RetroArch - Display, Filters, Scaling, Shaders & Overlays Guide
Warning: Hardware-Intensive Operations
Adjusting Display settings, Filters, Shaders, Scaling and Overlays in RetroArch can be extremely demanding on your hardware. Applying too many of these features simultaneously may cause significant performance drops or freeze the game. We recommend tweaking these settings incrementally and monitoring system performance to ensure your hardware can handle the load.
Display Concepts
This section explains the difference between PPI, size, resolution, and aspect ratio, which are often confused but describe different properties of a display.
Pixel Density (PPI)
Pixel density describes how tightly pixels are packed into a screen.
- Higher PPI = sharper image
- Depends on both resolution AND display size
Display Size
Display dimensions measured diagonally in inches. Relevant primarily when calculating pixel density (PPI).
Resolution
Total pixel count expressed as horizontal x vertical (e.g., 640x480) on the display. Higher resolution yields sharper imagery through increased PPI.
| Resolution | Common Name | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 160x144 | GB | Game Boy, Game Gear |
| 240x160 | GBA | Game Boy Advance |
| 256x192 | DS | Nintendo DS |
| 320x200 | QVGA+ | DOS games, early PC gaming |
| 320x240 | QVGA | PS1, Saturn, arcade games |
| 400x240 | 3DS | Nintendo 3DS top screen |
| 480x272 | WQVGA | PSP |
| 640x480 | 480p / VGA | Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, Wii |
| 720x480 | EDTV | DVD video, enhanced-definition consoles |
| 800x600 | SVGA | Late DOS / early Windows gaming |
| 960x544 | qHD+ | PlayStation Vita |
| 1024x768 | XGA | Early LCD monitors |
| 1280x720 | 720p HD | Xbox 360, PS3, HDTV standard |
| 1280x800 | WXGA | Steam Deck, laptops, handheld PCs |
| 1366x768 | HD Ready | Budget LCD displays |
| 1440x900 | WXGA+ | Widescreen desktop monitors |
| 1600x900 | HD+ | Mid-range monitors |
| 1680x1050 | WSXGA+ | Professional LCDs |
| 1920x1080 | 1080p Full HD | Modern displays, consoles, streaming |
| 1920x1200 | WUXGA | Productivity monitors |
| 2560x1440 | 1440p QHD | Gaming monitors |
| 2560x1600 | WQXGA | High-end productivity displays |
| 3440x1440 | UWQHD | Ultrawide gaming monitors |
| 3840x2160 | 4K UHD | Modern TVs and monitors |
| 5120x1440 | DQHD | Super-ultrawide displays |
| 5120x2160 | 5K Ultrawide | Professional creative work |
| 5120x2880 | 5K | High-end desktop displays |
| 7680x4320 | 8K UHD | Next-generation displays |
Aspect Ratio
Proportional relationship between width and height, derived by simplifying the horizontal/vertical pixel ratio.
Here are some examples:
| Manufacturer | System | Type | Width (px) | Height (px) | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari | Atari 2600 | Home | 160 | 192 | 0.83 (5:6) |
| Atari | Atari 5200 | Home | 320 | 192 | 1.67 (5:3) |
| Atari | Atari 7800 | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Atari | Jaguar | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Atari | Jaguar CD | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Atari | Lynx | Handheld | 160 | 102 | 1.57 (80:51) |
| Bandai | Playdia | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Bandai | WonderSwan | Handheld | 224 | 144 | 1.56 (14:9) |
| Bandai | WonderSwan Color | Handheld | 224 | 144 | 1.56 (14:9) |
| Bandai | SwanCrystal | Handheld | 224 | 144 | 1.56 (14:9) |
| Casio | Loopy | Home | 256 | 224 | 1.14 (8:7) |
| Casio | PV-1000 | Home | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Coleco | ColecoVision | Home | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Emerson | Arcadia 2001 | Home | 128 | 208 | 0.62 (8:13) |
| Epoch | Super Cassette Vision | Home | 256 | 222 | 1.15 |
| Epoch | Game Pocket Computer | Handheld | 75 | 64 | 1.17 |
| Fairchild | Channel F | Home | 128 | 64 | 2.00 (2:1) |
| GCE | Vectrex | Home | 240 | 320 | 0.75 (3:4) |
| Magnavox | Odyssey² / Videopac | Home | 160 | 200 | 0.80 (4:5) |
| Mattel | Intellivision | Home | 160 | 192 | 0.83 (5:6) |
