Screenshot 1 of 1. MinecraftHub-generated cover art for GPUBooster: a floating snowy block island with a workshop of crafting tables and furnaces, under a day sky
What GPUBooster works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, Quilt, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.16, 1.16.5, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2 |
| Environment | Client |
The GPUBooster mod trims the CPU cost of Minecraft rendering on Fabric, Quilt and NeoForge. It swaps in direct-state access buffers, buffer pooling and vectorized math, and it runs on the client side only. Forge releases exist but have stopped.
Loaders and versions
- Fabric and Quilt: Minecraft 1.16 to 26.2. The newest build requires ToadLib and Fabric API, optionally Mod Menu; some builds for 1.16 to 1.21.11 need no dependencies; some builds for 1.18 to 1.21.10 require Fabric API.
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.20.1 to 1.21.10. The newest build requires ToadLib; builds for 1.21.8 to 1.21.10 need no dependencies; some builds for 1.20.1 to 1.21.5 need no dependencies.
- Forge: Minecraft 1.12.2 to 1.21.5, builds stopped after January 2025. The newest build needs no dependencies.
What it changes
- DSA (direct-state access) for VBO, EBO, FBO and textures, so rendering binds fewer buffers.
- A VBO and EBO pool with a config-defined size, so buffers get reused.
- RBO depth in place of a depth texture, a slight gain.
- A "VAO Format" cache and a GL targets cache.
- SIMD maths through the Vector API for frustum and weather rendering.
- UI text batching and faster collections in loading systems.
The author's own comparison, run on 1.21.11 with no other mods besides libraries, went from 1100 to 1200 FPS with release 1.2.2, a 9.09% gain. Expect a modest lift, not a transformation.
Setup
- 1.Install the matching loader, following the Java mod install guide.
- 2.Put the mod file and the required libraries from the list above into the mods folder.
- 3.Add `--add-modules jdk.incubator.vector` to the JVM arguments in your launcher to enable the SIMD features.
- 4.Launch with the loader profile.
Trade-offs and compatibility
The mod works with Sodium (and Embeddium), Iris and shaders. The RBO depth option is not compatible with shaderpacks. A GPU with OpenGL below 4.5 loses some features.
Since release 1.1.1 the server-side code lives in a separate mod, NumFlux. Since 1.21.10, GpuTape support is discontinued in favour of GPUBooster.
Questions about GPUBooster.
4 questions
Does GPUBooster need a JVM argument?
Only the SIMD features do. Add --add-modules jdk.incubator.vector to the JVM arguments in your launcher. If the game crashes, the author says to check for that argument first.
Does GPUBooster work with shaders?
Yes, it is listed as compatible with Sodium, Embeddium, Iris and shaders. The one exception is the RBO depth option, which is not compatible with shaderpacks.
Can I use GPUBooster on a multiplayer host?
No. It is required on the client side and is unsupported on a dedicated host. Since release 1.1.1 the server-side part is a separate mod called NumFlux, made by the same author for host-side optimization.
How much FPS does GPUBooster add?
The author measured 1100 FPS without the mod and 1200 with release 1.2.2 on 1.21.11, a 9.09% increase, with no other mods besides libraries. Results will differ with your GPU, settings and other mods.
