Shadow of the Tomb Raider PC Performance Review

Graphical Comparison – Low to Maximum 

In the screenshots below, we can see a significant uplift in graphical detail when moving from Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s Low Preset to Medium, with the most notable change being an increase in resolution for all textures. 

Level of detail changes is also apparent, with the trees at the left of the screen receiving increased geometry while the house in the far left offers additional detail in the form of hanging clothes, features that will draw in as Lara approaches it. 

Outside of texture resolution, the most apparent change in the game’s visuals is the addition of BTAO, which grounds the scene by adding indirect shadow to the game’s foliage, structures and around Lara herself. We can also see how the game’s highest PureHair setting increases the number of visible strands that are seen in Lara’s hair, and how each strand becomes thinner and more finely detailed.  

(Low VS Medium) 

  

 
The two most notable changes between Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s Medium and High presets are the game’s increases to texture resolution and the addition of Tesselation, both of which are extremely noticeable when looking at the terrain bear Lara’s feet. 

Details like the leaves on the ground and the embedded stones/clutter see a significant increase in sharpness, while many of the stones also see an increase in geometric detail thanks to tesselation. Otherwise, the overall graphical quality of this scene remains the same when moving from Medium to High.  

Looking at the GPU statistics at the top right of both screenshots, we see a measly 3FPS drop in performance when moving from Medium to High, with VRAM utilisation increasing from 2697MB to 4152MB, making VRAM utilisation a significant change when moving between both presets. 

(Medium VS High) 

  

In this specific scene, the graphical changes between Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s High and Highest preset can be incredibly difficult to spot, at least outside of the game’s changes in ambient occlusion technique. 

In the house in the medium distance, we see the addition of extra clothing on that is hanging on the balcony as well as increased shading from the game’s use of HBAO+. Sharper textures are also visible, though they are almost impossible to native while the game is in motion.  

Perhaps the most significant change is an increase in overall geometric detail, which can be best seen at the left side of this screenshot in the tree beside the market stall, the bench at the far left and the distant crate, all of which see a significant uplift in geometric detail.  
 

(High VS Highest) 

  

 
The only noticeable change when using Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s Maximum settings is an increase in the detail of the distant buildings, both of which gain more geometry for their rooftops, replacing what would otherwise be flat materials. 

(Highest VS Maximum)