| Mattel | HyperScan | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Microsoft | Xbox | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Microsoft | Xbox 360 | Home | 1280 | 720 | 1.78 (16:9) |
| NEC | PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 | Home | 256 | 239 | 1.07 |
| NEC | CoreGrafx | Home | 256 | 239 | 1.07 |
| NEC | SuperGrafx | Home | 256 | 239 | 1.07 |
| NEC | PC Engine CD-ROM² | Home | 256 | 239 | 1.07 |
| NEC | PC-FX | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| NEC | TurboExpress | Handheld | 400 | 270 | 1.48 |
| Nintendo | Color TV-Game | Home | 192 | 192 | 1.00 (1:1) |
| Nintendo | Game & Watch | Handheld | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Nintendo | Famicom / NES | Home | 256 | 240 | 1.07 (16:15) |
| Nintendo | Famicom Disk System | Home | 256 | 240 | 1.07 (16:15) |
| Nintendo | SNES / Super Famicom | Home | 256 | 224 | 1.14 (8:7) |
| Nintendo | Satellaview | Home | 256 | 224 | 1.14 (8:7) |
| Nintendo | Virtual Boy | Handheld | 384 | 224 | 1.71 (12:7) |
| Nintendo | Nintendo 64 | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Nintendo | GameCube | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Nintendo | Wii | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Nintendo | Wii U | Home | 1920 | 1080 | 1.78 (16:9) |
| Nintendo | Pokémon Mini | Handheld | 96 | 64 | 1.50 (3:2) |
| Nintendo | Game Boy | Handheld | 160 | 144 | 1.11 (10:9) |
| Nintendo | Game Boy Color | Handheld | 160 | 144 | 1.11 (10:9) |
| Nintendo | Game Boy Advance | Handheld | 240 | 160 | 1.50 (3:2) |
| Nintendo | Nintendo DS | Handheld | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Nintendo | Nintendo 3DS | Handheld | 400 | 240 | 1.67 (5:3) |
| Nokia | N-Gage | Handheld | 176 | 208 | 0.85 (11:13) |
| Panasonic | 3DO Interactive Multiplayer | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | SG-1000 | Home | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | SC-3000 | Home | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | Master System | Home | 256 | 192 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | Genesis / Mega Drive | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| Sega | Sega CD / Mega-CD | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| Sega | 32X | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | Nomad | Handheld | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| Sega | Saturn | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| Sega | Dreamcast | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sega | Game Gear | Handheld | 160 | 144 | 1.11 (10:9) |
| Sega | Pico | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| SNK | Neo Geo AES | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| SNK | Neo Geo CD | Home | 320 | 224 | 1.43 (10:7) |
| SNK | Neo Geo Pocket | Handheld | 160 | 152 | 1.05 (20:19) |
| SNK | Neo Geo Pocket Color | Handheld | 160 | 152 | 1.05 (20:19) |
| Sony | PocketStation | Handheld | 32 | 32 | 1.00 (1:1) |
| Sony | PlayStation | Home | 320 | 240 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sony | PlayStation 2 | Home | 640 | 480 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Sony | PSP | Handheld | 480 | 272 | 1.76 (30:17) |
| Sony | PlayStation Vita | Handheld | 960 | 544 | 1.76 (30:17) |
| Sony | PlayStation 3 | Home | 1920 | 1080 | 1.78 (16:9) |
| Tiger | Game.com | Handheld | 200 | 160 | 1.25 (5:4) |
| Tiger | R-Zone | Handheld | 160 | 120 | 1.33 (4:3) |
| Watara | Supervision | Handheld | 160 | 160 | 1.00 (1:1) |
Scaling
Scaling refers to enlarging a game image beyond its native resolution to fit the display surface while preserving the original aspect ratio.
Integer Scaling
Scales pixels by whole number multipliers only. Preserves perfect pixel balance but may not fill the screen.
Path: RetroArch Settings → Video → Scaling → Integer Scaling
Example: GBA on Steam Deck (1280x800)
- Original: 240x160 (3:2)
- 4x Scale: 960x640 (fits within 1280x800)
- 5x Scale: 1200x800 (fits perfectly)
- 6x Scale: 1440x960 (exceeds display bounds)
In this case, the Steam Deck can display a perfect 5x integer-scaled GBA image with no unused vertical space.
