Optimize Performance While Using Path-Traced Lighting

Adjust Render Distance and Chunk Loading

Path-traced lighting is computationally intensive. Start by reducing your render distance to 12–16 chunks if you're experiencing frame drops. This limits the number of blocks the shader must calculate lighting for, significantly improving performance without drastically affecting visual quality.

Configure Shader Settings

Access the shader options menu (usually by pressing a key like O or through your shader pack menu). Look for:

• Ray tracing samples or bounces: Lower this value to reduce the number of light bounces calculated per frame. This is the primary performance lever.
• Shadow quality: Reduce shadow resolution or sample count if needed.
• Ambient occlusion: Disable or lower this setting for faster rendering.

Use Appropriate Hardware Settings

Path-traced shaders benefit greatly from GPU power. Ensure your graphics driver is up to date. If using integrated graphics, expect lower frame rates—consider using a lower render distance or disabling certain effects like reflections on water to maintain playability.

Monitor and Test

After each adjustment, spend a few minutes in-game to assess frame rate stability. Make incremental changes rather than drastic cuts to find your performance sweet spot.