If you are a new gamer just getting into video games, you might have heard the term chromatic aberration.
But what does chromatic aberration mean in video games?
In this blog post, we will talk about chromatic aberration and how it affects our video games.
We will also discuss some of the most popular games where chromatic aberration is present and why it’s such an issue for gamers today.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What does Chromatic Aberration Mean?
Chromatic aberration is a phenomenon that can be observed in many different ways.
It is a common optical effect seen in video games.
This effect causes the colors of objects to be slightly distorted.
When chromatic aberration is present in a game, gamers will see color fringes along any lines where there should only be one color showing up in a particular area on the screen.
The image becomes distorted, and colors get “smeared” into each other, making it difficult to differentiate between different parts of the object.
The main problem with this phenomenon is that some people may not tell what color each object actually should be because of how blurred they are.
Especially if you’re playing games with great detail or lots of fine textures starting at certain viewing angles.
This can cause frustration for some people because they may not know what color an object actually should look like from its position within their field of view.
What does Chromatic Aberration do in Video Games?
Chromatic aberration is a video game term used to describe the appearance of color fringing on an object.
Video games use chromatic aberration in order to create more realistic visuals for players.
Some people might think adding chromatic aberration to a video game makes it seem more “cinematic.”
It makes the game look as if you’re watching from behind a damaged camera.
This makes sense for a particular type of game like horror games, for example.
Horror games, in particular, can benefit from some levels of chromatic aberration because it makes the game feel grittier.
It evokes old gritty camcorder footage or old film camera look that builds atmosphere and tension for horror-themed games.
The game Silent Hill and Alien: Isolation, for example, uses this technique to create a feeling of horror in the games.
Though the Chromatic Aberration might be good for horror games, many gamers despise this feature.
Here’s why:
This is because it breaks the immersion.
It can be jarring and distracting, which takes away from the gaming experience for some gamers.
If you would like to read more about this topic, please continue reading.
Is Chromatic Aberration Good in Games?
While it might make the game look more realistic to a certain genre, chromatic aberration can often degrade the picture and make it less clear.
Many gamers, especially FPS players, hate this feature.
This is because chromatic aberration can create blurriness in the picture.
This is especially true when looking at close to or far away objects from your screen (which happens often).
The chromatic aberration can also cause an increase in motion sickness since it blurs the images and makes them less clear.
I do not hate chromatic aberration, but I do see why many gamers do not like it.
It can also make the field of vision narrowed and create a weird glow around edges and objects close to your screen.
However, there are some types of games where chromatic aberration looks really good: horror or survival.
In those cases, all kinds of colors pop out from what was once just black and white (or dark green).
That makes certain parts scarier because you don’t know if anything else will jump out at you!
As for me?
It’s up to personal opinion as well as genre preference when deciding whether chromatic aberrations are something we want in our video game experience or not.
My only suggestion to you, if you are playing fast-paced games, you want to turn chromatic aberration off.
This is because you want to have the best accuracy to react quickly and go in for the kill.
Also read: Should You Turn Vsync On or Off in 2021? [Ultimate Answer]
Does Chromatic Aberration Affect Performance?
Based on my personal experience, yes, chromatic aberration affect performance.
The more chromatic aberration in video games, the longer it takes to render a frame, and some delays can be noticed.
I’ve done some tests in some games, and chromatic aberration affects your gameplay performance.
Here’s the truth:
Any graphical effects you turn on in your games are bound to affect your performance.
Now your graphic cards will be tasked with displaying the images that your game is spitting out and rendering all those fancy graphics effects.
All of this work will take some time, and it’s going to slow down your game.
So if you want a smoother gaming experience, then I would recommend turning off any graphical effects in video games, such as chromatic aberration, for example.
Chromatic aberration affects performance quite significantly if you are using a low-end graphics card.
In fact, it can decrease your FPS in some games.
That is why you should take it into consideration before you turn on chromatic aberration in your game.
For example, turning on chromatic aberration when using the lowest-end video card will decrease your FPS in some games by quite a lot which is not ideal for gaming – especially if you’re interested in competitive gaming!
Also read: How Many FPS is Good for Gaming in 2021?
Conclusion
So there you have it.
Chromatic aberration is a way that colors can be seen.
It is a common effect that can happen in games.
If you have a chromatic aberration in the game, you will see different colors on the screen in various places where there should only be one color.
This makes it difficult to see all of the parts of an object and makes it look like they are smeared together.
Chromatic aberration can affect your gaming experience in a number of ways, so it is important to be aware of this before you turn on the feature.
I hope you have enjoyed this discussion and that it has helped improve your knowledge of chromatic aberration in video games.