Integer Scaling Table
Note: RetroArch does not support extreme scaling ratios. The table below outlines the theoretical maximum values required to fully fill the screen for each display type. Select the setting closest to your needs that your hardware can comfortably handle and the core supports.
| Resolution | Aspect | Consoles / Systems | Steam Deck (1280x800) | HD (1920x1080) | 4K (3840x2160) | 8K (7680x4320) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32x32 | 1:1 | PocketStation | 25x | 33x | 67x | 135x |
| 75x64 | 1.17 | Game Pocket Computer | 12x | 16x | 33x | 67x |
| 96x64 | 3:2 | Pokémon Mini | 12x | 16x | 33x | 67x |
| 128x64 | 2:1 | Channel F | 10x | 15x | 30x | 60x |
| 128x208 | 8:13 | Arcadia 2001 | 3x | 5x | 10x | 20x |
| 160x102 | 80:51 | Atari Lynx | 7x | 10x | 21x | 42x |
| 160x120 | 4:3 | Tiger R-Zone | 6x | 9x | 18x | 36x |
| 160x144 | 10:9 | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear | 5x | 7x | 15x | 30x |
| 160x152 | 20:19 | Neo Geo Pocket, Neo Geo Pocket Color | 5x | 7x | 14x | 28x |
| 160x160 | 1:1 | Watara Supervision | 5x | 6x | 13x | 27x |
| 160x192 | 5:6 | Atari 2600, Intellivision | 4x | 5x | 11x | 22x |
| 160x200 | 4:5 | Odyssey² / Videopac | 4x | 5x | 10x | 21x |
| 176x208 | 11:13 | Nokia N-Gage | 3x | 5x | 10x | 20x |
| 192x192 | 1:1 | Nintendo Color TV-Game | 4x | 5x | 11x | 22x |
| 200x160 | 5:4 | Tiger Game.com | 5x | 6x | 13x | 27x |
| 224x144 | 14:9 | WonderSwan, WonderSwan Color, SwanCrystal | 5x | 7x | 15x | 30x |
| 240x160 | 3:2 | Game Boy Advance | 5x | 6x | 13x | 27x |
| 240x320 | 3:4 | Vectrex | 2x | 3x | 6x | 13x |
| 256x192 | 4:3 | PV-1000, ColecoVision, SG-1000, SC-3000, Master System, Nintendo DS | 4x | 5x | 11x | 22x |
| 256x222 | 1.15 | Super Cassette Vision | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 256x224 | 8:7 | Casio Loopy, SNES, Super Famicom, Satellaview | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 256x239 | 1.07 | PC Engine, TurboGrafx-16, CoreGrafx, SuperGrafx, PC Engine CD-ROM² | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 256x240 | 16:15 | NES, Famicom, Famicom Disk System | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 320x192 | 5:3 | Atari 5200 | 4x | 5x | 11x | 22x |
| 320x224 | 10:7 | Genesis, Mega Drive, Sega CD, Saturn, Nomad, Pico, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 320x240 | 4:3 | Atari 7800, Jaguar, Jaguar CD, Playdia, PC-FX, 3DO, PlayStation | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 384x224 | 12:7 | Virtual Boy | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 400x240 | 5:3 | Nintendo 3DS (top screen) | 3x | 4x | 9x | 18x |
| 400x270 | 1.48 | TurboExpress | 2x | 4x | 8x | 16x |
| 480x272 | 30:17 | PSP | 2x | 3x | 7x | 15x |
| 640x480 | 4:3 | HyperScan, Xbox, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Wii, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 | 1x | 2x | 4x | 9x |
| 960x544 | 30:17 | PlayStation Vita | 1x | 1x | 3x | 7x |
| 1280x720 | 16:9 | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U | 1x | 1x | 3x | 6x |
Non-Integer Scaling
Fills the screen completely using fractional multipliers. May cause pixel distortion or uneven pixel sizes.
Example: GBA on Steam Deck (Fullscreen)
- Original: 240x160
- Display: 1280x800
- Horizontal Scale: 1280 ÷ 240 = 5.333x
- Vertical Scale: 800 ÷ 160 = 5x
To fill the entire width, RetroArch must use a non-integer horizontal scale, which can introduce uneven pixel widths.
