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GPUs Keep Getting Faster, But Your Eyes Can't Tell

Posted by timothy on from the at-least-my-eyes-can't dept.

itwbennett writes "This brings to mind an earlier Slashdot discussion about whether we've hit the limit on screen resolution improvements on handheld devices. But this time, the question revolves around ever-faster graphics processing units (GPUs) and the resolution limits of desktop monitors. ITworld's Andy Patrizio frames the problem like this: 'Desktop monitors (I'm not talking laptops except for the high-end laptops) tend to vary in size from 20 to 24 inches for mainstream/standard monitors, and 27 to 30 inches for the high end. One thing they all have in common is the resolution. They have pretty much standardized on 1920x1080. That's because 1920x1080 is the resolution for HDTV, and it fits 20 to 24-inch monitors well. Here's the thing: at that resolution, these new GPUs are so powerful you get no major, appreciable gain over the older generation.' Or as Chris Angelini, editorial director for Tom's Hardware Guide, put it, 'The current high-end of GPUs gives you as much as you'd need for an enjoyable experience. Beyond that and it's not like you will get nothing, it's just that you will notice less benefit.'"

5 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Lets not forget by geekoid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    they need to handle more stuff happening on the screen.

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    1. Re:Lets not forget by infogulch · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly, the games themselves have been pared down to fewer objects because our older cards couldn't handle it. Now there are new cards and people expect games that can use that horsepower to be available instantly? Sounds unreasonable to me.

      When your graphics card can handle 3x 4K monitors at 120Hz and 3D while playing a game with fully destructible and interactable environments (not this weak-ass pre-scripted 'destruction' they're hyping in BF4 & Ghosts) the size of new york city without breaking a sweat, the bank, or the power bill, THEN you can talk about the overabundance of gpu horsepower.

  2. Your eyes... by blahplusplus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... can certainly tell. The more onscreen objects there are the more slowdown there is. This is why I like sites like HardOCP that look at MIN and MAX framerates during a gameplay session. No one cares that a basic non-interactive timedemo gets 100's of frames a second, they are concerned with the framerate floor during actually playing the game.

    1. Re:Your eyes... by MatthiasF · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And don't forget about refresh rates. A 60hz refresh rate might be the standard but motion looks a lot better at 120 hz on better monitors.

      Higher refresh requires more powerful GPU, no matter the resolution.

  3. Seriously? by fragfoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For games, GPU's have to process 3D geometry, light, shadows, etc. Number of pixels is not the only factor. This is so lame.

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