06-27-2024, 09:56 AM
While I mainly run PCSX2 on Windows, I have been testing the Mac versions sporadically and specifically with Metal, and I must say that the Metal renderer is very impressive. Not just the way it displays PS2 graphics, but the efficiency and the speed at which it runs games compared to any of the renderers on the Windows builds. While the Windows builds seem to get the most attention around here, it is curious that quietly the Mac builds seem to have the best renderer that is in fact superior to all Windows renderers in some ways. To be clear, I'm referring to certain games that when running on the Windows builds, using any of the Windows renderers, there exists certain graphical problems, that when running on Metal on the Mac builds are not present.
I'm referring mainly to graphical artifacts (glitches/bugs) that appear when certain texture settings are applied, when running specific games, and in some cases glitches that appear and disappear as you zoom in and out in certain situations. It appears that Metal does in fact perform and display graphics inherently better on the Mac builds than any of the renderers on Windows builds.
I've also observed that all the windows renderers appear to be about the same compared to Metal on the Mac. Anotherwords, there's no discernible difference to the graphics in general or in regard to the specific issues I'm referring to no matter which Windows renderer I select (DX11, DX12, Vulkan, or OpenGL) on the Windows builds. Curiously the problems that I observe on the Windows builds are not observed when running Metal on Mac. However the glitches that appear on the Windows builds once again appear when I switch to Vulkan on Mac.
The fact that when I switch to Vulkan on the Mac the glitches that I observe on the Windows builds re-appear affirms that it's not just a difference between the Mac builds vs the Windows builds, but it's something specifically in the Metal renderer that is able to correct graphical problems that are observed on all of the renderers in the Windows builds.
This is quite a fascinating situation when you think about it, and it's unclear how aware of this the developers are. And now I wonder if somehow the benefits of Metal on Mac could be transferred over to the renderers on the Windows builds. I know that Metal is specific to the Mac hardware, but the fact is that it does correct some of the graphical problems that still persist on the Windows renderers. So given that, it has to be considered the best renderer for PCSX2 at present. The fact that the best renderer for PCSX2 is only available on the Mac and not on Windows is remarkable given that far more focus seems to be put on the Windows builds.
I'm creating this topic to see if anyone else has noticed this in the games that they've been running in regards to the Metal renderer and the ways in which it does a better job displaying PS2 graphics. If you doubt what I'm saying, I can detail some of the examples that I'm referring to. Maybe you haven't noticed this but I can assure you that in some situations, in some games, Metal is definitely better at handling certain graphical effects than any of the Windows renderers.
I'm referring mainly to graphical artifacts (glitches/bugs) that appear when certain texture settings are applied, when running specific games, and in some cases glitches that appear and disappear as you zoom in and out in certain situations. It appears that Metal does in fact perform and display graphics inherently better on the Mac builds than any of the renderers on Windows builds.
I've also observed that all the windows renderers appear to be about the same compared to Metal on the Mac. Anotherwords, there's no discernible difference to the graphics in general or in regard to the specific issues I'm referring to no matter which Windows renderer I select (DX11, DX12, Vulkan, or OpenGL) on the Windows builds. Curiously the problems that I observe on the Windows builds are not observed when running Metal on Mac. However the glitches that appear on the Windows builds once again appear when I switch to Vulkan on Mac.
The fact that when I switch to Vulkan on the Mac the glitches that I observe on the Windows builds re-appear affirms that it's not just a difference between the Mac builds vs the Windows builds, but it's something specifically in the Metal renderer that is able to correct graphical problems that are observed on all of the renderers in the Windows builds.
This is quite a fascinating situation when you think about it, and it's unclear how aware of this the developers are. And now I wonder if somehow the benefits of Metal on Mac could be transferred over to the renderers on the Windows builds. I know that Metal is specific to the Mac hardware, but the fact is that it does correct some of the graphical problems that still persist on the Windows renderers. So given that, it has to be considered the best renderer for PCSX2 at present. The fact that the best renderer for PCSX2 is only available on the Mac and not on Windows is remarkable given that far more focus seems to be put on the Windows builds.
I'm creating this topic to see if anyone else has noticed this in the games that they've been running in regards to the Metal renderer and the ways in which it does a better job displaying PS2 graphics. If you doubt what I'm saying, I can detail some of the examples that I'm referring to. Maybe you haven't noticed this but I can assure you that in some situations, in some games, Metal is definitely better at handling certain graphical effects than any of the Windows renderers.