How to Fix the Last of Us Part 1 100% CPU usage on PC

The launch of The Last of Us Part 1 on PC was met with great anticipation, especially for fans eager to experience Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed narrative outside of the PlayStation ecosystem. However, many PC players encountered a concerning issue: sustained 100% CPU usage that led to performance drops, system instability, and overheating. This problem raised questions and frustrations, especially for those with high-end gaming rigs that seemed more than capable of handling the game. Fortunately, the explanation for this issue and its resolution are straightforward.

How to Fix The Last of Us Part 1 100% CPU Usage on PC

The primary reason that The Last of Us Part 1 maxes out CPU resources lies in its shader compilation process. When you launch The Last of Us for the first time, it immediately starts downloading, building and optimizing shaders. Shaders are small programs that tell the computer how to render different visual effects, such as lighting, shadows, and textures. This process is computationally intensive, and the reason why your CPU and GPU will be sitting at 100%. Some games Hogwarts Legacy make this process highly visible so that you know it is actually happening. But TLOS doesn't really show it in a way that everyone will see.

While the CPU handles the shader compilation, it will push the processor to its maximum capacity. This is why you are hearing your system fans go into overdrive. The good thing is that you don't have to worry but the process will probably take a while and varies based on two main factors:

CPU Performance: The power of your CPU, including the number of cores and clock speed, plays a major role in how long it takes to build shaders. A high-end, multi-core processor can handle this workload more efficiently than a lower-end one.

Internet Connection Speed: The game downloads required shader data, so a faster internet connection can expedite the overall process, allowing the CPU to compile and finalize shaders faster.

What to Expect During Shader Compilation in The Last of Us on PC

When you launch The Last of Us Part 1 and see that your CPU usage is hammering the redline at 100% there's no need to worry. This super high usage is a normal, temporary part of the game's set-up process. However, there are certain things you can do to ensure your system handles this period smoothly:

Reducing the Impact of 100% CPU Usage

Although shader compilation is inevitable, there are strategies to reduce its impact on your system:

What Happens After Shader Compilation?

The good news is that once the game has finished compiling shaders, the CPU usage will drop back to a more normal level. The game will rely less on real-time shader building, resulting in smoother gameplay and a balanced distribution of resources between the CPU and GPU. Players have reported that after this initial phase, gameplay becomes more stable with significantly reduced CPU usage.

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