The best FoV (Field of View) for CoD Black Ops Cold War
To determine the best Field of View in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, I have surveyed 65 players on their preference. Find out pros and cons brought by a wide FoV.
Generally, there is not a “best” setting for the field of view, but it comes down to your personal preference, the size of your screen and how close you are to it.
You may think to the FoV as a camera zooming in and out. When you increase the FoV, the camera zooms out, improving your peripheral vision.
FoV pros and cons
According to the PC gaming myth, a high FoV value is always the best choice in FPS games because you are able to look at a wider area, which helps to spot any incoming enemy.
The truth is that a high FoV brings both pros and cons.
A high FoV makes targeting more difficult. The wider the FoV, the smaller the enemy on the screen, so you need to be more accurate to hit them.
A low FoV helps your focus. Everything on the screen is bigger, so it is easier to focus on where you are aiming.
Very-low FoV values can also bring motion sickness and issues in close quarters combat as it is harder to keep a fast-moving target on your screen.
CoD uses a horizontal Field of View
It is important to point out that in some games (like Overwatch and Apex Legends) the FoV is calculated horizontally, while in others (such as R6: Siege) it is calculated vertically. Do not forget this difference if you are trying to set the same Field of View in all your games.
In specific, Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War uses a horizontal field of view based on the 16:9 aspect ratio.
80 horizontal FoV is equal to 65 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 51 with a 16:9 one.
90 horizontal FoV is equal to 74 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 59 with a 16:9 one.
110 horizontal FoV is equal to 94 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 78 with a 16:9 one.
120 horizontal FoV is equal to 105 vertical FoV with a 4:3 aspect ratio and to 89 with a 16:9 one.
Data
I have surveyed 65 PC players on their Field of View preference in CoD Black Ops Cold War. The results are displayed in the graph and table below.
| Field of View | Votes |
|---|---|
| 85 | 3 |
| 90 | 19 |
| 95 | 4 |
| 100 | 11 |
| 103 | 5 |
| 105 | 3 |
| 110 | 12 |
| 120 | 8 |
The minimum FoV is 60, the default is 80, and the maximum is 120.
Among the surveyed, nobody uses the default 80 FoV. The number of players using the default FoV may be higher worldwide, but I gathered my data in Discord servers with many hardcore gamers who are used to adjust all the game options depending on their needs.
There is not a “best” field of view value, and the most popular ones are 90, 100, and 110. Honestly, I am a little bit surprised by the amount of people using a 90 FoV as usually the 100+ range is more popular.
Note that initially Modern Warfare and Warzone had some issues with aim assist on PC at high FoV values, which have been solved mostly in later patches. Instead, it looks like Black Ops Cold War doesn’t have this problem as the controller works correctly from the Beta.
I suggest using a very high FoV value (110-120) only if you have a great sight and reflexes. Generally, playing on a wide FoV also requires a better mouse control and speed in order to move faster across the screen, so you need a solid aim as well.
Instead, If you struggle at spotting and aiming enemies at a mid and long range, a lower FoV value will actually benefit your gameplay.
Finally, if performance is an issue, be aware that increasing the FoV will impact negatively your fps because your PC must work harder to render more on the screen.
FoV on ultrawide monitors
Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is powered by IW engine. The ultrawide support is excellent, and I believe this aspect ratio brings a huge advantage because it improves your view on the surroundings.
I play on a 38 inches ultrawide monitor at about 60-70 Centimeters / 1.9-2.2 Feet of distance, so I can share with you my personal experience.
In my opinion, the standard 80 FoV is a bit too low. After several tests, I believe a FoV around 100-110 is the best option for an ultrawide user as we already enjoy a huge horizontal view with this monitor aspect ratio.
I have detected the fisheye lens effect at 120 FoV. The fisheye effect is a strong visual distortion that in photography is produced with an ultra wide-angle lens. You can occur in it on PC when using a very-high FoV value.
Note: as a comparison, in CoD Modern Warfare the fisheye effect is a lot more noticeable, so there I opted for a maximum FoV of 100.
FoV at 16:9 and 21:9
Below, you can find images of the same scene at 60, 80 (default), 100, and 120 FoV, both in 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratio.
The 16:9 monitor is a standard 24 inches one with a resolution of 1920x1080, while the ultrawide one is a 38 inches display that runs at 3840x1600.
I took the screens in the following maps: Miami, Ruka, Alpine.
16:9
21:9
Console FoV and game performance
Over the years, several players asked for a FoV slider on console, claiming that PC players have a substantial advantage. Finally, the developers answered our prayers.
We’re extremely excited to bring the Field of View (FOV) slider feature to all platforms for the first time in a Black Ops game, and you’ll be able to try it out during the Beta.
This is another way we’re optimizing Black Ops Cold War for a globally connected, cross-play experience, and the team is dedicated to providing the best performance possible for this feature across all platforms at launch.
— Treyarch Studios
Generally, on console a wide FoV isn’t strictly required because many people play on a TV placed across the room, but if you utilize a monitor positioned in front of you, I suggest increasing the FoV value.
Considering the data from the survey, I recommend trying a field of view value from 90 to 110.
Performance
I have read different threads on this topic, and both Xbox One X and PS4 Pro users noticed no performance drop when maximizing the FoV to 120.
However, some PS4 players reported that (depending on the area) the FPS may drop down to 45-50 in combat when playing with a 100-120 FoV.
Header image: Activision
