Lowpoly vs high-detail: when to use each generation mode
Polycount is a budget. Spend it where users will see it. A practical guide to picking generation modes for game dev, AR, and visualisation.
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Every 3D asset has a polycount budget. Mobile games can't afford 50K-tri characters. AAA cinematics can't afford 5K-tri ones. The art is matching budget to context.
Polyx exposes two generation modes — standard and lowpoly — that bias the output toward different sweet spots.
Standard mode
Default mode. Targets 15K–40K tris depending on subject complexity. Uses our latest model (Polyx 6) with full feature support: PBR, HD textures, A/T poses, symmetry detection.
When to use: Hero assets, character close-ups, archviz, product configurators, AAA-style game dev where budget allows.
Lowpoly mode
Optimised for 1K–8K tris with cleaner topology and fewer ngons. The model output reads more “stylised” — facets are more visible, edge flow is more deliberate.
When to use: Mobile games, environment props at distance, mass NPCs, retro/stylised art directions, projects with strict performance budgets.
The trade-offs
| Standard | Lowpoly | |
| Polycount | 15K–40K tris | 1K–8K tris |
| Texture complexity | Full PBR + HD | Base color only (by default) |
| Generation time | ~45–90s | ~25–45s |
| Best for | Heroes, close-ups, AR | Background, mobile, mass NPCs |
Pro tip: mix modes
The best art directors use both modes deliberately. Hero character: standard mode + HD textures. Background NPCs in the same scene: lowpoly mode. The contrast itself becomes part of the visual hierarchy — players' eyes go where you spend the polys.
Bonus: remesh after the fact
If you generated in standard mode and now need a lower polycount for a mobile build, run the asset through our Remesh endpoint. Five credits, 30 seconds, clean retopology with quad-dominant flow.
Generate twice, ship once. Or generate in the right mode the first time. Get started →
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