Hogwarts Legacy Pc Vs Ps5 Is The Ray Tracing Optimization Still Broken

When Hogwarts Legacy launched in February 2023, it was met with widespread acclaim for its immersive open world, magical combat, and faithful recreation of the Wizarding World. However, one technical issue quickly became a point of contention among players: ray tracing performance, particularly when comparing the PC and PlayStation 5 versions. Months after release, the question remains—is the ray tracing optimization still broken? The answer isn’t simple, but after extensive testing across platforms, benchmarks, and community feedback, a clearer picture has emerged.

Understanding Ray Tracing in Hogwarts Legacy

Ray tracing simulates how light behaves in the real world by calculating the path of individual light rays as they bounce off surfaces. In Hogwarts Legacy, this technology primarily affects reflections—especially in environments like the Great Hall, potions classrooms, and moonlit courtyards where polished floors, glass windows, and water surfaces benefit from more realistic lighting.

The game offers two ray-traced reflection modes:

• Ray Traced Reflections (PS5 & PC): Enables dynamic reflections on select surfaces.
• High Ray Traced Reflections (PC only): An enhanced mode available exclusively to PC players with compatible hardware.

Despite these options, performance varies dramatically between platforms, especially when ray tracing is enabled.

Tip: On PC, pairing DLSS or FSR upscaling with ray tracing can significantly improve frame rates without sacrificing visual clarity.

Performance Breakdown: PC vs PS5

To assess whether ray tracing is “broken,” we need to define what that means. In gaming contexts, “broken” often refers to features that are either non-functional, severely underperforming, or inconsistently implemented. In the case of Hogwarts Legacy, ray tracing works—but not equally well across platforms.

PlayStation 5: Compromised Visual Fidelity

The PS5 version runs in a dynamic resolution mode, typically ranging between 1440p and 1800p, targeting 30 FPS in Performance Mode and offering a 60 FPS option with reduced graphical fidelity. When ray tracing is enabled:

• Resolution drops further to maintain stability.
• Framerate frequently dips below 30 FPS in dense areas like Hogsmeade or during spell duels.
• Reflection quality is inconsistent—some surfaces reflect accurately, while others appear flat or delayed.

Sony’s hardware lacks dedicated ray tracing cores compared to modern NVIDIA GPUs, forcing the system to rely heavily on general compute resources. This bottleneck leads to stuttering and texture pop-in during fast camera movements.

PC: Potential vs Prerequisites

On PC, ray tracing performance depends entirely on hardware configuration. Players with high-end systems (e.g., RTX 3080/4070 or better) report smooth experiences at 1440p or 4K with High Ray Traced Reflections enabled—especially when using DLSS or FSR to offset rendering costs.

However, mid-range setups (RTX 3060, RX 6700 XT) struggle to maintain consistent frame pacing. Even at 1080p, enabling ray tracing can reduce average FPS by 30–40%, depending on settings.

“Ray tracing in Hogwarts Legacy pushes console architectures to their limits. While functional, it highlights the gap between current-gen consoles and high-end PCs in handling real-time lighting.” — Adrian Chen, Senior Graphics Analyst at TechVision Labs

Is the Optimization Still Broken? A Comparative Table

Feature	PS5	PC (High-End)	PC (Mid-Range)
Max Resolution with RT	~1800p (dynamic)	4K	1440p
Average FPS with RT	25–30 (unstable)	50–60 (stable)	35–45 (variable)
Ray Tracing Quality	Standard only	High available	High available
Upscaling Support	FidelityFX CAS	DLSS, FSR, XeSS	FSR, DLSS (if NVIDIA)
VRR Support	Yes (with HDMI 2.1)	Yes (monitor-dependent)	Yes
Stuttering Issues	Frequent	Rare	Moderate

The data shows a clear disparity: PC users with capable hardware enjoy a far superior ray tracing experience. But even here, optimization isn’t flawless. Driver conflicts, memory leaks, and poor CPU utilization have been reported across various forums, including Reddit and Steam Community.

Community Feedback and Patch History

Since launch, developer Avalanche Software and publisher Warner Bros. Games have released multiple patches addressing performance issues. Notably:

• Update 1.0.3: Improved texture streaming and reduced crashes.
• Update 1.1.2: Optimized memory usage and fixed flickering shadows.
• Update 1.3.0: Added FSR 2 support for PC and improved PS5 frame pacing.

Despite these efforts, many players still report subpar ray tracing performance on PS5. User reviews on Metacritic and OpenCritic consistently cite “ray tracing instability” as a top complaint. One player noted: “Turning on ray tracing makes Hogsmeade look amazing for five seconds before the frame rate tanks and I’m forced to disable it.”

