Recently, an IGN hardware editor used a top-tier PC equipped with a Ryzen 9 7950X3D and an RX 7900 XTX to conduct graphics tests on four AAA titles: Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The editor proposed a controversial opinion: Ultra-high graphics settings in games are more like "screenshot tools" for marketing purposes. During actual gameplay, the visual difference between Ultra and High settings is minimal to the naked eye, but the performance cost is enormous.
Test data shows that in Cyberpunk 2077, running at 4K with Path Tracing enabled and FSR set to Quality mode yields only 20 FPS, making it nearly unplayable. Switching the upscaling to Balanced mode results in almost no visible difference in image quality while allowing the game to run smoothly. In Alan Wake 2, maxing out all ultra-high settings causes the frame rate to plummet to 1-3 FPS, completely ruining playability. Lowering the settings to High and disabling ray tracing restores a playable frame rate, with barely noticeable drops in visual quality during dynamic gameplay, leaving the game's dark atmosphere intact.
Hogwarts Legacy and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth show similar trends: the visual improvements from ray tracing and ultra-high settings are limited, yet they heavily strain GPU performance. Dropping one level to High/Medium settings, combined with balanced upscaling technology, achieves a good balance between visual quality and smoothness.
The editor believes that ultra-high graphics are, in a sense, a marketing product designed to produce attractive promotional screenshots and set hardware chasing goals for players. By 2026, flagship graphics card prices have exceeded $5,000, yet the actual gaming benefit of ultra-high settings over high settings is negligible. Rather than blindly maximizing every option, prioritizing frame rate and gameplay smoothness offers a greater improvement in the actual experience for ordinary players.
This viewpoint has also sparked controversy within the community. Some players argue that the differences in detail at ultra-high settings are still significant when comparing static screenshots. Others agree that during dynamic gameplay, the human eye struggles to catch subtle differences, prioritizing smooth performance is the right approach.