off this feature on the PC by following the steps below.
For Nvidia:
- Run Steam Games Launcher.
- Launch Marvel Rivals > Go to the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Display Options, make sure to turn off V-Sync.
- Now, open NVIDIA Control Panel > Select Manage 3D Settings in the left panel.
- Under Global Settings, scroll down to Vertical Sync and turn it off.
- Click on Apply then reboot the PC to apply changes.
For AMD:
- Make sure to launch Marvel Rivals > Open the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Display Options, make sure to turn off V-Sync.
- Now, open the AMD Radeon app and head over to the Global Settings option.
- Under the Global Graphics tab, check to Wait for Vertical Refresh option.
- Then click on the Down arrow icon > From the drop-down list, select Always Off to deactivate VSync or Enhanced Sync.
- Finally, Turn Off the Wait for Vertical Refresh option, and restart the PC.
9. Disable Raytracing
Lastly, I would suggest disabling the Raytracing feature in your game’s settings menu. This will ensure that there are no issues with over-optimization. While Raytracing is a useful feature for high-end gaming rigs that offers stunning visual quality without compromising other aspects, it may not be suitable for older or less powerful PCs. If that’s the case for you, follow the steps below to turn it off.
- Open the Marvel Rivals game via Steam Games.
- Now, go to the in-game Settings menu.
- Under Graphics options, select both the Fidelity and Raytracing feature.
- Make sure to select Performance to disable Raytracing. [You can select Balanced to reduce Raytracing]
- Once done, reboot the PC to apply changes.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.