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Segra is designed to have minimal performance impact on your games, but optimal settings depend on your hardware. This guide will help you get the best recording quality while maintaining smooth gameplay.

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Understanding Performance Impact

Well-configured Segra typically causes 1-5% FPS reduction in games when using hardware encoding.

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Performance Factors

The main factors affecting performance are:
  1. Encoder Type (CPU vs GPU) - Biggest impact
  2. Recording Resolution - Moderate impact
  3. Frame Rate - Moderate impact
  4. Bitrate and Rate Control - Minor impact
  5. Audio Sources - Minimal impact

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Choosing the Right Encoder

Your encoder choice is the most important performance decision.
Best for: NVIDIA RTX/GTX usersPros:
  • Dedicated hardware encoder (no game performance impact)
  • Excellent quality at high bitrates
  • Support for H.264 and HEVC
  • Very low CPU usage
Cons:
  • Requires NVIDIA GPU (GTX 600+)
  • Consumer GPUs limited to 3 concurrent sessions
  • Slightly larger file sizes than x264 at same quality
Recommended Settings:
  • Rate Control: VBR (Variable Bitrate)
  • Preset: Quality
  • Min Bitrate: 70 Mbps (1080p) / 100 Mbps (1440p)
  • Max Bitrate: 100 Mbps (1080p) / 150 Mbps (1440p)
Avoid x264 encoder if:
  • You have a hardware encoder available (NVENC/AMF/QSV)
  • Your game is CPU-intensive (strategy games, simulations)
  • Your CPU has fewer than 6 cores

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Resolution and Frame Rate

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Recording Resolution

Recording resolution is independent of your game resolution. You can play at 4K and record at 1080p.
Segra automatically scales your game capture to the configured recording resolution:
ResolutionBest ForRelative Performance Impact
1080pMost users, streamingBaseline
1440pHigh-end systems, content creation+30% encoding load
4KProfessional creators, future-proofing+100% encoding load
Recommendations:
  • 1080p: Ideal for most users, good quality, small file sizes
  • 1440p: Sweet spot for modern gaming monitors
  • 4K: Only if you have powerful hardware and storage

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Frame Rate

Segra supports 30 FPS and 60 FPS recording:

60 FPS Recording

Pros:
  • Smooth gameplay footage
  • Better for fast-paced games
  • Modern standard
Cons:
  • 2x encoding load vs 30 FPS
  • Larger file sizes

30 FPS Recording

Pros:
  • 50% less encoding load
  • Smaller file sizes
  • Still acceptable quality
Cons:
  • Choppy for fast motion
  • Not ideal for competitive games
Recommendation: Use 60 FPS with hardware encoding. Only drop to 30 FPS if experiencing performance issues.

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Bitrate and Quality Settings

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Understanding Rate Control

Segra supports multiple rate control methods:

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Bitrate Recommendations by Resolution

Higher bitrate = better quality but larger files. These values balance quality and file size.
ResolutionVBR MinVBR MaxCBR
1080p @ 30fps40 Mbps60 Mbps50 Mbps
1080p @ 60fps70 Mbps100 Mbps80 Mbps
1440p @ 30fps60 Mbps90 Mbps75 Mbps
1440p @ 60fps100 Mbps150 Mbps120 Mbps
4K @ 30fps100 Mbps150 Mbps125 Mbps
4K @ 60fps150 Mbps250 Mbps200 Mbps

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Audio Optimization

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Audio Source Configuration

More audio sources = minimal performance impact, but larger file sizes and more complex mixing.
Best Practices:
  1. Use only needed sources: Don’t add unused microphones/devices
  2. Force Mono for microphones: Reduces file size with no quality loss (Settings → Audio → Force Mono)
  3. Disable unused tracks: Don’t enable separate audio tracks unless you need them for editing

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Audio Output Modes

Choose the right mode for your workflow:
Records all desktop audio sources.Performance: Minimal impactBest for: Simple recording, no editing needed
Records only game audio (mutes desktop audio when hooked).Performance: Same as All AudioBest for: Isolating game sounds, removing desktop notificationsNote: Requires game capture to hook successfully
Records game and Discord voice chat on separate tracks.Performance: Slightly higher (additional audio source)Best for: Team games, collaborative contentNote: Creates separate track for Discord audio in recordings

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Separate Audio Tracks

Enabling separate audio tracks increases file size by ~5-10% per additional track.
When to use:
  • Advanced video editing workflows
  • Need independent volume control in post-production
  • Recording podcasts or collaborative content
When to skip:
  • Simple clipping and sharing
  • Storage space is limited
  • Don’t edit recordings

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Display Capture Method

Segra supports two display capture methods with different performance characteristics: Recommendation: Try WGC first. If you experience issues, switch to DXGI.

