If you’ve been poking around in your graphics card settings, you may have wondered what GPU scaling is all about. What is AMD GPU Scaling? What is Nvidia GPU Scaling? The short answer to these questions is that GPU scaling is a graphics setting that allows you to adjust the aspect ratio of your games to match your monitor’s resolution. It’s especially useful if you want to play a game that has a different native aspect ratio than your monitor.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about GPU scaling, including whether you need it or not and how to enable and disable it.
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What is GPU Scaling?
GPU (graphics processing unit) scaling is a feature offered by both Nvidia and AMD cards. It’s mostly useful in older games that may have been designed with 4:3 monitors in mind or without ultrawide support.
Most of the best gaming monitors run on a 16:9 aspect ratio, but older games aren’t optimized for it. When using emulators or simply playing an old title, you will find that most games have a different aspect ratio and are made for a different screen resolution.
Without GPU scaling, such older games often just look bad. Most often, games are stretched to fit the native aspect ratio of the screen, and the end result is usually miserable. When GPU scaling is enabled, the technology works to correct this and make your games look their best again.
What GPU scaling usually does is simply preserve the original aspect ratio of the game and create a border around it instead of forcing it to fit your monitor. However, there are two other ways that solve the problem in different ways — we explain them in more detail below.
In the case of Nvidia, GPU scaling is enabled via the Nvidia Control Panel, while AMD users can find the setting in AMD Radeon Settings or AMD Catalyst Control Center.
GPU scaling methods explained
Nvidia and AMD offer different ways to scale the GPU, allowing you to tailor the experience to your needs. Let’s go over them quickly.
GPU scaling methods on AMD cards
AMD users can choose from the following GPU settings:
- Maintain aspect ratio: This setting allows you to experience the game with the same aspect ratio as it was intended, so a 5:4 game will remain 5:4. Excess parts of your monitor will be filled with a black background.
- Scale image to full panel size: This option will stretch the image to fit your screen, pushing it out of its intended aspect ratio. This setting usually produces a poor image.
- Use Centered Crop: This last AMD setting will center the game or image in its original aspect ratio. The remaining parts of your screen will be filled with black bars or a background pattern.
Ways to scale GPU on Nvidia cards
If you have an Nvidia card, you can choose from the following GPU scaling options:
- Aspect Ratio: Similar to AMD, this will simply keep the game in its native aspect ratio. The excess space on your screen will be filled with black bars.
- Full Screen: This setting will force the game to fit your monitor’s aspect ratio. For example, a 5:4 game will be converted to 16:9, if your display supports it. Unfortunately, the end result is usually bad.
- No Scaling: As the name implies, this setting will turn off GPU scaling and allow games to run smoothly.
Nvidia
GPU Scaling — On or Off?
If you’re a fan of indie games, retro games, or like to play on emulators, you might find some use for GPU scaling. While many modern emulators simply run games at their intended resolution, there are some that won’t. Older games, made a long time ago, don’t even have the benefits of recently released emulators and will simply look bad when played on 16:9 screens.
We recommend turning GPU scaling on and off on a case-by-case basis. If you’re about to start a retro game, just turn it on — but don’t forget to turn it off again when you’re done playing.
How to enable GPU scaling on Nvidia graphics cards
Enabling GPU scaling on Nvidia cards is easy and can be done in a few quick steps.
Step 1: Launch the Nvidia Control Panel
To change the GPU settings, you need to go into the Nvidia Control Panel.
You can do this by simply right-clicking on the desktop and then selecting Nvidia control panel from the drop-down menu.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Alternatively, enter Windows Start menu by clicking on Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen. You can also just press match Windows button on your keyboard. Once in the Start menu, type “Nvidia Control Panel” and then click input.
If you can’t find the Nvidia Control Panel, it might not be installed on your computer. Download it here and then install the file to continue.
Step 2: Find the GPU scaling settings
When you’re in the Nvidia control panel, navigate the menu on the left until you see Display section.
Look there below Adjust the size and position of the desktop. Click on it to find yourself in the corresponding part of the settings.
Step 3: Enable GPU scaling
There are a few settings you can adjust here to tailor the GPU scaling to your needs.
Start by finding the option under the heading Perform scaling. Select from the drop-down menu GPU.
Look back up Select the scaling method and choose the option that suits you best. If you are not sure, we recommend that you choose Aspect ratio setting. For a refresher on what each setting does, click here.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
There’s an interesting option here that you can consider if you run into GPU scaling issues, called Bypass scaling mode Arranged by games and programs. Leave this box unchecked, but if you find that GPU scaling isn’t working, you can always try enabling it and see the results.
While you’re here, check it out Resolution and refresh rate settings and set both to the highest available options.
Press to save all changes apply.
Congratulations — GPU scaling is now enabled on your computer.
How to Enable GPU Scaling on AMD Graphics Cards: AMD Radeon Settings
You can use AMD Radeon settings to enable GPU scaling.
Step 1: Launch AMD Radeon Settings
Right-click anywhere on the desktop to produce a drop-down menu.
At the very top, you will find AMD Radeon Settings. Click to launch the appropriate software.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 2: Go to AMD GPU scaling settings
Your AMD Radeon settings window may look a little different from our examples — it all depends on your graphics card and the drivers you have installed. However, the general layout of the options should be the same.
If in doubt, be sure to update your drivers to the latest version.
At the top of Radeon Settings, click on equipment icon, find the option called Display, and then enter that section to adjust GPU scaling settings.
Step 3: Enable GPU scaling
Find the option under the title GPU scaling and switch it to On.
Right next to that setting, you can select the desired one Scaling mode. Click on it to produce a drop-down menu with three options to choose from. Here’s a refresher on what each one does.
Image credit: AMD Image used with permission of the copyright holder
If you are not sure what suits you best, Maintain aspect ratio setting will generally be the best for most users.
Save the changes you just made to enable GPU scaling on your AMD graphics card.
GPU Scaling FAQ
Does GPU scaling give more frames per second (fps)?
Unfortunately, while GPU scaling certainly makes retro gaming more enjoyable, it introduces a bit of input lag.
This means your fps will not improve using GPU scaling. In fact, it’s possible that your fps is a bit lower.
GPU scaling forces your graphics card to render each image and frame with extra effort, so this will definitely lower your fps a bit.
Good news — if you’re playing old games, your fps should be high enough that you won’t even notice. Alternatively, if you own one of the best graphics cards, your hardware is powerful enough to go through GPU scaling anyway.
Is GPU scaling good for new games?
There’s no denying that GPU scaling is useful for retro games or even newer games that for some reason were made with unusual aspect ratios. However, when it comes to newer titles, you’ll find that GPU scaling can do more harm than good.
Compared to simply rendering the game as is, GPU scaling has to render the image from scratch and recreate it to fit your monitor. This creates input lag, which can lead to a less responsive gaming experience. It might even make you less competitive in multiplayer games.
Not only is GPU scaling detrimental to newer games, it’s also pretty useless. When you’re playing at the right resolution and aspect ratio, there’s no reason to use GPU scaling for anything.
Because of this, we recommend that you only enable this setting for playing retro games, then turn it off again when you’re done.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn