Compare Ray-Traced Lighting to Vanilla Lighting

Side-by-Side Testing

To see the real difference Basic RTX makes, disable the shader temporarily and compare the same scene. Open Video Settings → Shaders and select None to return to vanilla. Stand in the same location and observe the lighting. Then re-enable Basic RTX to see the changes.

What Changes

In vanilla Minecraft, shadows are flat and uniform. With Basic RTX:

• Shadows gain soft edges and gradual falloff
• Light reflects off colored surfaces onto nearby blocks (a red brick wall bounces warm light onto adjacent stone)
• Indirect lighting fills shadowed areas more naturally instead of using flat ambient light
• Reflections appear on water and polished surfaces

Best Comparison Spots

Test in areas with varied terrain and mixed light sources:

• Canyons: See how light bounces between walls
• Forests: Observe light filtering through canopy
• Buildings: Notice how interior spaces receive subtle reflected light from outside

The effect is cumulative—the more complex your surroundings, the more noticeable the ray-traced improvements become.