They explain what each video setting does.
They explain what each video setting does.
Hi there, I’m new to this setup. My TV is a 4K 60Hz model, and I recently got a gaming PC with an i5 13400F and RTX 4060. Both devices are connected to the same display. When I launch my favorite game, Destiny 2, it doesn’t look great at full resolution. I thought I could handle 4K but ended up using lower settings. It’s surprising how much difference there is between the graphics options on PC. Should I stick to 1080p with high settings or go for 4K at low? What do the FXAA and SMAA terms mean? Also, what does the number below it refer to—render resolution? Should I set my display to 1080p and render resolution at 200, or go full 4K at half speed? And VSYNC is a feature I’m curious about but not sure how it works. Thanks for your help—I’d really appreciate some guidance! Screenshots are attached in case you need to see what I mean.
Video Window Settings: Fullscreen, Windowed Fullscreen, and Standard Mode. Fullscreen keeps everything focused on the game, while windowed fullscreen shows the whole screen but doesn’t fully close it, making it easier to switch between apps. Windowed mode creates a smaller view than your monitor size and is best for games with minimal impact. Resolution refers to pixel count; stick with your current setting unless rendering issues arise. Vsync offers synchronization between refresh rate and frames per second, but it's not recommended here. Frame rate indicates how many images appear each second—aim for the highest possible unless performance drops. Field of View describes the screen area you see; adjust as needed. Screen bounds suggest centering the game horizontally or vertically. Brightness is up to you. Advanced video settings include preset configurations for general performance and appearance. Adjust graphics quality based on your hardware budget. VSync can be useful in theory, but personal experience suggests it's not ideal. Framerate affects visual smoothness; higher values are preferable when possible. Field of View and brightness are subjective. Graphics quality presets balance performance and look. Anti-aliasing reduces GPU load by smoothing edges. Ambient occlusion adds depth to shadows. Texture anisotropy relates to how textures align in 3D. Texture quality refers to visual fidelity, with higher settings using more processing power. Shadow quality enhances realism but increases computation. Depth of field blurs background elements when focusing on objects. Light shafts depict realistic lighting sources. Motion blur is generally unnecessary. Wind impulse is game-specific and can impact performance. Render resolution lets you use 4K while lowering detail slightly for smoother operation. HDR supports deeper colors but needs compatible displays. Chromatic aberration is a minor visual quirk. Film grain adds texture to give realism, though it's optional. Overall, boosting graphics quality should suffice unless you encounter performance problems. Adjust settings gradually and test what feels best.
It's tough to say while I'm here, I'd give it a try and check what you think. If you pick the higher setting, it handles the rough edges better, though it slows things down. AA is a bit less noticeable at 4K compared to 1080p because there are so many more pixels, making the imperfections fade. You seem to mean upscaling? It's the skill of letting your games run in 4K while your graphics card pretends they're at a lower resolution. Upscaling offers performance gains since native 4K is much slower, but it comes with trade-offs in image quality versus speed. The more you upscale, the less sharp the result becomes, though modern GPUs use tricks to restore clarity and reduce the visual impact.
Destiny 2 is weird with the render scale. If you set it to 1080p and then 200%, it won't upscale to 4K, it'll run at 200% of 1080p and downscale back to 1080p. It's a built-in solution similar to the old method of using Nvidia DSR to run a higher than native resolution, then downscale back to the actual res of your monitor, resulting in a higher quality picture, at the original resolution. At 4K, leave it at 100%. Anything higher both tanks performance for little visual quality increase while playing (as everything is moving, Destiny is a very fast game unless you're crawling through grandmasters or something), and also in my experience it causes the game to hitch whenever aiming down sights. I do set it to 200% when I want the crispiest photos of my character's kit though, as in still screenshots the quality is noticeably better.
Destiny has some unusual settings. For example, recording the game in obs without fullscreen often results in black footage, though it can work fine most of the time. Zando mentioned a few other points you should check. Try experimenting a bit to see what happens.