Question URP vs Built-in Render Pipeline.

I have been experimenting with URP and Buil-in Render pipeline for mobile build in this game I am working on. Despite all the claims I have seen saying Built-in RP is performant than URP in mobile platforms, I got different results.
This was tested on the lowest spec. device I could find, a Galaxy A10.(a 2019 90$ Samsung phone with 2GB ram & with android 10)

Maybe I was doing something wrong with shadow quality settings and anti-aliasing settings. Either way, these are my results.

I would like some help deciding on which pipeline to use moving forward based on your experience.
If you have used URP on a mobile project, I would like to know your experience in performance and optimization. Thanks!

URP - 29-32 FPS
Light 1 - per pixel - shadows on
Light 2 - per vertex - shadows off
Hard shadows - 2048 resolution - Distance 50 - 4 cascades
FXAA Turned on in Camera
Bloom and Vignette Post Processing (equal values in both Tests)

Built-in RP - 25-27 FPS
Light 1 - shadows on
Light 2 - shadows off
Hard shadows - Low Resolution(This was set in Quality tab in Project Settings)(cascades didn't work)
FXAA x 2 Turned on in Post Processing layer (The multiplier was set in Quality tab in Project Settings)
Bloom and Vignette Post Processing (equal values in both Tests)

 

I switched to URP fully for good about a year ago, and URP 12 is where I consider URP to be the choice over built-in, not before.

So if you're targeting 2021.x or 2022, then URP is what I recommend. The savings will largely be CPU related, until Unity add more ES3-tier optimisations (compute, etc).

You can actually do the same work on both pipelines, but how you do the work will differ. For example there's no surface shaders in URP. I don't care if it's "coming someday" - fact is, no surface shaders. So if that was important to you, you'll want to make an entry point via shadergraph, then just make a custom function node which uses your own HLSL. This is low friction and generally easy enough.

URP is a little bit black boxed, but if you don't mind controlling your own tech and have the ability to rustle up your own basic shader tweaks, it will be fine for all your purposes. And likely faster as you've found out.

Built-in is going nowhere in future so I've abandoned it. Lastly, I recommend not using asset store heavily for anything, and leaning into shader graph / doing your own.

Tip though, there's not much that is better than MSAA 4x for mobile, and certainly nothing faster than it, surprised you'd pick FXAA over it (assuming you disable HDR).

 

While you are right but not so much
There is no surface shaders for URP built in, but you can buy BetterShaders from store.
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/visual-scripting/better-shaders-standard-urp-hdrp-187838

 

I know, I was on the beta. It's great but throwing a product as an answer is a cheap one (which I am guilty of at times)

 

It's alright, and I would suggest URP for new projects starting with 2021.2 -
but it still lacks some important features, at least for me and my type of interests.

1. Starting with TAA, it just needs to be done. FXAA is just unacceptable imo, SMAA is nice but suffer from specular aliasing and TAA does it all better, for the most part. (TAA isn't important if you do mobile, I'm talking about higher fidelity/graphics 3D games)

2. Screen Space Reflections

3. Volumetric fog, and better fog in general(doubtful this will land anytime soon or late)

4. Shadows.. expensive. No caching, and they don't look particularly great (not bad though, getting some small improvements in 2021.2). Unlike built-in where you have an asset alternative with good quality.

In URP, if your game is 3D, there's a good chance you'll have to bake lights to get good lighting. Although we're also getting enlighten back in 2021.2.

I would actually advice you to use assets(tools) from the store. Very useful, don't make everything yourself unless you have a good reason. Many big successful games out there use assets.
Rust, Lost In Random, the forest, Valheim.
Just be smart about it, do you really need that asset? does it include code? How simple is it, is the author active/is it updated? etc.

URP is similar to built-in, it's a good idea to use assets. And there's a good chance something is missing in URP but exists as an asset.
If you don't want to use assets and rely on the render pipeline to give you everything, then you have HDRP.


All in all, If i had to choose between URP or built-in, I would go with URP. Never built-in for new projects anymore.

 

Interesting, I was assuming MSAA is far more expensive than FXAA for Mobile. Thanks a lot . At least now I have confidence that my results are not an anomaly.

 

That's very useful insight. Thanks a lot

 

From the features you mention it seems you are talking about PC while the OP is asking about mobile. For PC it is advised you use HDRP if you are looking for advanced visual features.

 

I did switch over to MSAA x4. Framerate went up by ~5fps on lowest spec devices. now it never dips below 30fps. sometimes gets close to 40fps. Thanks for the tip.

 

You can use Amplify Shader Editor and forget other solutions... Easily compile to any pipeline or platforms with a few click
Most easy to use workflow
In minutes developers support
Watch the Unreal Engine tutorials and repeat them inside Amplify Shader Editor

 

This somewhat stands for already released engine versions. ASE will struggle with Unity alphas and betas since there's often no new URP / HDRP template that's fully compatible with the new changes. This may or may not be issue for users, just wanting to note that. If you only use it on LTS or upgrade to tech streams after they've been released, this is a lesser issue.

Bit off topic here but also in addition ASE lacks bunch of HDRP SG templates and features, for example there's no raytracing passes or virtual texturing support.

 

Hi. we are using unity2019.4 and cannot upgrade to 2020 or 2021. I tested URP and builtin with almost the same performance (both are full frames), so I don’t know if I should switch to URP.
URP version for unity 2019.4: 7.7.1.
thank you very much for your suggestion.

 

Do not switch to URP if you're using 2019. That's a very early version for URP. It will lack a ton of features. Just stick to using built-in/legacy render pipeline.
It sounds like your project is already well under development, that's another reason not to switch.

 

Thinks.

 

I have just made a game with URP about ~6months ago, and yes it's 2022 but I don't agree with you just because:
- Urp delivers worse visual quality because is missing some key features such as combination of realtime and baked shadows
- Additionally it does not support volumetric lights/volumetric fog...still you can't add fog or any atmospheric effects
- It feels and looks simple compared to build-in or hdrp pipelines

So in my opinion:
- Urp is great for mobile/tablet game
- Probably built-in is best choice for computer games
- HDRP is so demanding and you need to make a lot of optimizations to make it work ok, but still even then you will have masive fps drop....to properly setup hdrp in your game i think you will need to add custom scripts to control how some effects/lights/shadows are being calculated. This is probably best for presentation demo or something small

 

I won't comment on the full post, since in our experience (and we have a lot), URP is absolutely on par with built-in but with better performances, but in URP both shadowmask ans distance shadowmask are fully supported, so you can use realtime and backed shadows.

 

Unity2021 URP12+
- Bad realtime shadow
- More crashes

Unity2022 is not much better.

 

Well This Wishlist aged well after 2 years we almost got everything that you said would be good to get in 2023.1 and some in 2022LTS