[Digital Foundry] The Witcher 3 Next-Gen - PS5 vs Xbox Series X - DF Tech Review - RT and Performance Modes Tested!

[ethomaz]

Needs a lot of serious work.

The Witcher 3 next-gen: ray tracing and performance modes tested on PS5 and Xbox Series X

Seven years since its first release, the new The Witcher 3 Complete Edition aims to enhance an already iconic game with…

www.eurogamer.net

ILikeFeed@ERA summary:

• a 4.02 patch will improve performance, whenever it drops
• series s will be its own video
• foliage, skyboxes, weather, and more improved
• performance mode
  • 1080p-2160p with FSR2.1
  • series x runs at a higher average res
  • most areas are 60fps, except for cities
  • ps5 is higher fps in cities like novigrad
  • drops seems sporadic, multiple runs through the city vary between locked 60 or not
  • series x has screen tearing
  • in combat, series x has a locked 60, ps5 has drops
  • 92ms response time
• ray tracing mode
  • big changes in some areas like cities, more muted changes in places more natural
  • RTAO and RTGI
  • RTAO is more noticeable in the natural environment and interiors, all where light doesn't directly hit
  • RTGI bounces light and diffuse color more accurately
  • reflections aren't ray traced, but have a better screen space reflections
    • more objects get reflections as well
  • having RT shadows and reflections in addition to what's here, is a lot; GI and AO was deemed more influential to the look of the game
  • 1080p-1440p with FSR2.1
  • on ps5, not locked to 30fps, can sustain 25fps at times
  • ps4p can run more consistently
  • series x hits 30fps in almost every case, except cities like novigrad
  • 157ms response time
• foliage and shadow draw distance is further out on ps5
• buggy, can crash to home page
• loading is fast, 13s (ps5)/16s (sx) vs 1:35 on ps4p

 

[ethomaz]

IMO.

• Performance not there.
• Huge response time... RT mode is close (or bad) than Tomb Raider... it is basically unacceptable.
• Crashs... a lot.
• PS5 have more foliage and shadows in all modes
• PS5 has better framerate in Performance
• Series X has better resolution in Performance
• Series X has better framerate in RT Mode

 

[arvfab]

IMO.

• Performance not there.
• Huge response time... RT mode is close (or bad) than Tomb Raider... it is basically unacceptable.
• Crashs... a lot.
• PS5 have more foliage and shadows in all modes
• PS5 has better framerate in Performance
• Series X has better resolution in Performance
• Series X has better framerate in RT Mode

You forgot the Series X exclusive feature: screen tearing

 

[Gediminas]

so they nerfed PS5 version with new update? because it was better with 4.00.. multiple comparison videos..

 

[ethomaz]

You forgot the Series X exclusive feature: screen tearing

At this point I believe there is no solution for it…

 

[ethomaz]

so they nerfed PS5 version with new update? because it was better with 4.00.. multiple comparison videos..

They nerfed Series X from the compressions I saw… in 4.00 both have similar foliage and shadow draw at distances.

Now PS5 is superior and it is not even close.

Not just that Performance has better textures than RT mode.

 

[ethomaz]

Another imo.

The resolution is low in both modes and the upscaling makes it worst.

The IQ is really bad.

 

[ethomaz]

RT Mode.... give me a break... it is so bad.

 

[Satoru]

RT Mode.... give me a break... it is so bad.

The water is SSR, not RT.

 

[ethomaz]

The water is SSR, not RT.

And? That is the RT mode... it looks awful... everything looks bad.

 

[ethomaz]

WOW Beyond3D is all panic trying to understand why PS5 performance outshines the "stronger" Series X.
Between the theories and denials are.:

- Cache scrubbers
- Series X with Wider GPU with slower front end, less cache, less bandwidth (Me: doing some math the cache is basically the same)
- Split memory setup on Series X

It is not so frequently you see 6-7 pages of discussion there
What a bad patch in all platforms can do.

 

[Gediminas]

WOW Beyond3D is all panic trying to understand why PS5 performance outshines the "stronger" Series X.
Between the theories and denial are.:

- Cache scrubbers
- Series X with Wider GPU with slower front end, less cache, less bandwidth (Me: doing some math the cache is basically the same)
- Split memory setup on Series X

It is not so frequently you see 4-5 pages of discussion there

So basically PS5 superior hardware who knew?

 

[rofif]

It's free so not much to complain but that RT mode seems to be barely usable. Not even talking about drops but the terrible 30fps input lag which again - is much higher than some better 30fps games last gen.

I've only tried it on pc so far and I had so many visual glitches that RT is barely viable for now

 

[ethomaz]

It's free so not much to complain but that RT mode seems to be barely usable. Not even talking about drops but the terrible 30fps input lag which again - is much higher than some better 30fps games last gen.

I've only tried it on pc so far and I had so many visual glitches that RT is barely viable for now

The inpug lag is bad in both modes.
Over 90ms on Performance and over 150ms on RT are unacceptable.

 

[rofif]

The inpug lag is bad in both modes.
Over 90ms on Performance and over 150ms on RT are unacceptable.

I think they are just relying on system vsync or something.
If You launch bloodborne on the same ps5, it is faster to control than some 60fps games. I really recommend this little experiment.
Sure it does have some frame pacing stutters but so minor for me, that I take much faster input lag in exchange

 

[ethomaz]

I think they are just relying on system vsync or something.
If You launch bloodborne on the same ps5, it is faster to control than some 60fps games. I really recommend this little experiment.
Sure it does have some frame pacing stutters but so minor for me, that I take much faster input lag in exchange

Maybe but I believe only PS5 version is VSynced... Series is not like usual... if you have screen tearing you are probably not using Vsync.

 

[yewles1]

Maybe but I believe only PS5 version is VSynced... Series is not like usual... if you have screen tearing you are probably not using Vsync.

Does MS count on the average Xbox owner to have a VRR display?

 

[ethomaz]

Does MS count on the average Xbox owner to have a VRR display?

I don’t think that is the reason because Xbox One games didn’t use VSync too while most if not all PS4 games used.

Seems like something related to SDK… seems like it is default for PlayStation games.

It should be interesting to know the reason.

 

[KiryuRealty]

I don’t think that is the reason because Xbox One games didn’t use VSync too while most if not all PS4 games used.

Seems like something related to SDK… seems like it is default for PlayStation games.

It should be interesting to know the reason.

V-sync is on by default on PS, and is part of the base SDK, MS' DirectX SDK doesn't have built-in V-sync, as Windows leaves it to the GPU drivers to manage, and not forcing V-Sync results in a technically higher frame rate, even if the frames are torn, so they don't address the issue to keep the edge in spec on paper.

 

[ethomaz]

V-sync is on by default on PS, and is part of the base SDK, MS' DirectX SDK doesn't have built-in V-sync, as Windows leaves it to the GPU drivers to manage, and not forcing V-Sync results in a technically higher frame rate, even if the frames are torn, so they don't address the issue to keep the edge in spec on paper.

Interesting but never showed as an advantage in framerate… I mean if VSync really is that taxing the Xbox should have better framerates in games but in most games PS has the advantage.

I think VSync works fine without any issues since your framerate is bigger than the target… the issues happens when the framerate drops below the target.