Overwatch 2 Ranked guide: Five settings players should tweak right now

Overwatch 2 has finally arrived after much anticipation. Within a week of its release, the title has amassed over 25 million players. It has been lauded by both newcomers and veterans, making it one of the most popular launches this year.

Notably, many users have been able to unlock the "Competitive play" feature, which provides them access to the game's ranked mode. It involves multiple Skill Tiers through which gamers can grind to enter the 'Top 500' of their respective regions.

This mode is extremely competitive and isn't for casual players. Hence, one needs to ensure that everything in their arsenal is poised to perfection.

This article takes a closer look into five settings in Overwatch 2 that users must change to get the best competitive experience.

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Five settings players should change in Overwatch 2 for Competitive play

The first step to getting the best possible competitive experience is to ensure that the application's settings are in order. This will allow gamers to display their skills with maximum efficiency.

Here are five such settings that you should change right now:

1) Turn on Nvidia Reflex

It is highly recommended to turn on Nvidia Reflex in your game. To do this, head over to your "Options" menu and navigate to the "Video" tab. Here, set the Nvidia Reflex to either Enabled or Enabled + Boost. Use the latter setting if your PC is CPU bound, meaning your CPU is bottlenecking your GPU.

Nvidia Reflex reduces overall system latency. In Overwatch 2, every action matters. Each click or press must register immediately when the user inputs them. Having this setting turned on ensures that you get the lowest possible latency in your matches.

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2) Change your Shadow settings

Shadow Quality in Overwatch 2: High vs Off (Image via Sportskeeda)

Shadows can provide you with important information during the match. It can deliver intel about enemies on rooftops or around the corner without them being in your line of sight.

Despite chugging down on frames, the setting is worth using. You can find it in the "Graphics Quality" tab of your Video options menu. Set this as high as possible.

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3) Turn down Model Detail

Model Detail in Overwatch 2: Low vs High (Image via Sportskeeda)

While turning down "Model Detail" will make multiple surfaces and 3D models appear worse, it is extremely crucial for performance. It removes many obstructive objects, allowing you to see your enemies more clearly. You can find this setting in your "Graphics" tab under the Video options.

While having this turned to "High" or "Ultra" will make the game visually appealing, it will spawn unnecessary items that might hinder your visuals.

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4) Enable High Precision Mouse Input

According to the official post on Blizzard forums:

"Enabling this option will allow Overwatch to use your mouse’s native polling rate when determining exactly where to shoot."

This allows players to shoot accurately between rendered frames. However, this setting comes at a cost and increases minor CPU usage, which for most modern PCs is negligible.

To change this setting, first, open your Options menu. From there, navigate to the "Gameplay" tab. Now in the "General" section, under the last header, "Miscellaneous," you will find this option. It is highly recommended to turn this on.

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5) Reduce redundant motion

Overwatch 2 is quite fast-paced. With so much intense action going around, you don't need any extra shaking effects on your screen, preventing you from seeing your targets. The game, by default, will have the motion settings turned on.

To turn this off, head to the "Accessibility" tab in your Options. Then under "General", tweak your settings to the following:

1. Camera Shake: Reduced
2. HUD Shake: Off
3. Reduce Menu Movement: Off

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Adjusting these settings, as mentioned in the article, will allow users to have the best performance and visible clarity, thus giving them a competitive edge in numerous scenarios.

Overwatch 2 is now available for download on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.