The graphics settings that actually matter for video games (and what they do)

PC game screen setting depth guide: the perfect balance between performance and quality

Most PC games offer a large number of settings options for fine-tuning screen effects and performance. Many options do not require a deep understanding of their features, such as Anisotropic filtering, just adjust the slider until the graphics card reaches its limit. But some settings are crucial, and this article will focus on these settings.

This article is not a complete guide to the game settings menu, there is already a lot of relevant information on the Internet. However, some functions have a much greater impact on the game than others, and some functions can significantly improve the screen effect and also significantly reduce performance. Finding the right balance is crucial, and we will focus on the settings options that have the greatest impact on the game.

Ray tracing (Ray tracing)

Ray tracing is a technique that calculates how light is reflected and refracted in a virtual scene, thus creating precise highlights, shadows, and reflection effects. The principle is the same as the real world: light emits from a light source, is reflected onto an object, and eventually enters our eyes. Therefore, ray tracing (or its more advanced path tracing) is one of the most precise ways to simulate the true appearance of an object.

But this technology is very resource-consuming.

Pixar and other film production companies have used some form of ray tracing to simulate reflections in Racing, but it was not widely used in games until graphics cards and game consoles can calculate ray tracing in real time. . Games that support ray tracing can simulate reflections and shadow casting of light on the reflective surface at a fast enough speed, while providing sufficient frame rate to ensure the game playability. But the definition of “playability” will be discussed further below.

The main advantage of ray tracing is that it makes the game screen extremely realistic. All objects in the game look more realistic, more like real objects than fine polygon models. In some games, it may also offer (very controversial) gameplay advantages, such as the reflection in Doom: Eternal that allows you to know if there are enemies behind you, but this is mainly a visual enhancement. If you have a powerful graphics card or game console, consider turning on ray tracing, but read the rest of this article before deciding.

Frame rate (fps)

Most movies or videos have frame rates of about 25-30 frames per second (fps), but games require more frame rates. Since players need to control the character and decide on the direction of observation, and even need to make instant reactions to change the perspective, smooth movement is more important in the game. That's why most modern games (those that require quick reactions) should have a frame rate of at least 60fps, and some modern games can even reach 120fps.

However, this is not easy. As mentioned earlier, games need to process data in real time, so double the frame rate means that the machine must process twice the data in the same time. That's why some games view super high frame rates (particularly 120fps) as a trade-off: You can choose ray tracing or 120fps, but (probably) can't have both, at least for the moment.

If you are playing a shooting game or any first-person game that requires quick responses, this trade-off may be worth it. The Doom: Eternal demo shown above is a great case study, although you can't see the difference due to YouTube's video frame rate limit of 60fps. However, you can observe the changes in the frame rate in the data frame on the screen. After turning on ray tracing, the frame rate of the player is just over 100 frames when he walks around, but once the battle begins, the frame rate drops to 70 or 80 frames. Compare this to another identical game demo without ray tracing, with a frame rate of nearly a staggering 200fps. Which one is more important to high frame rate or ultra-precision lighting effects depends on you, but the two are usually mutually restrictive at the moment.

4K resolution

Let's assume you already understand how screen resolution (i.e., the number of rows and columns of pixels on the screen) works. 1080p has been a common standard for years and it is still good enough for most uses. But modern games are increasingly turning to 4K, with resolutions about four times that of 1080p (just coincidence – 4K refers to nearly 4000 rows of pixels, not any multiple).

But if "about four times the resolution" sounds like another way to melt your graphics card, then your intuition is right. Like ray tracing and 120fps, 4K gaming can also put considerable pressure on graphics cards. Of course, this is possible—both the PS5 and Xbox Series X both claim to be able to output resolutions up to 8K—but this naturally brings a performance trade-off like other demanding graphics features.

So, would you rather play 1080p or 1440p with super high frame rate and ray tracing on? Or want to stick with 4K and 120fps but turn off ray tracing? Maybe you prefer to go for 4K ray tracing and be happy with at least 60fps. These features form some kind of performance triangle: Now you can get one or two of them at the same time, but if you plan to use all three at the same time, you'd better be ready to spend a lot of money and hopefully your game does it optimization.

Frame sync (Frame sync)

When playing games, your graphics card will struggle to display enough frame rate to provide smooth motion, but your monitor must keep up. Sometimes, your monitor and graphics card are out of sync, resulting in a tear effect, where parts of multiple frames appear simultaneously, creating horizontal lines. This is especially noticeable in games with intense action and chaotic movements.

There are two main ways to solve this problem. One is "vertical synchronization" or "Vsync" that most games support. This technology limits the number of frames the GPU outputs, so it won't overwhelm your monitor. This is a brute force method to suppress screen tearing, but it will lower your frame rate. For example, if your graphics card cannot continuously output 60fps, Vsync will reduce the frame rate to 45fps or even 30fps.

A better solution to screen tear is to use adaptive synchronization techniques such as NVIDIA's G-Sync or AMD's FreeSync. These features allow your graphics card to sync with the monitor, providing variable frame rates – meaning your game can deliver more or fewer frames depending on the performance of a specific moment – ​​without tearing. When the frame rate in the game changes, the refresh rate of the display will also change. The downside is that if you use NVIDIA graphics cards and FreeSync compatible monitors, and vice versa, compatibility issues may occur. This is not impossible, some combinations work properly, but you should check your specific hardware to ensure compatibility.

HDR High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is probably one of the best visual upgrades you can get if you have a compatible monitor. HDR is a specification (or multiple specifications) that allows your monitor to display a wider range of color, brighter highlights, and deeper dark areas. The result is that the picture is more vivid, especially in games that make the most of HDR.

To use HDR, you need an HDR-compatible monitor that you may not have unless you specifically look for. While most modern TVs have some form of HDR support built in, you should check if your monitor supports HDR. If supported, you can try to switch the HDR switch in the game settings for an instant richer color experience.

NVIDIA DLSS (and future AMD FidelityFX)

One of the most complex problems in game graphics is jagging. Even at high resolution, high polygon 3D models may look jagged and pixelated. Anti-aliasing is a rendering technique that reduces this problem by mixing pixels with their surroundings, thus smoothing the edges. This is a proven method, but it still requires additional processing power to build on high-resolution rendering games to minimize jagged edge effects.

NVIDIA's deep learning supersampling (DLSS) came into being. In supported games (one of two key limiting factors), DLSS uses machine learning to check higher resolution frames for a particular game, which can then be leveraged to enhance the lower resolution visuals in the game engine. This goes beyond simple edge smoothing like anti-aliasing. It allows your graphics card to create a more beautiful picture with less work, freeing up your graphics card to display more frames in the same time. It is sometimes described as getting higher frame rates for free. Although DLSS is not a panacea, it is one of the few things in the technology that are close to panacea.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, it only works for supported games. Also, it requires an RTX NVIDIA graphics card that you probably don't have. AMD announced its own competitive version of FidelityFX in June, which is compatible with a wider range of graphics cards, including many NVIDIA cards, but the list of compatible games is currently more limited — with only a few. If you have graphics cards and compatible games that can take advantage of these features (especially DLSS), it's almost certainly worth turning on.

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