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In addition to the options available in the Configuration section, there are several system-level optimizations that can help improve Sunshine’s streaming performance.

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Hardware-Specific Optimizations

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AMD Graphics

For AMD GPU users on Windows, enabling Enhanced Sync in AMD’s graphics settings can help reduce latency by an additional frame.
This optimization applies to both amfenc (AMD’s hardware encoder) and libx264 (software encoder) configurations.

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How to Enable Enhanced Sync

1

Open AMD Software

Right-click on your desktop and select AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
2

Navigate to Graphics Settings

Go to Gaming → Graphics or Display settings
3

Enable Enhanced Sync

Find and toggle Enhanced Sync to On

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NVIDIA Graphics

For NVIDIA GPU users, enabling Fast Sync in NVIDIA Control Panel can help reduce streaming latency.

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How to Enable Fast Sync

1

Open NVIDIA Control Panel

Right-click on your desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel
2

Navigate to 3D Settings

Go to Manage 3D Settings → Global Settings or Program Settings
3

Configure Vertical Sync

Find Vertical sync in the settings list and set it to Fast
If you experience stuttering with NVIDIA GPUs, try disabling vsync:fast instead. Performance may vary based on your specific hardware and game.

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Network Optimization

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Testing Network Performance

For real-time game streaming, network stability and consistency (low latency with minimal variance) are more important than pure bandwidth. Use iPerf3 to test your network: On the Sunshine host: 
iperf3 -s
On the client device: 
iperf3 -c {HostIpAddress} -t 60 -u -R -b 50M
Watch for packet loss (should be < 5%) and jitter (should be < 1 ms). For Android clients, use PingMaster. For iOS, use HE.NET Network Tools.

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Addressing Packet Loss

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Buffer Overrun Issues

If your host PC has a much faster network connection than the client device (e.g., 2.5 Gbps host with 1 Gbps client), packet loss can occur due to buffer overruns. Solutions:
  • Reduce the transmission speed of the host NIC
  • Configure traffic shaping rules at the OS level (Linux example below)
Linux Traffic Shaping Example: 
# Remove existing qdisc
sudo tc qdisc del dev <NIC> root

# Add HTB root qdisc with default class 1:1
sudo tc qdisc add dev <NIC> root handle 1: htb default 1

# Create class for full bandwidth (all other traffic)
sudo tc class add dev <NIC> parent 1: classid 1:1 htb \
    rate 10000mbit ceil 10000mbit burst 32k

# Create class for Sunshine at 1 Gbit/s
sudo tc class add dev <NIC> parent 1: classid 1:10 htb \
    rate 1000mbit ceil 1000mbit burst 32k

# Filter UDP port 47998 (Sunshine stream) into limited class
sudo tc filter add dev <NIC> protocol ip parent 1: prio 1 \
    u32 match ip protocol 17 0xff \
    match ip sport 47998 0xffff flowid 1:10
This configuration is not persistent across reboots. Sunshine versions > 0.23.1 include improved networking code that should alleviate buffer overrun issues.

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MTU Issues

Some clients may work better with a lower MTU value. If you experience significant packet loss (30-60%), try reducing the MTU from 1500 to 1428 on the network interface serving the stream.

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Encoder Settings

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AMD Encoding Latency (Linux)

If you notice high encoding latencies or strong fluctuations (particularly at 4K resolution), ensure your Mesa libraries are version 24.2 or newer.
Sunshine automatically sets the AMD_DEBUG=lowlatencyenc environment variable on systems with Mesa 24.2+. No manual configuration is needed.
To verify low-latency mode is active, monitor VCLK and DCLK frequencies using amdgpu_top. Both should remain high during encoding rather than fluctuating.

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Hardware Encoding on Linux

If hardware encoding fails with Mesa drivers, you may need to manually compile Mesa with encoder support enabled: 
-Dvideo-codecs=h264enc,h265enc
See the Mesa3D documentation for complete compilation instructions.

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General Performance Tips

  • Resolution matching: Stream at your client device’s native resolution when possible
  • Bitrate selection: Higher isn’t always better—match bitrate to your network capabilities
  • Encoder choice: Hardware encoders (NVENC, AMF, Quick Sync) typically offer better performance than software encoders
  • Display capture: On Linux, prefer XDG Portal capture over KMS for better compatibility
  • Controller input: If you experience input lag, ensure no other controllers are conflicting

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