GPU Scaling vs Display Scaling explained

In computing, Scaling refers to the process of increasing or decreasing the size of an object. The scaling of an object is done by using the Scale Factor. The Scale Factor or Conversion Factor is used to change the size of a figure or an object without altering its shape. Some of you might have heard about the terms GPU Scaling and Display Scaling. In this article, we will talk about the differences between GPU Scaling and Display Scaling, and their pros and cons.

What is GPU Scaling?

GPU Scaling is a built-in feature of modern graphics cards that lets you adjust a game’s aspect ratio to match your monitor’s resolution. Let’s understand it with an example. The older games had an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4, but today, almost all games are developed according to the aspect ratio of modern monitors, i.e., 16:9 and 21:9. Playing an older game with an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4 on modern monitors that have a greater aspect ratio will result in image and video distortion. Hence, in order to preserve the image and video quality of older games, we use GPU Scaling. GPU Scaling makes appropriate adjustments to the game’s dimensions, fitting it to the screen at a higher aspect ratio.

In simple terms, by using GPU Scaling, a user can play older games on a screen with a higher aspect ratio without pixelation. If some of you have ever played older games on monitors with a higher aspect ratio, you have noticed black bars around the game. This is what the GPU Scaling has done to preserve the game’s quality.

Types of GPU Scaling

If your graphics card supports GPU Scaling, you will see the following three GPU Scaling modes in settings (the names of these modes may differ for the graphics cards of different brands):

Maintain Aspect Ratio
Full Panel
Center

Let’s see all three types of GPU Scaling modes.

1] Maintain Aspect Ratio

As the name implies, this GPU Scaling method preserves the game’s original aspect ratio. Hence, it does not matter whether you play that game in full-screen mode or in windowed mode, the game will be presented on your monitor screen without any pixelated effect.

Since the game is not stretched with this GPU Scaling method, you will see black bars around the game. By using the Maintain Aspect Ratio GPU Scaling, you can play older games on larger screens at their original resolution.

2] Full Panel

The Full Panel GPU Scaling method presents the game on the entire screen by stretching its dimensions. Hence, with this GPU Scaling method, you will experience a blurry effect in your games. If you hate the black bars around your game, you can stretch it to the full screen but the output will have a pixelated appearance.

3] Center

In this method, the image scaling is turned off and the entire game is displayed in the center of the display with black bars around it. This method is ideal if you want to play low-resolution games on larger screens without compromising image or video quality.

What is Display Scaling?

Display Scaling is used to increase or decrease the size of text, fonts, and other elements on a screen. Display Scaling is the perfect solution for users with weak eyesight. They can use Display Scaling to increase the size of elements on a display, making text easier to read.

GPU Scaling vs Display Scaling: The Differences

Above, we have explained what the GPU and Display Scalings are. Now, let’s see the key differences between GPU and DIsplay Scaling.

In GPU Scaling, the job of upscaling and downscaling a video or image is handled by the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). On the other hand, in Display Scaling, upscaling and downscaling are handled by the computer’s display.
If multiple monitors with different resolutions are connected to your system, your computer will show you an option to set different Display Scaling for each monitor. For GPU Scaling, you will require multiple graphics cards.
Display Scaling does not require a dedicated graphics card. Your computer’s integrated graphics card is sufficient for Display Scaling. On the other hand, GPU Scaling requires a dedicated graphics card to handle the high and low-resolution games on a screen with a particular aspect ratio.
You can do Display Scaling by opening your Windows 11/10 device’s Settings panel. Whereas, for GPU Scaling, you require software.
The Display Scaling depends on the number of pixels in an image. Hence, Display Scaling is more effective for higher resolution images. On the contrary, the result of GPU Scaling depends on the performance of your Graphics Processing Unit. That’s why high-resolution games require a high-end graphics card to enable GPU Scaling.

Read: How to enable GPU Scaling in Radeon Software with the desired Scaling Mode.

Pros and Cons of GPU Scaling and Display Scaling

Above, we have discussed what the GPU and Display Scalings are and what their key differences are. Now, let’s talk about the pros and cons of GPU Scaling and Display Scaling.

Pros of GPU Scaling

With GPU Scaling, you will have three options to adjust a game’s dimensions to fit your screen or monitor.
GPU Scaling is best suited to playing older games with a lower aspect ratio on the screen, and to playing games with a higher aspect ratio.
The Maintain Aspect Ratio and Center modes of GPU Scaling help preserve a game’s quality and present it with minimal distortion. Using these two modes of GPU Scaling, you can play the older games on modern monitors without compromising the game resolution.

Cons of GPU Scaling

Though GPU Scaling preserves game quality by maintaining its original aspect ratio, it introduces ugly black bars around the game.
If you do not want black bars around your game, you can use the Full Panel mode of GPU Scaling, but this mode stretches the game to fill the entire screen, which ultimately leads to distortion.
Another disadvantage of GPU Scaling is input lag. When you press a key while playing a game, you will experience a little delay on your screen.

Pros of Display Scaling

The Display Scaling does not require a dedicated graphics card. You will find an option to apply different Display Scaling in your device’s settings.
You can set a different screen resolution for multiple monitors using Display Scaling.

Cons of Display Scaling

When it comes to high-DPI devices, Display Scaling becomes complex. Users may experience some issues while applying the Display Scaling on high DPI devices.

Which is better GPU Scaling or Display Scaling?

Both GPU Scaling and Display Scaling have their own pros and cons. GPU Scaling is good if you want to play older games on larger screens without compromising graphics quality. On the other hand, GPU Scaling also results in an input lag. If we talk about Display Scaling, it lets you set different resolutions for different displays connected to your system. On the other hand, Display Scaling becomes more complex for high-DPI devices.

Does GPU Scaling increase performance?

GPU Scaling is used to make older games (developed for 4:3 or 5:4 aspect ratios) playable on modern monitors (displays with a higher aspect ratio). Now, coming to the question, when you do GPU Scaling, you may experience a little input lag in games. Hence, GPU Scaling may affect your games’ performance.