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We all know that FXAA plays am important role as a hero against in-game jaggies,
especially for those using deferred shading features. It’s a good start to fight those
ugly jaggies, but FXAA also blurs the images and textures, details lost due to FXAA
in charge. So, FXAA is not so perfect as everybody knows, and its side effect is what
we must endure during the entire gaming experience.


FXAA is a sharp blade for deferred shading and HDR while fighting those unpleasant jaggies,
but what do we lose when taking advantage of its wonderful power?
Since FXAA is a post process AA solution to smooth polygon edges, it also smoothes
the entire textures as well. 『How much is destroyed』is the major concern of this little
test and comparison, and I sincerely hope someday Nvidia or AMD can present a
perfect and beautiful AA solution, not only killing in-game jaggies, but keeping
textures as sharp as it should be (seems TXAA may have the chance).


I used several games as samples, with different 3D engines. FXAA was enabled via
NV driver contorl panel (Deus ex using ingame FXAA). FRAPs was the tool to
capture in-game screenshots, and I kept FPS counter on screen, as a way to show
performance change during testing process.
I converted two bmps into one gif file, this procedure resulted in image quality loss,
a lot I must add, so I made a RAR containing all png files.
You can download it here and compare all the difference as you want.
http://freakshare.com/files/0yo0hf5f/PNG.rar.html


IMO I think FXAA is good, an alternative to suit gamer’s taste, although it blurs
textures to a degree in most cases.
In some games though, it really doesn’t have so much impact on images or textures,
like Dead Space 2、Max Payne 3,etc. This may be due to different 3D engines used,
the resolution of textures, and don’t forget in-game environments
(dark or blight, in dark surroundings AA is less important).
Anyway, an AA solution with the merit of both MSAA and FXAA is highly expected.
I have heard TXAA is as good as FXAA while dealing with deferred shading, along
with less performance drop compared to MSAA, and keeps textures sharp at the same
time. Let’s hope it’s true, and AMD can present its own AA solution like TAXX in the near future…






Test Platform
CPU：E6500
RAM：4GB DDR2-800
VGA：9800GT GREEN
MONITOR：CHIMEI T38D 1400X1050
DRIVER：301.24


1. Wolfenstein (Wolfenstein 3D Engine)
http://i.imgur.com/FYe1D.gif


FXAA is a charm, sentencing jaggies to death.
Take a look at the floor and indentaions on the windowstill, a few details vanish,
not a lot though. I think it’s good to turn on FXAA in this game.



2. Borderlands (Unreal Engine 3)
http://i.imgur.com/LwcLQ.gif


PICs can not show what is really happening in this game.
Yeah, I prefer to bear some jaggies than blurry images,
not serious, but out of focus…



3. Crysis (CryEngine)
http://i.imgur.com/aPPOj.gif


Shadows of mud become less stereoscopic, you can make it out I believe,
don’t know if Nomad wears his grandpa’s glasses…
FXAA does a little damage to the textures, especially when there are trees and grass.
Although endurable, I think in-game AA is more cute…



4. Deus ex： Human Revolution (Re-engineered Crystal Engine)
http://i.imgur.com/gDabv.gif


Look at the electronic panel on the far wall, the words on that panel decline a bit,
and lines of hand mess up…
Still, I think it’s better to enable FXAA in this game, otherwise you’ll earn a lot of doggy-teeth…



5. Gothic 3 (Genome Engine)
http://i.imgur.com/wdVvD.gif


Never have I seen so many disparities in a game like Gothic 3 with FXAA on&off.
The leaves of trees stick together like a mass of shit.
Also take a look at the grain of the planks、ladders、cottages, textures downgrade a lot,
and this forces you to trun off FXAA immediately…



6. Max Payne 3 (Euphoria Engine)
http://i.imgur.com/3btyZ.gif


FXAA looks good in this game. I used driver FXAA instead of in-game FXAA.
It seems in-game FXAA just couldn’t take jaggies away, but blurs all the image.
I don’t know why, maybe a personal issue I guess…