What is "maxing out"? (PC related)

I would think "maxing out a video game" means you run it at the maximum resolution the gamecan be displayed in, with the highest amount of detail in every technicality (i.e. light, texture, shadow, physics), and run the maximum amount of aliasing and filteringallowed. If not, what exactly would you consider "maxing out" to be?

I ask because I see a lot of posts talkingabout how their "500 dollar rig" can "max out" whatever gameat 50fps... yet physical reality would argue thatyou need a fairly expensive machine to do that in a lot of the more recent, demanding video games available for PC. I look at benchmarks on the internet and it just seems like some of those people may be lying. If anyone would like to post screens and/or benchmarks of some of the PC's best looking games "maxed out" on their computers, please feel free. Specs of your computers would be cool too.

Latest Mods that enhance Graphics and overclocking maybe? I don't know.

I consider maxing out to be all of what you said EXCEPT running it at the maximum resolution that your own monitor can use and not the maximum resolution that the game can be displayed in. And having at least an average of 30fps.

Max means putting all the settings on high, no 500 dollar rig can do that. A 500 dollar rig can put almost everything on high, but AA will have to be left off especially at higher res. Although AA really don't make much of a difference to me at higher res.

Latest Mods that enhance Graphics and overclocking maybe? I don't know.

LegatoSkyheart

I don't believe maxing out requires it's maximum resolution -- especially since you can run games at 2560x1600, and possibly above through multiple monitors -- and I don't think it requires max AA as that becomes less important as the resolution increases.

I think max settings is applicable, in terms of graphical settings, rather than AA.

Maxed out means playing a game with all the settings at max

maxing out: full native resolution of your monitor with all settings on highest and anti aliasing and filtering at at least half as high as they go. (16x is just overkill sometimes). paullywog

AA is pretty negligent after 1680x1050 res, so maxing AA is really not needed as a demand.

1080p with 2xAA looks better than any game at 720p with 16xAA for instance.

every setting at max, min of 60 fps.

maxing out: full native resolution of your monitor with all settings on highest and anti aliasing and filtering at at least half as high as they go. (16x is just overkill sometimes). paullywog

at least half as high as they will go? what do you think this is?

every setting at max, min of 60 fps.

lespaul1919

methinks this is debatable!

Maxing out have a different meaning for each person.

For me maxing out is running the games with: 1920x1200(max resolution of my monitor), 4xAA, everything on very high and 60fps.

For someone else means : 1650x1050(or whatever the max resolution of the monitor), noAA, everything on very high and 30fps.

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

I would think "maxing out a video game" means you run it at the maximum resolution the gamecan be displayed in, with the highest amount of detail in every technicality (i.e. light, texture, shadow, physics), and run the maximum amount of aliasing and filteringallowed. If not, what exactly would you consider "maxing out" to be?

I ask because I see a lot of posts talkingabout how their "500 dollar rig" can "max out" whatever gameat 50fps... yet physical reality would argue thatyou need a fairly expensive machine to do that in a lot of the more recent, demanding video games available for PC. I look at benchmarks on the internet and it just seems like some of those people may be lying. If anyone would like to post screens and/or benchmarks of some of the PC's best looking games "maxed out" on their computers, please feel free. Specs of your computers would be cool too.

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

erglesmergle

Max means putting all the settings on high, no 500 dollar rig can do that. A 500 dollar rig can put almost everything on high, but AA will have to be left off especially at higher res. Although AA really don't make much of a difference to me at higher res.

Espada12

I think it'd be to allow PC gamers to select a reasonable level of AA, AF, and resolution, and to set all in-game settings to their highest setting from there (not just selecting the highest preset), and require that the game hold a stable 30 fps (±10%).

That said, once they select that resolution, that should be the de facto resolution for performance arguments. Otherwise, it's an attempt to have their cake and eat it too.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

Max means putting all the settings on high, no 500 dollar rig can do that. A 500 dollar rig can put almost everything on high, but AA will have to be left off especially at higher res. Although AA really don't make much of a difference to me at higher res.

imprezawrx500

My rig is pretty old ... 2006 old. I can play most games on high still but I don't even bother with AA at my res (1600x1200) it kills performance and I don't notice the difference, with these newer games though I don't really have a choice but to leave it off, maybe a budget rig could handle it, but as long as you are at my res or above, I don't see the need for it. Basically killing performance for no reason.

[QUOTE="erglesmergle"]

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

AGMing

That's how I feel too.

I remember telling these guys on another forum I could max out Crysis (when the demo came out) on my 7600GT (DX9 ofc) and they were all like "IMPOSSIBLE!". True my FPS was the lowest of the low but it was still maxed out!! haha

I now play Crysis on very high apart from shaders and object detail, with no AA on my 8800GT and it runs fine for me.

Maxing it out would be setting all settings to high and AA at like 4x at a HD+ resolution. Usually 1680x1050 or higher. Really though it is hitting your monitors native resolution at full settings and some AA. If you can do that with a playable framerate, you can "max" that game out.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

Max means putting all the settings on high, no 500 dollar rig can do that. A 500 dollar rig can put almost everything on high, but AA will have to be left off especially at higher res. Although AA really don't make much of a difference to me at higher res.

imprezawrx500

I highly doubt that. An 8800gt can not get max settings on games like Just Cause 2, ArmA 2, Crysis, Metro 2033, Empire Total War, and many more WITH 4xAA. My 4890 couldn't even do that.

maxing out is running a game on the highest possiable settings .

