Best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone

Modified Aug 25, 2024 11:48 GMT

An Operator in Modern Warfare 3 shooting with their weapon — Exploring the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone (Image via Activision)

With the Season 5 Reloaded update, Call of Duty removed the ability to turn off the On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone. This was done to reduce the overall file size of the game, which has been a concern for players ever since Modern Warfare (2019) dropped. The On-Demand Texture Streaming setting uses your internet to download texture files in the background while you play.

Since the games can now acquire the texture files online, they no longer need to be installed on your system, thus reducing the overall file size of the titles. However, this move has been controversial. With the players no longer able to turn off the setting, the game is constantly downloading textures in the background and this may not work for everyone as expected, potentially affecting their experience.

Hence, in this brief article, we'll take a closer look at the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone so that you can get the best experience in the games.

NOTE: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion.

What is the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone?

Before we begin with the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone, let us first understand what different options you have. After the Season 5 Reloaded update, you will be able to switch between 'Minimal' and 'Optimized'.

Discussing the pros and cons of both On-Demand Texture Streaming settings in MW3 and Warzone. (Image via Activision)

According to the game's description, setting the On-Demand Texture Streaming to Minimal will download the essential textures only. When set to Optimized, the titles will download high-quality textures for an "enhanced game experience".

If you want the best visual quality and have a high bandwidth internet connection, it is recommended to go with the 'Optimized' setting. You will definitely notice an improvement in visuals with fewer texture pop-ups as you play.

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However, note that setting it to 'Optimized' will download high-quality texture files and if you don't have the best internet connection, it can lead to issues like Packet Burst, High Latency, and more.

Similarly, if you don't care about visuals as such and don't have the best internet, it is recommended to go with Minimal. Recently, XclusiveAce also conducted a test for the two settings, where he concluded that the Minimal setting essentially acted as an On-Demand Texture Streaming set to off.

Comparing Minimal and Optimized On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone. (Images via Activision)

Both settings have their pros and cons and are quite situational. As seen from the image above, it is clear that the Optimized setting will provide better image quality but this comes at the cost of more bandwidth usage, which can be an issue for you if you are on a metered connection or don't have the best connection.

Although there is no definite answer to which setting you should be using in both games, the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone for most players will be 'Minimal'.

In a fast-paced multiplayer shooter like Call of Duty, you will barely have time to stop and appreciate the minor visual improvements when using the 'Optimized' setting.

On top of that, with the 'Minimal' setting replicating that of 'Off', it will lead to fewer connection issues during a match. Hence, for now, 'Minimal' will be the way to go for most players.

That covers everything that you need to know about the best On-Demand Texture Streaming setting in MW3 and Warzone.

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Edited by Jito Tenson