How to Fix New World High CPU Usage

New World is finally here, facing massive queues since the launch day. After the closed and open betas, many bugs were solved but gamers are still seeing some returning issues. Some players have reported high CPU usage in-game which affects game performance. If you’re on the same boat, no worries, we’ve got a few working fixes for you.

Is 100% CPU usage bad?

High CPU usage, sometimes even overheating, isn’t necessarily bad. When your CPU is running at full load (same for your GPU), you can expect a better game performance. As long as your game is running fine and the temperature hasn’t gone above 85°C, this shouldn’t be a major concern.

However, when your CPU usage is almost at 100% and you’re noticing overheating and game crashes, that’s definitely not a good sign.

System requirements for New World

Minimum requirements:

Recommended specifications:

Fixes to try:

1: Turn off unnecessary background programs

2: Update your graphics driver

3: Change your PC’s power plan

4: Allow high graphics performance for the game

5: Lower in-game settings

6: Install the latest Windows Updates

Note: The screenshots below have been mostly taken from a Windows 10 operating system. If you are using Windows 11, please be aware that the visual appearance of your screen may vary slightly, but the steps to perform the task remain consistent.

Fix 1: Turn off unnecessary background programs

Excessive programs running at the same time can eat your CPU. Try turning off your browser and video chatting apps before launching the game. But if the problem persists, you can check if any CPU-hogging processes are running in the background and completely shut them down. Here’s how:

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo + R keys simultaneously to open the Run box. Type taskmgr and hit Enter.
   
2. Under the Processes tab, look for the processes that are CPU-hogging. Right-click it then click End task.
   

If you’re still seeing high CPU usage, try the next fix.

Fix 2: Update your graphics driver

Outdated or faulty device drivers may trigger a high CPU usage problem. When it comes to gaming, the latest working graphics driver is essential. Updating the driver may solve compatibility issues and help improve game performance.

There are two ways to keep your graphics card driver up-to-date. One is to manually update it via Device Manager. If Windows doesn’t give you the latest available version, you can search on the manufacturer’s website. Be sure to choose only a driver that’s compatible with your Windows version.

• NVIDIA
• INTEL
• AMD
• Asus

Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to update your driver manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy. Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for your exact graphics card and your Windows version, then it will download and install the driver correctly:

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3. Click the Update button next to the flagged graphics card driver to automatically download the correct version of the driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).
   
   Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)
   

Reboot your PC for the new driver to take effect. If updating the graphics driver doesn’t solve your problem, try the next fix.

Fix 3: Change your PC’s power plan

The default power plan of your PC is “Balanced”. Under this power plan, your CPU speed may be limited since your PC’s priority is to balance performance and energy consumption. If you’re seeing high CPU usage, you can switch to “High Performance” mode and allow your CPU to run at full load. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows logo key and R to invoke the Run box.
2. Type control panel, then click OK.
   
3. Choose View by: Small icons, then click Power options.
   
4. Choose the High performance power plan.
   

Launch the game to see if the problem persists. If you’re still seeing high CPU usage when playing New World, try the next fix.

Fix 4: Allow high graphics performance for the game

New World is CPU extensive, but it doesn’t mean your CPU has to do all the jobs. You can configure the system setting and let your graphics run in the high-performance mode for New World. In this way, anything that requires GPU in the game will be using GPU, instead of CPU, and therefore help reduce the CPU usage.

However, this method doesn’t guarantee better performance in-game. You can switch between different modes to see which one works the best in reducing high CPU usage without sacrificing the game performance. Below are the steps:

1. In the search bar next to the Start button, type graphics then select Graphics settings.
   
2. Click Browse and add NewWorld.exe to the list. The default installation location should be C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common.
   
3. Once the game executable is added, click Options.
   
4. Select High performance, then click Save.
   

For NVIDIA users (optional)

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you can enable the high-performance mode for your graphics via the NVIDIA settings. Here’s how:

1. Right-click anywhere empty on your desktop and click NVIDIA Control Panel.
   
2. Navigate to Manage 3D settings >> Global Settings. Choose High-performance NVIDIA processor as your preferred graphics processor.
   
3. If you only want to apply the setting to New World or Steam, you can go to Program Settings and customize it.
4. Click Apply to save the changes.

If your CPU usage is still too high when you’re playing New World, try the next fix.

Fix 5: Lower in-game settings

Some in-game graphics settings may affect not only the GPU but also the CPU. If the fixes above didn’t work for you, you might need to drop the graphics settings and sacrifice a bit of graphics quality. The good news is that the in-game graphics don’t look too bad if you run on medium settings.

We all use different PCs and there are no fixed rules on what exact settings you should adjust. But generally speaking, you can try lowering (or disabling):

• V-sync
• Shadow quality
• Anti-aliasing
• Video quality

Also capping your FPS may help. Note that tweaking these settings may or may not reduce your CPU usage, but at least you should get an FPS boost. You may have to tinker around to find what works best on your PC.

If the problem persists, there’s one more fix you can try.

Fix 6: Install the latest Windows Updates

High CPU usage could be a sign of an outdated system. If your system isn’t updated regularly, you may experience compatibility issues and bugs which can trigger a high CPU usage problem. Make sure you always install the available updates. Here’s how:

1. Find the search bar on your taskbar, or press the Windows key to open it. Search for update, then click Check for updates.
   
2. Windows will scan for available updates. If there are no available updates, you’ll get a You’re up to date sign. You could also click View all optional updates and install those if needed.
   
3. If there are available updates, Windows will automatically download them for you. Follow instructions to complete the installation.
   
4. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

Hopefully, this article is helpful! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions.

• games
• high CPU