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Replay Buffer Optimization

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Memory Management

Replay buffer keeps recent footage in memory before writing to disk:
Formula: Memory Usage ≈ Duration × Bitrate ÷ 8Example: 30s @ 80 Mbps = ~300 MB RAM
Settings to adjust:
  1. Buffer Duration (Settings → Recording → Replay Buffer Duration)
    • Default: 30 seconds
    • Longer = more memory usage
    • Recommendation: 30-60 seconds
  2. Max File Size (Settings → Recording → Replay Buffer Max Size)
    • Default: 1000 MB (1 GB)
    • Prevents buffer from growing too large
    • Increase if you have RAM to spare

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Hybrid Mode Considerations

Hybrid mode runs session recording AND replay buffer simultaneously, doubling the encoding load.
Performance impact of Hybrid mode:
  • 2x encoder usage
  • 2x write operations to disk
  • Higher memory usage
Recommendations:
  • Only use with hardware encoders (NVENC/AMF/QSV)
  • Ensure SSD for content folder (reduces disk bottleneck)
  • Monitor system performance during recording

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System-Specific Optimizations

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High-End Systems (RTX 3080+, Ryzen 7+)

Recommended Settings: 
Encoder: NVENC/AMF
Resolution: 1440p or 4K
Frame Rate: 60 FPS
Rate Control: VBR (100-150 Mbps)
Recording Mode: Hybrid
Audio Tracks: Separate tracks enabled

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Mid-Range Systems (RTX 3060, Ryzen 5)

Recommended Settings: 
Encoder: NVENC/AMF/QSV
Resolution: 1080p
Frame Rate: 60 FPS
Rate Control: VBR (70-100 Mbps)
Recording Mode: Hybrid or Session
Audio Tracks: Single track

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Budget Systems (GTX 1660, Intel i5)

Recommended Settings: 
Encoder: NVENC/QSV (avoid x264)
Resolution: 1080p
Frame Rate: 60 FPS (or 30 FPS if struggling)
Rate Control: VBR (50-70 Mbps)
Recording Mode: Buffer only
Audio Tracks: Single track

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Laptops

Laptops may throttle during extended recording sessions due to thermal limits.
Laptop-Specific Tips:
  • Use laptop cooling pad
  • Set power plan to “High Performance” when recording
  • Lower bitrate to reduce heat generation
  • Ensure dedicated GPU is being used (not integrated graphics)
  • Record to external SSD if possible (reduces internal drive heat)

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Storage Performance

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Drive Types

Drive TypeWrite SpeedRecommended Use
NVMe SSD2000+ MB/sBest for all resolutions/framerates
SATA SSD500 MB/sGood for 1080p/1440p
HDD (7200 RPM)150 MB/sOnly for 1080p @ lower bitrates
HDD (5400 RPM)100 MB/sNot recommended
External USB 3.0VariableAcceptable for SSD, avoid HDD
Quick Math: At 100 Mbps bitrate, you need 12.5 MB/s sustained write speed. Most SSDs can handle this easily.

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Content Folder Location

Optimal content folder locations:
  1. Best: Dedicated NVMe SSD (separate from OS drive)
  2. Good: Secondary SATA SSD
  3. Acceptable: Same SSD as OS (may impact system responsiveness)
  4. Avoid: Mechanical HDD (may cause dropped frames)

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Monitoring Performance

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During Recording

1

Check Task Manager

Monitor CPU, GPU, RAM, and Disk usage:
  • Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
  • Performance tab
  • Watch for maxed-out resources
2

In-Game FPS Counter

Use game’s built-in FPS counter or tools like:
  • NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlay
  • MSI Afterburner
  • Steam FPS counter
3

Check Segra Logs

Look for warnings about:
  • Encoding lag
  • Dropped frames
  • Disk write errors
Location: %AppData%/Segra/logs/

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Signs of Performance Issues

Watch for these symptoms:
  • Stuttering gameplay
  • Dropped frames in recording
  • Audio desync
  • Disk usage at 100%
  • CPU/GPU maxed out
If you see these issues, reduce recording settings incrementally:
  1. Lower bitrate by 20%
  2. Reduce resolution one step (4K → 1440p → 1080p)
  3. Drop frame rate to 30 FPS
  4. Disable separate audio tracks
  5. Switch recording mode (Hybrid → Session or Buffer)

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Advanced Tips

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Process Priority

Segra automatically sets itself to High priority during recording to ensure smooth encoding.
This is handled automatically in OBSService.cs:928: 
GeneralUtils.SetProcessPriority(ProcessPriorityClass.High);

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Multi-GPU Systems

If you have multiple GPUs (e.g., laptop with iGPU + dGPU):
  1. Ensure Segra runs on dedicated GPU:
    • Windows Settings → System → Display → Graphics
    • Add Segra.exe → High Performance
  2. Use matching encoder:
    • NVIDIA dGPU → NVENC
    • Intel iGPU → QSV (only if game isn’t GPU-intensive)

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4:3 Aspect Ratio Games

Segra automatically detects and stretches 4:3 content to 16:9 (configurable in Settings).
This adds minimal performance overhead and prevents black bars in recordings.

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Benchmarking Your Settings

1

Set Baseline

Measure game FPS without recording (5-minute session)
2

Test Recording

Record 5 minutes with your desired settingsMeasure average FPS during recording
3

Calculate Impact

FPS Impact % = ((Baseline - Recording) / Baseline) × 100Target: < 5% impact
4

Adjust Settings

If impact > 5%, reduce settings incrementallyRetest until acceptable

OBS Integration

Understand how Segra uses OBS

Troubleshooting

Fix common performance issues

Hardware Requirements

Check system requirements

Contributing

Improve Segra’s performance