Can excessive anti-aliasing cause any input lag? - Page 2 (2024)

RealNC wrote: ↑

07 Jun 2021, 08:16

Anti-aliasing, like any other graphics setting, will increase frame latency. Whether it's anti-aliasing that does it or shadow quality or perhaps ambient occlusion, or even resolution, doesn't matter though. It's just a graphics setting like any other. Why did you pick anti-aliasing out specifically?

I picked it out because I have most of the other bells and whistles turned off, but an overkill amount of AA. I assume most graphical things would have a low impact (with same fps) but maybe 4 different types of maxed out AA could do enough to matter.

I'm extremely sensitive to input lag (And exclusively play on 60hz displays to boot, making it much easier to tell )and also am crazy about Anti Aliasing and have tested just about every possible AA scenario under the sun and have never once felt an increase in input lag due to better Anti Aliasing. (And I have frequently in the past for last 8+ years have the GPU nearly maxed out when trying to get best image quality vs without AA)

However, playing competitive games higher framerates are almost always more desirable to produce less input lag. (And has an actual noticeable difference) and usually getting an extremely high, stable framerate and good Anti Aliasing are generally mutually exclusive (No, UE4's sh*t TAA doesn't count. Although it does ironically work better at higher framerates since it can spread it's results over far more frames across the same fixed span of time vs lower framerates) unless you have a super high end GPU and or are playing on a lower resolution display.

MrBonk wrote: ↑

08 Jun 2021, 18:20

tested just about every possible AA scenario under the sun and have never once felt an increase in input lag due to better Anti Aliasing

higher framerates are almost always more desirable to produce less input lag

Just to be clear, you've tried many different types at once?

I know more frames are better. But in my specific case it's best to be capped where I'm at, and I'm still stable at that cap with all the AA.

It doesnt depend on one specifik graphic setting! It mostly depends on the GPU utilization. When you put all graphic settings to high or max, GPU utilization goes up. Higher graphic settings = more GPU utilization = more input lag.

It doesnt matter if you have shadows on, or anti-alaising. The question is how much does anti-alaising affect the GPU utilization?
Anti-alasing has little affect on the utilization. Shadow settings like: Post processing quality, shadow quality, shadow resolution etc. have the biggest affect on the GPU utilization! Also, your display resolution has a big affect. You will get less GPU utilization with 1080p rather then 1440p.

Now, how much % Usage should your GPU have to get low input lag? At 1%-80% utilization you will get very little input lag. You will get the most input lag if your GPU is at 90%-100%.

Now, how can you reduce input lag?
Reduce your graphic settings to your liking. Personally, I like to have my settings on medium, that way I get good graphics and max 80% GPU utilization. But if you have a low end GPU, you should put all settings on lowest.
You can also cap your frames, this will reduce utilization too and you can still play with high graphics!
Its important to cap your frames to your minimal FPS.
For me, I get at least 60FPS even on high graphics and I still have low utlization. But as soon as I get 80-100FPS, my GPU is at 90-100%. So I cap my frames at 60FPS, that way my gpu is not maxed out and I get low input lag.

There are many ways to reduce your gpu utilization/input lag!
I hope I could clarify you, and also help.

(btw, check out "BattleNonSense" on youtube! He tested this methology and got the biggest input lag reduction! He even compared "nvidia reflex" vs capping your frames, and he got less input lag with capping frames!)

FPSMaster wrote: ↑

09 Sep 2021, 13:44

It doesnt depend on one specifik graphic setting! It mostly depends on the GPU utilization. When you put all graphic settings to high or max, GPU utilization goes up. Higher graphic settings = more GPU utilization = more input lag.

It doesnt matter if you have shadows on, or anti-alaising. The question is how much does anti-alaising affect the GPU utilization?
Anti-alasing has little affect on the utilization. Shadow settings like: Post processing quality, shadow quality, shadow resolution etc. have the biggest affect on the GPU utilization! Also, your display resolution has a big affect. You will get less GPU utilization with 1080p rather then 1440p.

Now, how much % Usage should your GPU have to get low input lag? At 1%-80% utilization you will get very little input lag. You will get the most input lag if your GPU is at 90%-100%.

