Should I Enable HRTF in PUBG? (2023)

When you play a game for a while, especially FPS games, you automatically start to look at the settings, mainly because you need more performance or just want to know what’s behind the settings options.

We’ve already covered various settings options on our blog, and you can find our previous articles on these topics here.

In PUBG, there is the “HRTF” option in the audio settings. But what is it, and how does it affect my system?

Let’s go!

Note: This article was written in English. Translations into other languages may not provide the same linguistic quality. We apologize for grammatical and semantic errors.

What Does HRTF Mean in Gaming?

HRTF stands for Head Related Transfer Function and is an audio effect that allows you to locate 360-degree sound effects such as footsteps or gunshots with headphones.

In PUBG, the HRTF setting only affects the sound effects of gunshots. If you turn HRTF off, it is impossible to determine the exact position of shots.

Check out the following short video that shows the effects of HRTF very well:

How Do You Activate HRTF in PUBG?

To enable HRTF, you can simply set HRTF to “Enabled” in PUBG’s audio settings, and the effect will be activated in-game immediately.

PUBG audio settings – Enable HRTF
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Does HRTF Affect Your System?

HRTF is an additional effect that has to be calculated by your system on top of the regular audio effects, and I have read reports that HRTF has caused FPS drops in other games for players with low-end systems.

However, my tests with HRTF in PUBG and various other games like Valorant did not show any performance differences, and I could not notice any FPS drops.

If you are interested in what hardware I use, I have listed it here for you.

Final Thoughts – Should I Enable HRTF in PUBG?

PUBG, especially when played competitively, is a highly tactical game, and every piece of information is essential. So when opponents reveal their exact position through shots, competitive players can do much with that information.

Imagine an opponent shooting inside a city in PUBG. With the help of HRTF and a little practice, you can tell for sure from a long distance which house he is in, and thus you can determine early on how to best avoid or attack the opponent.

Or let’s say you are unexpectedly shot at from an ambush, then you have to realize in a flash from where you are being shot at; HRTF also helps enormously here.

Every competitive player I know uses this feature.

Especially with in-ear headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 20, which I use, for example, the precision of the sound effects is enormous and can decide some fights for you.

However, to use the full potential of HRTF in PUBG, you need to turn off existing audio enhancements. So disable all audio programs if you use any, and also disable all audio enhancements in Windows 10/11.

This can be done as follows:

  1. Click the Windows 10/11 start button and then type Sound
  2. In the Playback tab, right-click the audio device you would like to disable the audio enhancements for, and then select Properties.
  3. Click on the Enhancements tab to display all the available audio enhancements.
  4. Click the Disable all enhancements checkbox.

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Masakari – moep, moep and out!

Former pro gamer Andreas "Masakari" Mamerow has been an active gamer for over 35 years, more than 20 of them in the competitive scene (Esports). In CS 1.5/1.6, PUBG and Valorant, he has led and coached teams at the highest level.
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