Glossary · Retro & Emulation
Shader
A shader is a real-time image filter applied to emulated output, most famously CRT shaders that reproduce the scanlines and glow old games were designed to be seen through, or LCD-grid shaders for handheld systems. Beyond nostalgia, a good CRT shader can make pixel art look the way its artists intended. Shaders cost a little GPU power, so on a device near its ceiling they are one more thing competing for the frame budget — usually worth it below the ceiling, a luxury to drop at it.
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