Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat 1 runs on Unreal Engine 4.27, and its minimum graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or an AMD Radeon RX 590. This guide covers a free config file that trims the heavier graphics work, the in-game settings to change first, and fixes for stutter on weaker PCs.

Can you run Mortal Kombat 1 on a low end PC?

• OS: Windows 10
• CPU: Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 590
• RAM: 8 GB
• Storage: 140 GB

If your PC is at or above these specs, the config and the settings below should help. If it is below them, expect low frame rates and stutter even with this config. The config trims graphics work, but it can’t replace missing hardware.

Best Mortal Kombat 1 settings for low end PCs

Use the Low preset, then change these:

• Upscaler: Pick FSR 3.1 or XeSS 1.3. Both work on any GPU. DLSS 3.7 needs an Nvidia RTX card.
• Ray tracing: Turn it off. Ray tracing is one of the heaviest options on a weak GPU, and that includes the ray-traced reflections option.
• Frame rate cap: Set it to 60. If your PC can’t hold 60 frames per second, set it to 30. A steady 30 is smoother than a 60 that drops in and out.
• V-Sync: Turn it off. It can hold your frame rate to your monitor’s refresh rate and add input lag.
• Window mode: Pick borderless windowed if you switch between apps often.

Mortal Kombat 1 Engine.ini location and install

1. Download the zip with the button above. Unzip it and find the Engine.ini file.
2. Close Mortal Kombat 1 completely, including any launcher that is still running.
3. Press Windows + R, paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\MK12\Saved\Steam\Config\WindowsNoEditor and press Enter. If the folder doesn’t exist, start Mortal Kombat 1 once, close it, and try again.
4. If the folder already has an Engine.ini, rename it to Engine.ini.bak. This is your backup.
5. Copy the new Engine.ini into the folder.
6. Start the game.

What the config changes

The file changes only the settings listed here. It only changes graphics, so it won’t fix online lag or input lag.

Post-processing

• Motion blur is off.
• Depth of field is off.
• Color fringing at the edges of the screen is off.
• Lens flares are off.
• Light shafts are off.
• Film grain is off.
• Sharpening is set to 0.6.

Lighting and reflections

• Ambient occlusion, screen space reflections, subsurface scattering, contact shadows and capsule shadows are off.
• Volumetric fog uses a coarser grid.

Shadows

• Shadow quality is set to 2.
• Shadow resolution is capped at 1024.
• Shadows reach a shorter distance.
• Small objects cast shadows less often.

Draw distance and foliage

• View distance is set to 80 percent of the default.
• Detail mode is set to 1.
• Anisotropic filtering is set to 4.
• Grass and foliage density is set to 60 percent.

The streaming settings turn on async loading and turn off forced garbage collection, for smoother loading and fewer hitches when the game moves between areas.

How to fix Mortal Kombat 1 stuttering and FPS drops

Mortal Kombat 1 is an Unreal Engine 4 game. The first launch compiles shaders, so let that finish and expect hitches for the first few minutes.

If you can, install the game on an SSD. It needs 140 GB of storage.

Then work through the basics on Windows:

• Close background apps, such as browsers and overlays from launchers.
• Update your GPU driver from the official site: Nvidia, AMD or Intel.
• On a laptop, plug in the power cable and set the power mode to best performance.

Undo the changes

Delete Engine.ini from the folder. If you made a backup, rename Engine.ini.bak back to Engine.ini instead. The game rebuilds its defaults.

Mortal Kombat 1 FAQ

Where is the Mortal Kombat 1 Engine.ini file?

Mortal Kombat 1 keeps it in %LOCALAPPDATA%\MK12\Saved\Steam\Config\WindowsNoEditor. Press Windows + R, paste that path and press Enter. If the folder isn't there, start the game once, close it and check again.

Can Mortal Kombat 1 run on a low end PC?

Mortal Kombat 1's minimum is a GTX 1660 or RX 590, with an Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100, 8 GB of RAM and 140 GB of storage. A PC that meets those specs can use this config. A PC below them will likely struggle, because the config can't replace missing hardware.

How do I fix Mortal Kombat 1 stuttering?

Let the first launch finish, since the game compiles shaders then and you'll see hitches for a few minutes. Install it on an SSD if you can. Close background apps, update your GPU driver and use the best performance power mode on a laptop.

What frame rate cap should I use for Mortal Kombat 1 on a low end PC?

Set the frame rate cap to 60. If your PC can't hold 60 frames per second, set it to 30 instead. Turn V-Sync off, and pick borderless windowed mode if you switch between apps often.

Is it safe to undo the Mortal Kombat 1 Engine.ini changes?

Yes. Delete Engine.ini from the folder, or rename your Engine.ini.bak backup back to Engine.ini. The file header says that deleting it returns the game to its defaults.