Now, how can you reduce input lag?
Reduce your graphic settings to your liking. Personally, I like to have my settings on medium, that way I get good graphics and max 80% GPU utilization. But if you have a low end GPU, you should put all settings on lowest.
You can also cap your frames, this will reduce utilization too and you can still play with high graphics!
Its important to cap your frames to your minimal FPS.
For me, I get at least 60FPS even on high graphics and I still have low utlization. But as soon as I get 80-100FPS, my GPU is at 90-100%. So I cap my frames at 60FPS, that way my gpu is not maxed out and I get low input lag.

There are many ways to reduce your gpu utilization/input lag!
I hope I could clarify you, and also help.

(btw, check out "BattleNonSense" on youtube! He tested this methology and got the biggest input lag reduction! He even compared "nvidia reflex" vs capping your frames, and he got less input lag with capping frames!)

That's really misleading lol. Although you're right about the GPU's utilization, regardless of that scenario the latency will increase simply because it's more work. Yes shadows & other graphical settings do matter.

Dizzy wrote: ↑

06 Jun 2021, 16:20

Assuming you're still stable at your frame rate cap, can too much anti-aliasing (or any other graphical settings) add input lag? The reason I ask is because the jagged lines in rocket league are horrible so I've been cranking up the AA a ridiculous amount. Between the configuration files and nvidia control panel, I'm currently using 4 different types of AA with their highest options. Most other video settings are at the minimal/pro settings but the jagged lines drive me crazy.

Typically, It technically won't if your GPU usage is below 99%.

It, and any other accumulative GPU-heavy setting that works toward maxing the GPU will ultimately cause a sustained increase of pre-rendered frames in the render queue when the GPU usage is maxed, creating more frame delay, aka "input lag."

However, if "excessive" AA is enabled, and your GPU isn't at 99%+ usage, again, no, it won't technically cause input lag, just a potentially longer render time per frame due to any decrease in average FPS that could otherwise be higher with the AA off. But that's not delay created after the frame is rendered (which is traditionally considered "input lag"), it's the render time itself in that case.

It's all down to the available GPU budget with the given settings applied, and that varies heavily from system to system and game to game.

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Eonds wrote: ↑

10 Sep 2021, 23:55

FPSMaster wrote: ↑

09 Sep 2021, 13:44

It doesnt depend on one specifik graphic setting! It mostly depends on the GPU utilization. When you put all graphic settings to high or max, GPU utilization goes up. Higher graphic settings = more GPU utilization = more input lag.

It doesnt matter if you have shadows on, or anti-alaising. The question is how much does anti-alaising affect the GPU utilization?
Anti-alasing has little affect on the utilization. Shadow settings like: Post processing quality, shadow quality, shadow resolution etc. have the biggest affect on the GPU utilization! Also, your display resolution has a big affect. You will get less GPU utilization with 1080p rather then 1440p.

Now, how much % Usage should your GPU have to get low input lag? At 1%-80% utilization you will get very little input lag. You will get the most input lag if your GPU is at 90%-100%.

Now, how can you reduce input lag?
Reduce your graphic settings to your liking. Personally, I like to have my settings on medium, that way I get good graphics and max 80% GPU utilization. But if you have a low end GPU, you should put all settings on lowest.
You can also cap your frames, this will reduce utilization too and you can still play with high graphics!
Its important to cap your frames to your minimal FPS.
For me, I get at least 60FPS even on high graphics and I still have low utlization. But as soon as I get 80-100FPS, my GPU is at 90-100%. So I cap my frames at 60FPS, that way my gpu is not maxed out and I get low input lag.

There are many ways to reduce your gpu utilization/input lag!
I hope I could clarify you, and also help.

(btw, check out "BattleNonSense" on youtube! He tested this methology and got the biggest input lag reduction! He even compared "nvidia reflex" vs capping your frames, and he got less input lag with capping frames!)

That's really misleading lol. Although you're right about the GPU's utilization, regardless of that scenario the latency will increase simply because it's more work. Yes shadows & other graphical settings do matter.

