What is Ray Tracing?

Technology improves every year, and recent technology has introduced ray tracing into video games. It is currently not used in most video games, but there are a few that implement the new tech. The talk of ray tracing in PC games stems from Gamescom 2018. Nvidia announced its next generation of graphic cards that would implement ray tracing.

Now, the biggest question most people have is, “what is ray tracing?” Well, ray tracing is an advanced form of technology that renders light and shadows. Movies and television shows have been using the technology for years in their CG work. Ray tracing is very demanding, so it takes substantial horsepower to run.

Ray tracing is powerful because it renders every ray of light produced. This is a lot of rendering, but the game looks gorgeous when done right. The lighting effects look real, so the world implements shadows and reflections like reality would. It is these details that make video games so wonderful. A few games that currently implement ray tracing are Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Control.

Upcoming games that will implement the technology include Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Vampire: The Masquerade. These games and many others will require the right PC specifications. Player1Customs can recommend the right PC for the job. Ray tracing is a highly-demanding technology, so you will want the best of the best when it comes to specs.

Ray Tracing Graphics Cards

2018 was two years ago, and Nvidia has released a slew of graphics cards capable of ray tracing. AMD has yet to release any graphics cards capable of real-time ray tracing. AMD is known for its affordability and budget prices. However, ray tracing will most likely raise their prices. The Nvidia graphics cards are not cheap and will cost you quite a bit of cash.

Below, you will find the list of ray tracing graphics cards available right now. Each of these cards varies in cores and ram. They are listed from the least expensive to the most expensive.

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 ti
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 ti
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
• Nvidia Titan RTX

Each of these cards ranges in price. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 will only set you back $399. On the other hand, the Nvidia Titan RTX is a very hefty $2,499. Above all, both of these graphics cards will take advantage of the ray tracing technology. Before you upgrade, there are many other things to consider.

Ensure Your PC is Capable of Ray Tracing

PC players need to ensure their other PC parts are capable of handling such an impressive graphics card. If you are unable to afford the upgrade now, then waiting will help. Ray tracing is the future of gaming technology, and as it becomes more prevalent, the prices of graphics cards will go down. 

If you would like to see a list PC recommendations by the staff at Player 1 Customs, feel free to check out the Desktops page.