What in-game and system settings fix stuttering after a GPU upgrade?

[Larry8]

I've just upgraded my gaming PC with a new mid-range graphics card, but I'm not seeing the frame rate improvements I expected in several demanding titles, and the performance is often inconsistent with stuttering. I've ensured my drivers are updated and that the monitor is plugged into the GPU, not the motherboard. For others fine-tuning their setups, what are the most impactful in-game settings to adjust beyond the usual presets, and are there specific Windows power or Nvidia Control Panel configurations that reliably smooth out performance and eliminate micro-stutters?