What is misleading? You just confirmed that more settings means more work for the GPU. And how do you see, if it do more work? When it's on high usage!

As I said, anti-alaising is the last thing that will add alot input lag. Graphics like: shadows, shaders and reflections will Stress the GPU the most. Those options will ad the most miliseconds. If you have a average GPU like the GTX 1060, or even a 900 series, they can handle Anti-alaising pretty easily. Anti-alaising is not as complex to render then textures/shadows/reflections.

The point is, this all will represent itself in the GPU utilization. Look at it, when you set anti-alaising on. Your gpu will maybe gain 5-10% more utilization. Shadows, will add like 20-30% utilization. It's an exact Indikator, how much Stress the GPU has.

Imagine you are Jogging. You run maybe 1km, without problems. You could probably run alot longer.

Now imagine your Jogging 10km, you will be good at first, but at the half you loosing alot of calories and energie. You're really stressen and you will run very slowly. You will run, but really really slow

FPSMaster wrote: ↑

11 Sep 2021, 09:36

Eonds wrote: ↑

10 Sep 2021, 23:55

FPSMaster wrote: ↑

09 Sep 2021, 13:44

It doesnt depend on one specifik graphic setting! It mostly depends on the GPU utilization. When you put all graphic settings to high or max, GPU utilization goes up. Higher graphic settings = more GPU utilization = more input lag.

It doesnt matter if you have shadows on, or anti-alaising. The question is how much does anti-alaising affect the GPU utilization?
Anti-alasing has little affect on the utilization. Shadow settings like: Post processing quality, shadow quality, shadow resolution etc. have the biggest affect on the GPU utilization! Also, your display resolution has a big affect. You will get less GPU utilization with 1080p rather then 1440p.

Now, how much % Usage should your GPU have to get low input lag? At 1%-80% utilization you will get very little input lag. You will get the most input lag if your GPU is at 90%-100%.

Now, how can you reduce input lag?
Reduce your graphic settings to your liking. Personally, I like to have my settings on medium, that way I get good graphics and max 80% GPU utilization. But if you have a low end GPU, you should put all settings on lowest.
You can also cap your frames, this will reduce utilization too and you can still play with high graphics!
Its important to cap your frames to your minimal FPS.
For me, I get at least 60FPS even on high graphics and I still have low utlization. But as soon as I get 80-100FPS, my GPU is at 90-100%. So I cap my frames at 60FPS, that way my gpu is not maxed out and I get low input lag.

There are many ways to reduce your gpu utilization/input lag!
I hope I could clarify you, and also help.

(btw, check out "BattleNonSense" on youtube! He tested this methology and got the biggest input lag reduction! He even compared "nvidia reflex" vs capping your frames, and he got less input lag with capping frames!)

That's really misleading lol. Although you're right about the GPU's utilization, regardless of that scenario the latency will increase simply because it's more work. Yes shadows & other graphical settings do matter.

What is misleading? You just confirmed that more settings means more work for the GPU. And how do you see, if it do more work? When it's on high usage!

As I said, anti-alaising is the last thing that will add alot input lag. Graphics like: shadows, shaders and reflections will Stress the GPU the most. Those options will ad the most miliseconds. If you have a average GPU like the GTX 1060, or even a 900 series, they can handle Anti-alaising pretty easily. Anti-alaising is not as complex to render then textures/shadows/reflections.

The point is, this all will represent itself in the GPU utilization. Look at it, when you set anti-alaising on. Your gpu will maybe gain 5-10% more utilization. Shadows, will add like 20-30% utilization. It's an exact Indikator, how much Stress the GPU has.

Imagine you are Jogging. You run maybe 1km, without problems. You could probably run alot longer.

Now imagine your Jogging 10km, you will be good at first, but at the half you loosing alot of calories and energie. You're really stressen and you will run very slowly. You will run, but really really slow

You're once again misunderstanding. I'm not talking about the utilization of the GPU. Yes of course that will increase, and higher GPU utilization means higher input lag, i'm talking about more work for the frame. If we magically removed the utilization increase from the settings, it would still increase latency.