How to Tell If Smart Particles Is Actually Improving Performance

Set Up a Fair Test

You can't judge a performance mod by feel alone. Pick a repeatable scenario: stand in the same spot in a Nether fortress, during rain, or next to a large campfire setup. Note your FPS with F3 visible.

Measure With and Without the Mod

1. Load your test scene with Smart Particles enabled. Let it settle for a few seconds, then record the FPS number.

2. Open the config and disable the mod's culling (or toggle the mod off entirely if your loader allows it) without leaving the world.

3. Return to the same spot and record FPS again.

4. Compare. The difference is your real gain.

Reading the Results

Big gains show up in particle-dense moments: explosions, rain, mob spawners, or modded magic effects. In calm scenes with few particles, expect little to no change — that's normal, since there's nothing to cull. If you see no improvement anywhere, check that the mod is actually enabled and that its culling toggles aren't all off.

Watch Visual Quality Too

A performance win isn't worth it if you lose particles you care about. While testing, watch for torches, potions, or ambient effects vanishing. If they do, raise the distance slider and re-measure — you may still keep most of the FPS gain.