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- Path tracing is an advanced version of ray tracing that enhances realism. However, it has significant performance issues and limited game support.
- The technology struggles with performance, even on top-tier graphics cards like the RTX 4090, making it inaccessible to most gamers.
- While it improves lighting slightly, the impact on enjoyability is minimal, if it exists at all.
Nvidia’s ray tracing took over the world when it debuted in the RTX 20 series of graphics cards, but some time ago, they announced its evolution in the form of path tracing. The usability of this tech is hit or miss, with very few games taking this on. Let us take a deeper look!
What Is Path Tracing
Path tracing is essentially a beefed-up version of ray tracing, though it does operate differently, which is too complicated to discuss in this article. The computation, though the same on the mathematical side, has many more interactions to compute.
This gives a more “real” look, though there is a substantial performance penalty. Path tracing is a feature that developers have to implement into their games, just like ray tracing.
The Problems
It’s no secret that path tracing isn’t the most popular software trick in Nvidia’s arsenal. In this section, we will examine the drawbacks or problems with this technology.
Supported Games
From the games that support ray tracing, the subset of games that support path tracing is very small. There are many reasons for this, but we will discuss them later.
The lack of supported games is a problem in itself. The rarity of the feature causes adaptability to suffer. If you don’t know the wonders of path tracing (we will discuss in a moment if there are any), we will not care about what you are missing out.
Still, if the other issues with path tracing are ironed out, we might see it gain more traction, putting pressure on other developers to get the ball rolling.
Performance Issues
In Cyberpunk 2077, even the RTX 4090 struggles to get usable framerates with RT overdrive (their path tracing implementation) running at 1080p, with something like an RTX 3070 (a great card from a couple of years ago) not even coming close to playable.
The huge performance tax associated with path tracing makes it very hard to popularize. With current technologies, path tracing can only be used on the highest-end graphics card on the market and at a laughably low resolution.
This makes us think that Nvidia was ahead of its time with this feature and that it shouldn’t exist now. If you have anything but the best, your graphics card will completely give out with this path tracing turned on.
The Difference It Makes
The difference that path tracing makes on the look of your game is noticeable, but not in a vacuum. If you have an RT feed and a path-tracing feed at the same time, you are going to notice the more believable lighting of the path-traced version, but in any other scenario, you won’t be missing out on it.
This discussion has been in the air ever since the release of ray tracing, with the subtle differences it brought over rasterization with a huge performance penalty. Path tracing is similar, with even less of a reward for turning it off.
Even if we put all of this aside, there is a more fundamental discussion about the importance of graphics in video games. Usually, other aspects like the playability, mechanisms, and fun of the games are more important than a graphical improvement, especially one as small as path tracing.
Wants And Needs
Having discussed the reasons why path tracing is not catching on, let’s talk about what people think about it.
Informed customers don’t care. A quick YouTube search shows most game channels agree. While the average player isn’t bothered, a small group who prefer the highest settings will be upset by the tech’s unpopularity.
It is also important to mention that even without path tracing, we have impossibly good-looking games like HellBlade 2 that look uncanny and completely realistic.
Will It Catch On
Discussing all of the things related to path tracing makes it apparent that it will be a while before it catches on, just like its predecessor, which is also not that popular at the moment.
Innovations in tech are always welcome, but it’s important not to get distracted by the spectacles and focus on what makes your game a game. We’re not in shambles about path tracing not being the next big thing, and we think you shouldn’t be either.
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Dayan Shahid is a skilled mechanical engineer passionate about technology. With certifications in various programming languages and subjects ranging from microcontrollers to aerial robotics, Dayan can effortlessly present complex technical topics in an engaging way. His ability to bridge the gap between theory and practical applications sets him apart as he continues to inspire others through their insightful content.
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