Maxed out for me would be all settings completely maxed out lol. Highest settings possible not just preset to high or ultra because you can always up something in advanced settings. Full AA and Full AF. Resolution doesn't count because there are some many resolutions that can be played.

It seems reading through this thread most people havent agreed on this term.

I would think it means everything maxed. Quality, AA, AF, at 30 FPS minimum (aka playable) with a rez of 1080p, since that seems to be the standard.

It seems reading through this thread most people havent agreed on this term.

I would think it means everything maxed. Quality, AA, AF, at 30 FPS minimum (aka playable) with a rez of 1080p, since that seems to be the standard.

h575309

how do you include resolution though. A game will only show you what resolutions your monitor supports. You can go for days in resolution as long as your computer supports it. Look at me I'm playing at 5468x1050 and that is no where near what resolutions a game can be played at.

Running a game at its maximum setting, at the resolution native to your monitor at a stable framerate (could be 30, or 60, or 120, whatever is stable and doesn't see significant drops).

Though I personally don't see the need in maxing out everything anyways, generally since that will make the hardware costs that much more and you'll always have to keep up if you want to continue maxing things. I generally go with medium-high at 1024x768 and 30fps.

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

erglesmergle

It seems reading through this thread most people havent agreed on this term.

I would think it means everything maxed. Quality, AA, AF, at 30 FPS minimum (aka playable) with a rez of 1080p, since that seems to be the standard.

h575309

Maxing out refers to placing all the default graphical quality settings of a game to the maximum. This excludes stuff like resolution and AA(edit: AA is also part of maxing out, the same with AF. like always the max permited by the specific game). Some would argue that having playable framerates is also part of it, but there is no default standard to what that is.

Maxing out refers to placing all the default graphical quality settings of a game to the maximum. This excludes stuff like resolution and AA. Some would argue that having playable framerates is also part of it, but there is no default standard to what that is.

glez13

[QUOTE="erglesmergle"]

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

HuusAsking

And whos to say whats playable and whats not? The only fair way is to say "My computer can max out xyz game at xyz fps". No matter how you look at it, maximum means maximum. 4x AA and 8x AF just means near maximum. Thats why the right way is to let anyone claim that they can run the game maxed out but require them to state their performance to have credibility.

[QUOTE="lespaul1919"]

every setting at max, min of 60 fps.

HelloMoto56

methinks this is debatable!

on pc games playing at 30 fps is chugging. if we are maxing it should be smooth as butter, no hiccups. that means at least 60 fps.

[QUOTE="glez13"]

Maxing out refers to placing all the default graphical quality settings of a game to the maximum. This excludes stuff like resolution and AA. Some would argue that having playable framerates is also part of it, but there is no default standard to what that is.

HuusAsking

So then you have another thing that is completely variable, thus negating the purpose of adding it as a requirement for maxing out.

After analyzing, of what I said maybe just AA is also part of maxing out, like everything else the max permited by the game. But the resolution and framerates is still arguable since there is no default standard.

[QUOTE="HuusAsking"][QUOTE="erglesmergle"]

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

erglesmergle

And whos to say whats playable and whats not? The only fair way is to say "My computer can max out xyz game at xyz fps". No matter how you look at it, maximum means maximum. 4x AA and 8x AF just means near maximum. Thats why the right way is to let anyone claim that they can run the game maxed out but require them to state their performance to have credibility.

This exactly. The common fare when someone says they can max out a game is: At what resolution and average FPS?

[QUOTE="HuusAsking"][QUOTE="erglesmergle"]

You guys are all confused. Maxing out means maxing out. You cant cut corners or make 30/60 fps a requirement. Maxing out just means running the game at its absolute maximum settings. Whatever fps you get is what you get, doesnt change the fact that youve maxed out the game.

Example. "I maxed out Crysis Warhead but the performance was unacceptable."

erglesmergle

And whos to say whats playable and whats not? The only fair way is to say "My computer can max out xyz game at xyz fps". No matter how you look at it, maximum means maximum. 4x AA and 8x AF just means near maximum. Thats why the right way is to let anyone claim that they can run the game maxed out but require them to state their performance to have credibility.

[QUOTE="HelloMoto56"]

[QUOTE="lespaul1919"]

every setting at max, min of 60 fps.

lespaul1919

methinks this is debatable!

on pc games playing at 30 fps is chugging. if we are maxing it should be smooth as butter, no hiccups. that means at least 60 fps.

this is one of the silliest things i have ever read on SW. 30 fps is 30 fps no matter what system it is on. By your logic moist console games "chug". 30fps is easily playable, 60 is just better.

Max means putting all the settings on high, no 500 dollar rig can do that. A 500 dollar rig can put almost everything on high, but AA will have to be left off especially at higher res. Although AA really don't make much of a difference to me at higher res.

Espada12

It can only mean two things:

Max settings no AA

Max settings w/ max AA

[QUOTE="HelloMoto56"]

[QUOTE="lespaul1919"]

every setting at max, min of 60 fps.

lespaul1919

methinks this is debatable!

on pc games playing at 30 fps is chugging. if we are maxing it should be smooth as butter, no hiccups. that means at least 60 fps.