Should you turn off motion blur and film grain? Post-processing effects explained

Most games add a last layer of effects after the picture has been drawn, a bit like the filters on a phone photo. This is called post-processing, and it shows up in your settings as motion blur, film grain, chromatic aberration and a few friends. Some of these effects make a scene look rich. Others make it harder to see, and for some people harder to sit through. The good news is that you can judge each one yourself in about a minute.

What each effect does

Real cameras have flaws: moving things smear, film is grainy, cheap lenses leave coloured edges, and a close subject leaves the background soft. Games copy those flaws on purpose to feel like a movie. They are not there to make the image clearer, and that is the key thing to know when you pick settings.

Try them on one scene

Drag the picture sideways to turn the camera, or press Auto-pan. Switch the effects on one at a time and watch the small distant sign and the HUD text in the corners. Then try them all together: that is what a game with every effect turned up looks like.

Motion blur: the one that matters most

Of all six, motion blur has the biggest effect on how a game plays. When you turn the camera quickly, it smears the whole picture, which is the exact moment you are trying to spot something. In shooters, racing games and anything where you track small shapes, that smear costs you detail. In a slow adventure it can look smooth and film-like, so it is a fair choice there.

It also matters for comfort. Xbox's accessibility guidelines for game makers advise avoiding motion blur and camera shake, or letting players switch them off, and they link motion sickness to a mismatch between what you see moving on screen and a body that is sitting still. That does not happen to everyone, but if a game makes you queasy, motion blur is the first thing to turn off. If a game gives you a slider instead of a switch, try a low value and see how it feels.

Do these effects cost frame rate?

Usually not much. Compared with shadows, ray tracing and texture settings, post-processing effects are generally described as cheap, and that is why people often say to leave them as they are. Depth of field and bloom can cost a little more in some games, though, and it varies from title to title. So do not switch them off to gain frames. Switch them off because the picture is clearer and more comfortable. If you want to be sure, turn on your game's FPS counter, change one setting at a time and watch the number.

If a game makes you feel unwell

Work through these in order, changing one thing at a time. Turn motion blur off first. Then lower camera shake and head bob if the game has them. Widen the field of view a little if the game lets you, since Xbox's guidelines note that an adjustable angle helps players find one that suits them. Sit a comfortable distance from the screen, keep the room lit, and take a break if you feel dizzy. Stop playing when you feel unwell rather than pushing through.

Where to find them and what to set first

Look in the Graphics or Video menu first. Some games put blur, shake and similar options under Accessibility or Camera instead, so check there too, and on consoles under the game's own display settings. If you cannot find an effect, try searching the menu for its name.

A starting setup that suits most new players: motion blur off, chromatic aberration off, film grain off, vignette off or low, bloom on at a medium level, and depth of field on only in slow story games. Play for fifteen minutes, then change one thing at a time if something still bothers you. These effects are taste, not performance, and the right answer is the one that looks good and feels good to you.