Having FXAA, MFAA, SSAA 8x in CP + TXAA in game at the same time

[KobraThor]

I'm currently playing some older games that I like and missed like Assassins Creed 3 @ 4K resolution and I have everything maxed out, including all available Anti-Aliasing settings turned on at their highest. The computer heats up a little bit and I understand why.

Therefore my question, what are the best possible Anti-Aliasing settings to use that keeps the image(especially in motion) jaggie free and, if possible, blur free?

Because as I will start to play newer and newer games, the performance headroom I have now with older titles will shorten and shorten until I will have to choose the most efficient solution of AA (or probably no AA at all when the game is too demanding, hoping the 4K resolution will take care of the jaggies).

 

[i7Baby]

Use Geforce Experienc or nVidia Control Panel to determine optimum settings

 

[KobraThor]

Those are optimum settings performance wise or quality wise? I like to do things my own way, GeFoce Experience is for people who can't bother with the "Options" in the "Menu" or don't care/know what to do.

 

[i7Baby]

Then change it by hand till you're happy. Don't ask other people what makes you happiest. You have to work that out yourself. Doesn't sound like nVidia can.

 

[KobraThor]

Thanks Captain, what about when I want a second opinion?

 

[RAZER Gamer]

Go to Nvidia Control panel, 3D settings, Adjust image settings with preview. Tick the Use my preference radio box, then if you want better quality graphics slide the slider to the right. This will decrease the fps probably a little bit but should help remove jagged lines. Also you can use Geforce Experience to select the best settings for certain games.

Here is a list of games supported:
http://www.geforce.co.uk/geforce-experience/supported-games

 

[boju]

www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1798733/smaa-fxaa-txaa.html

MLAA : Post processing AA
FXAA : Post processing AA, fatser than MLAA, simillar quality
TAA : temporal - time axis AA (others are all space axis)

SMAA 1x : improved MLAA, better quality, faster speed, slightly slower than FXAA
SMAA S2x : SMAA 1x + MSAA 2x
SMAA T2x : SMAA 1x + TAA 2x
SMAA 4x : SMAA 1x + MSAA 2x + TAA 2x

TXAA 2x : Blurring Filter + MSAA 2x + TAA 2x
TXAA 4x : Blurring Filter + MSAA 4x + TAA 2x



SMAA 1x : slightly blurring
SMAA 4x : slightly blurring, solves subpixel problem
FXAA : blurring
TXAA : heavy blurring, solves subpixel problem

 

[KobraThor]

Boju, I saw that myself and read around a bit after I Googled about this "problem", but nobody seems to say which is the best solution for sure. Only comparisons and subjective opinions.

You guys didn't understood my question, with the context provided or probably I wasn't too clear.

It's about using the highest quality settings in a game, which AA option(s) do you use? Especially if you have the performance headroom (with older games or extreme hardware), is it one best possible AA form, is there a combination between them, or just enable all of them and hope for the best that your GPU can handle it (like I'm doing now with AC3) and just disable one by one if/when it can't.

 

[KobraThor]

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/15/06/01/8hq.png Also what's up with GPU-Z showing at least 350MB of VRAM usage when nothing is open and then it doubles when I'm in Google Chrome?

 

[boju]

Vram isn't only instantaneous, think of it as temporary storage space for various data the gpu uses to accelerate your general and gaming use. That recording of 391 MB is what has been used and most of that would be still stored in your Vram until it is overwritten for more important data.

 

[KobraThor]

And I figured out the answer to my question...sort of. After reading about MFAA http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014/11/25/nvidia_multiframe_sampled_aa_video_card_review/1 and it's predecessor, CSAA http://www.hardocp.com/article/2006/11/08/bfgtech_geforce_8800_gtx_gts/7#.VWx51s-qpBf I understood some things, especially after testing.

For anyone else wondering about MY QUESTION, this is what I've found out:

FXAA - both minor performance & quality impact (the blurring method it uses is imperceivable unless you're really hunting for it);

MFAA - supposedly 2x better performance than any MSAA options used IN GAME (ex.: 2xMFAA offers 4xMSAA quality, 4xMFAA offers 8xMSAA) + the game has to support this function, which right now, few do (see link for more details);

SSAA 8x - in NVIDIA Control Panel(NVCP) -> Antialiasing - Transparency -> 8x SuperSample for maximum quality with a big hit on performance therefore it's advisable to try MultiSample, 2x and 4x as well and if all fail to deliver good performance, then Off it.

