Ray tracing improves game visuals but can cut frame rates sharply
Ray tracing simulates lighting, shadows and reflections more accurately than older rendering methods, creating more realistic visuals in supported games. Its main drawback is the heavy performance cost, so whether it is worthwhile depends on a player’s graphics card and tolerance for lower frame rates.
Testing across 36 games found average frame rates fell by 20 to 40 per cent with ray tracing enabled; the drops reached 45 per cent in Hogwarts Legacy, about 52 per cent in Alan Wake 2 and 65 per cent in Hitman 3. The article advises players with older or mid-range graphics cards, such as the RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600 XT, to prioritise stable performance, while high-end PCs can make better use of ray tracing and the more demanding path tracing.
- Ray tracing can make game lighting and reflections more realistic.
- It often reduces frame rates by 20 to 40 per cent.
- Older or mid-range graphics cards may struggle to justify the cost.
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Games turn 3D scenes into images using a graphics card, which also helps determine how smoothly those images appear. Frame rate is the number of images shown each second; lower rates can make a game feel less fluid.
Ray tracing is a way of calculating how light behaves in a scene, including reflections and shadows. It can make supported games look more realistic, but the extra calculations demand more from the graphics card.
The effect varies with the game and the computer. Players weigh visual detail against smooth performance, and newer, more powerful graphics cards can generally handle the extra work more easily.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ray tracing can make lighting, shadows and reflections more convincing, adding atmosphere and visual detail that some players value enough to accept lower frame rates. On high-end PCs, the performance hit may be manageable, and the most demanding effects can offer a meaningful visual upgrade.
The case against
The substantial frame-rate reductions reported across many games can make play feel less smooth, and may outweigh the visual gains for players who prioritise responsiveness. For older or mid-range graphics cards, keeping performance stable is a reasonable priority, especially when ray tracing can cut frame rates sharply.
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Originally published by Engadget as “What is ray tracing in gaming and does it really make a difference?”.