Maxing out graphical settings to “ultra” in video games may not be worth it. While ultra settings offer stunning visuals and future-proofing, they can strain even high-end systems, leading to performance issues. The difference in graphical fidelity between high and ultra settings is often marginal, while sacrifices in frame rate and stability are significant.
Video games now offer stunning visuals that can be nearly indistinguishable from real life. As a result, many gamers have become enamored with the prospect of maxing out their graphical settings, but this might not always be the wisest choice.
Ultra Settings Are for Future Proofing
One of the key reasons developers include ultra settings in their games is for future-proofing. Gaming technology is always evolving, and what seems like overkill today might be standard in a few years.
By including ultra settings, developers ensure that their games can still look stunning and take advantage of newer hardware down the line. This means that, unlike console games, you don’t have to wait for a game update or for a re-release of the game to enjoy better resolution, frame rate, and detail on future hardware.
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However, just because these settings are there doesn’t mean they’re meant for today’s hardware. Running a game at ultra settings can push even the most powerful systems to their limits, often leading to frame rate drops, crashes, or other performance issues.
Additionally, the difference between some high and ultra settings is usually not obvious unless you’re looking for it specifically.
On the other hand, if you’re playing a game from years ago where the fastest GPU in the world wouldn’t even be mid-range today, you can crank those settings as high as you want and get a little more life from your favorite older titles.
Big Sacrifices for Minimal Gains
To play a game on ultra settings, you need a high-end gaming rig that can handle the massive computational load. Even then, the improvement you see might not be worth the additional strain on your system.
The performance difference between high and ultra settings can be substantial. You might find that your frame rate drops significantly when you switch to ultra, making the game feel less smooth and responsive. The overall effect is a decrease in playability for an often marginal increase in graphical fidelity during normal gameplay. Remember, the game wasn’t designed to be seen using a freeze-frame and a magnifying glass!
The trade-off often isn’t worth it. A slight bump in shadow detail or texture quality isn’t going to enhance your experience if the game becomes choppy or unstable. You’re often better off sticking to high settings and enjoying a smooth, stable gaming experience.
Some “Ultra” Settings Aren’t
Another point to consider is that not all “ultra” settings are created equal. Some games use the term loosely, labeling settings as “ultra” when they don’t significantly improve the lower settings.
In other cases, the ultra settings might introduce graphical features that actually detract from the game’s overall aesthetic. For instance, some ultra settings might overuse bloom or lens flare effects, leading to an overly bright or washed-out look.
Understanding what each setting does and how it affects your game’s visuals is essential rather than simply cranking everything up to the maximum.
There’s also been a curious trend toward the inflation of video game preset names. Where in the past a PC game might have presets labeled:
Very Low > Low > Medium > High > Very High > Ultra
It’s not strange to see a modern game labeled something like:
Medium > High > Very High > Ultra > Epic/Insane/Psycho and so on.
After all, there are no standards or regulations for what game developers name their presets. If you rename “low” to “medium,” nothing but the actual name has changed. Likewise, if you rename “very high” to “ultra,” the relative settings are still the same!
So obviously, when we say, “You should never use ultra settings in games,” we don’t literally mean settings that are labeled “ultra,” but simply the overkill maxed-out settings some AAA and AA games offer.
Also, (and it goes without saying, but we prefer to be thorough), there are modern games that label their highest preset as “ultra,” but the overall game is so graphically undemanding that the label has no real meaning. It would have been better to name it “maximum” in those cases.
The Best Presets Are Custom Presets
Instead of relying on the preset ultra settings, it’s often better to customize your settings to suit your system and preferences.
Start by setting everything to high and then adjust individual settings to see how they affect your game. You might find that certain settings, like texture quality or draw distance, greatly impact how your game looks without significantly affecting performance—especially when they are heavy on VRAM rather than the actual GPU.
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In other cases, you may find that certain settings have little to no impact on your frame rate, even at ultra settings. So using a mix of settings (even including some ultra settings) will undoubtedly offer the best mix of visual quality and performance.
Remember, if you can’t see the difference during normal gameplay, then you’re spending performance for nothing!
