A campaign test shows why a game’s list of technologies does not tell the whole story about its image quality.
In the graphics menu, the promise seems simple: switch on an option to make the game look better. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Activision’s shooter, that decision comes with an unexpected condition. In the version analysed by ComputerBase on 19 October, enabling ray tracing with the game’s default system prevents the use of DLSS Super Resolution.
To understand the problem, it helps to separate the components. Ray tracing simulates the paths of light to produce effects such as reflections and shadows. Since calculating everything precisely would be too demanding, the game uses a limited number of samples. The result must go through a visual clean-up process called denoising to reduce its grainy appearance.
DLSS Super Resolution does a different job. It reconstructs a higher-resolution image from smaller images, also using motion information and previous frames. This allows the graphics card to render fewer pixels while trying to preserve good image quality on screen. This feature is different from frame generation, which creates intermediate images.
According to the test, Modern Warfare 4’s default ray-tracing denoiser works only with the in-game Filmic SMAA T2X solution. The DLSS, FSR and XeSS reconstruction options cannot work with this path. ComputerBase considers the SMAA image inferior when the internal resolution is reduced.
Nvidia’s alternative for cleaning up noise, called Ray Reconstruction, was not available in the version tested by ComputerBase. This describes that implementation, not a general limitation of GeForce graphics cards.
The result is a more complicated choice than ‘attractive lighting versus a few fewer frames’. Depending on the graphics card, the player must also give up another image-processing tool. Comparing only the presence of ray tracing or the number of features in the menu leaves this part of the experience hidden.
The criticism here concerns the combination on offer. A graphics option should be assessed by the result it produces alongside the others: how the game looks in motion, performance and the compromises required. Having access to a technology does not guarantee that it will form part of the best combination for that computer.
The cited test covers the campaign, was conducted by ComputerBase and should not be treated as an automatic prediction for multiplayer. Mais FPS did not perform these tests. Even so, the lesson is useful: before buying a graphics card because of a badge, it is worth finding out which options can actually work together in the game you intend to play.
Conceptual illustration: Mais FPS, created with AI. Not a game screenshot or performance comparison.
