preloader image
    Home » Blog » Difference Between Unreal Engine 4 and 5
3 min read 452 views

Difference Between Unreal Engine 4 and 5

KEY POINTS OF THE ARTICLE

  • Introduction to Unreal Engine 5. This tool is used the most by game makers, online artists, and people who make movies.
  • Highlights for Unreal Engine 5.1. This version brings new tools, adds more things you can do, and fixes many issues for online production.
  • Talk about how Unreal Engine 4 and 5 are not the same. UE5 can use up to 10 billion polygons. Now, you get larger and more detailed worlds than what came before.
  • Quick look at the updated Lumen lights in UE5. With Lumen, you get live and real lights that feel true, while UE4 asks more from your computer for these kinds of effects.
  • Find out about the new editor in UE5. It now works better with plugins and helps you get your work done faster.
  • See UE5’s new shapes and tools for design. These new lights and models let you change things how you want. You get more options and freedom to create.
  • Note a few things that need to be improved. There is no support for VR yet in Lumen or Nanite.

If you’re new to game development, you might feel overwhelmed by the many software options available. However, Epic Games launched Unreal Engine 5, which offers exciting new features for game developers, virtual artists, and filmmakers who use it to craft virtual worlds. Furthermore, the latest version, Unreal 5.1, includes additional tools, features, and bug fixes that enhance virtual production. Unreal Engine’s rendering capabilities consistently produce stunning and lifelike results. Whimsy Games will present a comprehensive comparison of Unreal Engine 4 vs 5.

Main Difference between Unreal Engine 4 and Unreal Engine 5

Unreal Engine 4 and Unreal Engine 5 are two game engines with a lot of potential, but UE 5 has some impressive features compared to UE 4 that can enhance the user experience. The significant difference is the amount of polygons each engine can handle. Polygons are used to create meshes within the game engine, and UE 5 can handle up to 10 billion polygons, while UE 4 can only handle a few million. With UE 5, you can create larger cityscapes and environments than before. 

Difference Between Unreal Engine 4 and 5
UE5: New Features

If you’re interested how to develop a vr app games or creating movies, Unreal Engine is the top choice for software. UE5’s new features deliver seamless performance and remarkable outcomes due to its many appealing features, making unreal game development more efficient and engaging. For example, the new MetaHuman tool now allows for the easy and precise creation of highly realistic characters. This tool can serve as an excellent starting point for character artists or to populate non-playable characters in extensive game environments. Additionally, it streamlines the animation stage of character creation, making the process faster and more efficient for all involved.

Don’t know where to start?

Contact Us now

To elevate your game’s storytelling

and engage your audience like never before

Lighting

Another big change in how UE4 and UE5 work is with their lighting system. In UE4, you had to make lighting look real by adding things that were like real light, but it was not actually real. UE5 has a system called Lumen. This system lets you add lights and this will have them look real and work in real-time. Lumen follows how actual light would move, so you get lighting that looks very natural.

Unreal Engine 5 gives you moving and changing lighting turned on from the start. All the lights change as things move and everything looks like it would in life. But UE4 had raytracing, and this was harder to use. You needed a strong graphics card and CPU. You also had to go into settings to turn this on and you had to know about lighting a lot.

Difference Between Unreal Engine 4 and 5

Also, putting in light by hand was just the start in UE4. Making raytracing work well needed a lot from your computer, so games could not use it in a good way. Now, with UE5’s Lumen, even your new computer can get the real feel with great looking lights that update right as you play, including what raytracing does.

But UE5’s Lumen and Nanite do not work with virtual reality at this time.

User Experience and Interface

Let’s keep going with the Unreal Engine 5 look at. The Unreal Engine has got a big upgrade with UE5. The old UE4 was nice to look at, but it was made about ten years ago. Now, the new UE5 editor is modern, simple, and easy to use. It comes with a Create tab, better help for plugins like Quixel and Substance, a launcher that works well, and a new way to look for what you need in the content browser.

