How to Fix Controller Lag or Stuttering in ARC Raiders

When ARC Raiders begins to lag or stutter, most people automatically blame graphics settings or assume they need to reinstall drivers, which is a fair assessment usually. But one of the most common causes of choppy gameplay is the controller itself, and it's the last place that most people will look for a problem. The good news is that it is a quick fix that anyone can do in about 5 minutes. It works for both PS5 and Xbox controllers.

Can a Controller Really Cause Lag and Stuttering?

It surprises players, but performance problems can come from the way a controller talks to a system. Outdated firmware, weak wireless communication, battery drain, or software running in the background can all box the controller into slow responses. This type of stutter looks like poor performance but actually comes from input delay. Once found, these problems are usually quick to resolve.

System Requirements for ARC Raiders

Check that your system meets or exceeds the baseline needed to run the game. If your hardware is below the minimum, performance issues are expected.

MINIMUM

OS: Windows 10 or newer 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 6600K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 580 or Intel Arc A380
DirectX: 12
Network: Broadband Internet

RECOMMENDED

OS: Windows 10 or newer 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or Intel Arc B570
DirectX: 12
Network: Broadband Internet

Common Causes of Controller Stutter

If your system is well within the recommended specs and the game still stutters, begin with these checks:

• Controller firmware is out of date.
• The battery level is low on wireless devices.
• Bluetooth signal is weak or interrupted.
• Other software is consuming too much CPU or memory.

After checking these points, update the controller firmware and test again. In newly released games, some issues may also clear up after a few official patches.

How to Fix Controller Lag or Stuttering in ARC Raiders

Before changing large system settings:

• Charge your controller to full to prevent power-related delay.
• Try the controller in a different game to see whether the issue is specific.
• Use a wired USB connection instead of wireless.
• If possible, test a second controller to compare behaviour.

Updating Controller Firmware

Xbox Wireless Controllers

• Install the Xbox Accessories app from the Microsoft Store.
• Connect the controller with a USB cable.
• Open the app and apply any available firmware updates.
• Remove the controller from Bluetooth devices, restart Windows, and reconnect.

PlayStation DualSense Controllers

• Download the official DualSense Firmware Updater from Sony.
• Run the program and connect the controller with a USB-C cable.
• Complete the update and restart the controller before launching ARC Raiders.

Adjust Graphics and Game Settings

Avoid max settings immediately. Lower shadows, post-processing and draw distance first. If your GPU supports DLSS, FSR or XeSS, enable one of these to improve smoothness and reduce perceived input delay.

Turn Off Steam Input

• Open your Steam Library.
• Right-click ARC Raiders and select Properties.
• Select Controller.
• Set Use Steam Input to Disabled.
• Restart the game.

Enable Game Mode in Windows

Open Windows Settings, then Gaming, then Game Mode, and confirm it is switched on.

Close Background Programs

Open Task Manager using Ctrl Shift Esc and close overlays, launchers and other tools that use CPU or memory. This often improves responsiveness immediately.

Try Lossless Scaling

Lossless Scaling is a third-party tool on Steam that can stabilise frame pacing in some titles. While not aimed at controllers directly, it can make ARC Raiders feel smoother overall. If you have a 40 series GPU or newer, you can also try turning on Smooth Motion.