So I've been wondering...

[OptimumSlinky]

When you're playing a game on PC and you lower the resolution, naturally the frame rate increases. So why doesn't this phenom occur on consoles? If Infinity Ward has MW2 running at 60-fps at 1080p, but my 32" TV is set to 720p (a much, much lower resolution, clearly), why do I not see an increase in performance? Is the frame rate capped? Or does it have something to do with the fact that they're not 720p/1080p native, and are brought up from 600p or whatever?

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

The frame rate is capped, but I also thought that native for most console games was 720p anyway, and they upscaled it for 1080p. I don't actually have a console (I also don't actually have an HD TV) but I remember this being said.

 

[dougp]

Frame rate is typically capped at 60 due to issues with refresh rate causing ripping and tearing. Why do you need anything above 60 FPS anyways?

 

[Qbah]

MW2 is running at 640p and only upscaled to 720p/1080p. The upscaling doesn't lower performance, as you're not really showing more detail.

Many games have massive slowdowns on the consoles even at native 720p (as most games are rendered at this resolution). Though I wonder if you run them at sub-native resolution (like 480p on a SDTV), you should get better performance (unless the game has a locked speed, like Halo at 30). Just guessing though.

 

[manimal]

I always get a laugh from pc people that cry when their rigs cant run a console port on the pc. What they dont realize is the consoles upconvert most titles, remember the brouhaha over GTA 4 and its native res on the consoles?

Then the kids cry when they cant play it on their pc at 1080P native with 8x AA...

 

[PieIsAwesome]

MW2 is running at 640p and only upscaled to 720p/1080p. The upscaling doesn't lower performance, as you're not really showing more detail.

Many games have massive slowdowns on the consoles even at native 720p (as most games are rendered at this resolution). Though I wonder if you run them at sub-native resolution (like 480p on a SDTV), you should get better performance (unless the game has a locked speed, like Halo at 30). Just guessing though.

I think most games are always rendered at the same resolution but are then scaled up or down for display compatibility.

Halo 3 still had the same sub-30 FPS performance problems even at 480p when I previously looked into this.

 

[zerocool84]

The frame rate is capped, but I also thought that native for most console games was 720p anyway, and they upscaled it for 1080p. I don't actually have a console (I also don't actually have an HD TV) but I remember this being said.

Sad that many games still aren't even 720p cus the console's can't handle it. I'd wish to at least get every game at 720p for all games for next gen stuff.

 

[ScottSwing]

Console games are always rendered at the same resolution and scaled up or down to fit your display.

PC's are geared to be highly configurable, while consoles are expected to "just work."

 

[ciproxr]

What i want to know is, is the console hardware capable of running true 720 or 1080p ?

 

[Qbah]

What i want to know is, is the console hardware capable of running true 720 or 1080p ?

Yes it is. An example would be Wipeout HD for the PS3 which runs 1080p @ 60FPS. But those games are rare and aren't really impressive-looking. Most games run at 720p and lower. And not really 60 FPS at that.

 

[mmntech]

Yes it is. An example would be Wipeout HD for the PS3 which runs 1080p @ 60FPS. But those games are rare and aren't really impressive-looking. Most games run at 720p and lower. And not really 60 FPS at that.

I'd expect exclusives to run better because you can highly tune the engine to work with specific hardware. Wipeout HD also isn't that graphically intense as some other titles.

Most games run at 30fps, which is the standard NTSC frame rate anyway. There aren't that many genres that benefit from 60fps.

 

[fatpat268]

Sad that many games still aren't even 720p cus the console's can't handle it. I'd wish to at least get every game at 720p for all games for next gen stuff.

I'd imagine that the next-gen (whenever they come out) will render everything in 1080p natively.

That may be wishful thinking though. :\

 

[StrangerGuy]

By Sony and Microsoft's logic: Upscaling to 720p = HD

How about we upscale the NES to 720p and since the output is 720p, why not call this a HD console too?

Misleading at best, bait-and-switch at worst.