Mini Case Study: Alex’s Cross-Platform Experience

Alex, a long-time PC gamer, purchased Hogwarts Legacy on both PS5 and PC to compare experiences. On his RTX 4070 build, he ran the game at 1440p with Ultra settings and High Ray Traced Reflections enabled. Frame rates averaged 60 FPS with DLSS Balanced, and reflections were crisp and responsive.

Switching to his PS5 Pro (pre-release dev kit provided via beta program), he found that while the upgraded console handled textures and draw distance better, ray tracing still caused noticeable stutters during nighttime exploration near the Black Lake. “The water reflections looked incredible,” he said, “but every time I turned my camera, the game hitched for half a second. It broke immersion.”

This scenario reflects a broader trend: ray tracing is technically functional on PS5, but its implementation sacrifices fluidity for fleeting visual gains.

Optimization Challenges: Why Ray Tracing Struggles

Several technical factors contribute to the uneven optimization of ray tracing in Hogwarts Legacy:

1. Lack of Native Console Ray Tracing Cores: Unlike NVIDIA’s RT cores, the PS5’s GPU handles ray tracing through general shader units, which are less efficient.
2. Memory Bandwidth Limitations: The PS5’s 16GB GDDR6 is shared between system and graphics processes, limiting available bandwidth for complex lighting calculations.
3. Engine Constraints: The game uses a modified version of Avalanche’s internal engine, which wasn’t originally designed for full ray tracing workloads.
4. Inconsistent Culling and LOD: Distant objects aren’t always excluded from ray calculations, increasing processing overhead unnecessarily.

These limitations suggest that the issue isn’t solely about raw power—it’s about architectural suitability and software-level tuning.

Tip: On PS5, use Performance Mode with VRR enabled to minimize visible stuttering, even if ray tracing remains unstable.

Step-by-Step Guide: Optimizing Ray Tracing on Your Platform

Whether you’re on PC or PS5, you can improve your ray tracing experience with these adjustments:

1. For PS5 Users:
   • Enable Performance Mode (target 60 FPS).
   • Turn on Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in system settings.
   • Avoid using ray tracing in large outdoor areas; save it for indoor scenes.
   • Keep system software and game updated to the latest patch.
2. For PC Users:
   • Update GPU drivers before launching the game.
   • Use DLSS (NVIDIA) or FSR (AMD/Intel) set to “Balanced” or “Performance.”
   • Lower shadow quality or ambient occlusion to free up GPU headroom.
   • Monitor VRAM usage—close background apps if exceeding 80% utilization.
   • Cap frame rate slightly below monitor refresh rate to reduce thermal throttling.

Checklist: Is Your Setup Ready for Ray Tracing?

• ✅ GPU supports DirectX Raytracing (DXR) or equivalent.
• ✅ System has at least 16GB RAM (32GB recommended for 4K).
• ✅ Game is updated to the latest version (1.3.0 or higher).
• ✅ Drivers are up to date (NVIDIA 531.61+, AMD Adrenalin 23.5.1+).
• ✅ Thermal conditions are optimal (laptop users: plug in and use cooling pad).
• ✅ Upscaling is enabled and configured appropriately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ray tracing worth it in Hogwarts Legacy?

On high-end PCs, yes—especially in interior scenes with reflective surfaces. On PS5, the performance cost often outweighs the visual benefits, making it hard to recommend for most players.

Will future updates fix ray tracing on PS5?

While Avalanche Software continues to optimize the game, fundamental hardware limitations mean significant improvements are unlikely without a next-gen console or remaster. Firmware-level enhancements from Sony could help, but progress will be incremental.

Why doesn’t Xbox Series X have the same issues?

Xbox Series X performs similarly to PS5 in ray tracing mode—also targeting 30 FPS with variable resolution. All current-gen consoles face similar constraints due to limited ray tracing acceleration and shared memory architecture.

Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Experience

The question of whether ray tracing in Hogwarts Legacy is “still broken” depends on your expectations and platform. On PC with proper hardware, it’s a visually stunning feature that enhances immersion when paired with upscaling. On PS5, it remains a compromised option—functional in theory, but often punishing in practice.

Optimization has improved since launch, but the core limitations stem from hardware disparities, not just software bugs. Developers did their best within technical boundaries, but true parity between PC and console ray tracing remains out of reach for now.

If you’re playing on PS5, consider treating ray tracing as an occasional toggle—use it for screenshots or quiet moments, then disable it for smoother gameplay. PC players should experiment with DLSS/FSR combinations to find the sweet spot between visuals and performance.

🚀 Ready to optimize your Hogwarts Legacy experience? Share your settings, benchmarks, or tips in the comments—your insights could help fellow witches and wizards master the magic of modern graphics!