MSAA - 1) If game has built in AA setting, choose one,make sure to Apply and save it, then quit game and go to: NVCP-> Antialiasing - Mode -> Enhance the application setting, then Antialiasing - Setting and choose 2x, 4x, 8x. It will OVERRIDE the IN GAME chosen setting, so it doesn't matter what you choose, unless it comforts you to have all on max;
- 2) If game has no built in AA setting, NVCP -> Antialiasing - Mode -> Override any application setting, then same as above, choose 2x, 4x, 8x.
From what I understand, this is overkill "brute" quality AA thus being a massive hit to performance, even tho' is covering only external polygons, at least it's the best option because it doesn't blur...if you have the headroom for it, of course.

TXAA - Medium to high performance impact for heavy blur AA quality which, honestly, isn't easy on the eyes and makes the game look...washed. It's proprietary to NVIDIA and I'd recommend using it, ONLY if all other options fail at removing jaggies, if not, it's best left alone because the AA quality it offers is greatly outbalanced by the bluriness. Can be found in most NVIDIA - Meant to be played games, AA setting.

SMAA - Never encountered this so I can't speak about it for now.

I'd advise, in general, at keeping FXAA and MFAA on (unless you really need performance, then you can play with them to get the desired effect) and Antialiasing - Mode -> Application controlled (unless you really have a jaggie problem and the headroom to deal with the "brute" MSAA) and Antialiasing - Transparency SSAA 8x (unless fishing for performance) and then just drop it according to each game that requires more "juice".

I've made this post in search of an enlightening answer for the best AntiAliasing solution out there (quality with as less blur and performance hit as possible), but for once, Google couldn't help me, so after some deep research I hope that whoever will have similar questions, can find an answer here.

Also, please, someone make this a sticky and by all means, add to it (especially on the SMAA front) with knowledge made easy for everyone to understand.

 

[KobraThor]

Vram isn't only instantaneous, think of it as temporary storage space for various data the gpu uses to accelerate your general and gaming use. That recording of 391 MB is what has been used and most of that would be still stored in your Vram until it is overwritten for more important data.

Aaa, so it doesn't get in the way of gaming performance when it will be needed. Thank you for the clarification on this one.

 

[mp5mafia]

Boju, I saw that myself and read around a bit after I Googled about this "problem", but nobody seems to say which is the best solution for sure. Only comparisons and subjective opinions.

You might as well ask what is others favourite colour and argue about it pretty much forever.
You make no sense plus you answer your questions yourself lol

 

[KobraThor]

www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1798733/smaa-fxaa-txaa.html

MLAA : Post processing AA
FXAA : Post processing AA, fatser than MLAA, simillar quality
TAA : temporal - time axis AA (others are all space axis)

SMAA 1x : improved MLAA, better quality, faster speed, slightly slower than FXAA
SMAA S2x : SMAA 1x + MSAA 2x
SMAA T2x : SMAA 1x + TAA 2x
SMAA 4x : SMAA 1x + MSAA 2x + TAA 2x

TXAA 2x : Blurring Filter + MSAA 2x + TAA 2x
TXAA 4x : Blurring Filter + MSAA 4x + TAA 2x



SMAA 1x : slightly blurring
SMAA 4x : slightly blurring, solves subpixel problem
FXAA : blurring
TXAA : heavy blurring, solves subpixel problem

Who chose this answer? I've answered my own question and gave more explanations based on my research and tests than this answer, anyway. -_- *sigh* At least who reads will see my message. I did NOT choose it.

 

[mp5mafia]

I did!
He wasted his time trying to answer your "sorry" question so yeah he deserves a credit.
Did you actually wait for someone to choose your own answer as a "solution"? Lol

 

[KobraThor]

I did!
He wasted his time trying to answer your "sorry" question so yeah he deserves a credit.
Did you actually wait for someone to choose your own answer as a "solution"? Lol

No, but I asked nicely for that...so that future noobs know what to do. His answer is a copy-paste I've seen when I've Googled what I wanted to find out. It wasn't what I was looking for and even if it was, the explanation of all the AA modes is like an engineer started marketing the tech, himself, all of a sudden.

And how is it a "sorry" question? Do you not see how many AA modes there are right now? Don't you want to know which is the best quality/blur/performance wise? And what combinations can you use to the best extent? Aaaa, let's just leave it at that and sorry for wasting your time guys.