Filters vs Shaders
Filters are simpler and usually CPU-based. Shaders are GPU-based and far more powerful, but generally cannot be combined with filters.
- Filters: lightweight, simple effects and CPU-based.
- Shaders: advanced visual control (CRT, scaling, smoothing, etc.) and GPU-based.
Shaders
Shaders are GPU-based post-processing effects applied to the final image. Compared to CPU-based filters, they typically offer higher visual flexibility with lower performance impact on modern hardware, as they leverage unused GPU resources.
RetroArch supports two main shader formats: GLSL and SLANG.
Shader Categories
Interpolation Shaders
Improve scaling quality while preserving pixel structure. Used for clean, sharp pixel scaling without CPU filters.
Handheld Shaders
Simulate LCD characteristics or add pixel grid effects. Emulates Game Boy, GBA, DS, and similar screens.
CRT Shaders
Simulate analog CRT displays (scanlines, bloom, curvature). Used for authentic retro TV and arcade visuals.
Signal / Composite Shaders
Simulate analog video transmission artifacts like NTSC/PAL, color bleed, and RF noise.
Mask / Subpixel Shaders
Replicate physical pixel layouts (RGB stripes, shadow masks, aperture grille) to improve perceived sharpness and realism.
Post-Processing Shaders
General image enhancement such as sharpening, color correction, bloom, and LUT-based grading.
Dithering / Reconstruction Shaders
Improve or reconstruct dithering patterns and reduce banding in retro graphics.
Stylization Shaders
Artistic effects such as VHS distortion, sketch filters, or glitch-style rendering.
Utility / Debug Shaders
Technical tools used for framebuffer inspection, texture viewing, and rendering diagnostics.
Shader Formats
GLSL
Set video driver: Settings → Video → Output → OpenGL
- OpenGL-based
- Common on lightweight Linux handhelds
- Broad compatibility, lower feature set
SLANG
Set video driver: Settings → Video → Output → Vulkan
- Modern Vulkan/DirectX/OpenGL backend support
- Preferred on Android, Windows, and handheld PCs
- More advanced and actively developed
Shaders: Usage
Shaders are applied via:
Quick Menu → Shaders → Load Preset
Adjust via:
Shader Parameters
Save options:
- Game Preset: single game
- Core Preset: emulator core
- Directory Preset: system folder
Filters
Filters are post-processing effects applied to the final image in RetroArch. Most are lightweight, but some can be CPU-intensive and impact performance depending on the system.
Bilinear Filtering
Enable via: Settings → Video → Scaling → Bilinear Filtering
Smooths pixel edges by blending them together. Useful for non-integer scaling, but can make pixel art look slightly blurry.
- No filter: sharp pixels
- Bilinear: smoother, softer image
CRT / Retro Filters (Blargg)
Includes NTSC, S-Video, and composite simulation filters.
- Adds scanlines, color bleed, and analog softness
- Mimics CRT display output
- More performance-heavy than bilinear filters
Filters: Usage
Filters are applied via:
Settings → Video → Video Filter
Save options:
Quick Menu → Overrides
- Game Override: single game
- Core Override: emulator core
- Content Directory Override: system folder
Overlays
Overlays are image layers applied on top of the game screen. Unlike shaders or filters, they do not modify the game image itself-instead, they act as visual frames, bezels, or textures that sit over or around the gameplay area.
They are commonly used to:
- Fill black bars on widescreen displays
- Add console-specific bezels
- Simulate printed artwork or handheld shells
- Overlay scanlines or grid effects
Types of Overlays
Bezels
Decorative frames that fill unused screen space, often matching the original hardware or arcade cabinet.
Screen Frames / Artwork Overlays
Recreate the look of the original device (Game Boy shell, arcade monitor borders, etc.).
Scanline / Grid Overlays
Semi-transparent layers that simulate display artifacts, sometimes combined with shaders.
Touch Control Overlays (Mobile)
On-screen virtual controls used on Android/iOS devices by default.
Overlays: Usage
Overlays are applied via:
Quick Menu → On-Screen Overlay → Display Overlay → ON
Adjust via:
Overlay Preset
Save options:
Quick Menu → Overrides
- Game Override: single game
- Core Override: emulator core
- Content Directory Override: system folder