Most UE4 guides and info still work for UE5. A few things are new, and the way it looks has got better.

Difference Between Unreal Engine 4 and 5
Modelling Tools

That’s another difference between Unreal Engine 4 and 5. Unreal Engine 5 now includes modeling, sculpting, and UV unwrap tools. The Modelling Mode allows for quick customization with various transformers and tools. Users can also access Landscape, Foliage, Mesh Paint, and Animation modes and a brush editing mode specifically for the Mesh Paint function.

image

Unsure Where to Begin??

Reach out to Us Today to Enhance Your Game’s

Narrative and Captivate Your Audience Like Never Before!

At Whimsy Games, our team of experts has been working with Unreal Engine 5 since its early access. We have gained extensive knowledge of its advanced features to create visually stunning, engaging, and high-performing games.

Get in touch

To make your gaming ideas in reality

Table of contents

    author avatar
    author avatar

    Written by

    Denys Kliuch

    CEO

    I'm a CEO and a Co-Founder of Whimsy Games. Before that, I advanced my expertise in engineering, management, traffic marketing, and analytics working for large game development studios with a $1M+ monthly income. With a clear vision of how game development should work, I run Whimsy Games, being responsible for the marketing and sales of our products and services.

    Latest Posts

    We at Whimsy Games can create any character, background, or object you need to make your mobile game stand out from others.
    How do top game development studios handle cross-platform game development?
    16 Min read
    1098 Views

    How do top game development studios handle cross-platform game development?

    Why Cutting Costs on Game Art with AI Can Ruin a Great Game
    Min read
    Views

    Why Cutting Costs on Game Art with AI Can Ruin a Great Game

    Whimsy Games at XDS 2025: A Celebration of Community and Collaboration
    3 Min read
    1102 Views

    Whimsy Games at XDS 2025: A Celebration of Community and Collaboration

    Whimsy Games at Gamescom 2025: Highlights from Cologne
    3 Min read
    1215 Views

    Whimsy Games at Gamescom 2025: Highlights from Cologne

    Top Game Development Trends in 2025: What Studios Should Watch
    5 Min read
    1345 Views

    Top Game Development Trends in 2025: What Studios Should Watch

    How Much Does Game Development Really Cost?
    4 Min read
    982 Views

    How Much Does Game Development Really Cost?

    When Should You Reskin a Mobile Game?
    8 Min read
    1240 Views

    When Should You Reskin a Mobile Game?

    How AI Is Changing Game Art Outsourcing
    13 Min read
    1215 Views

    How AI Is Changing Game Art Outsourcing

    Whimsy Games Recognized as a Top Game Development Company in the USA for 2025
    5 Min read
    563 Views

    Whimsy Games Recognized as a Top Game Development Company in the USA for 2025

    TOP telegram-based crypto games today in 2025
    4 Min read
    461 Views

    TOP telegram-based crypto games today in 2025

    Top Gaming Companies in Florida in 2025
    5 Min read
    4683 Views

    Top Gaming Companies in Florida in 2025

    AI and Procedural in GameDev: How Whimsy Games Builds Smarter Worlds
    4 Min read
    1231 Views

    AI and Procedural in GameDev: How Whimsy Games Builds Smarter Worlds

    Exploring Telegram Mini Apps: A New Era of Mobile Gaming
    12 Min read
    2514 Views

    Exploring Telegram Mini Apps: A New Era of Mobile Gaming

    Game Co-Development: Why It’s the Smartest Way to Build Games in 2025
    4 Min read
    1142 Views

    Game Co-Development: Why It’s the Smartest Way to Build Games in 2025

    Whimsy Games at SBC Summit Malta 2025
    3 Min read
    994 Views

    Whimsy Games at SBC Summit Malta 2025

    Development of AI simulating apps for Learning Language and Culture
    13 Min read
    1436 Views

    Development of AI simulating apps for Learning Language and Culture

    Top Gaming Companies in San Diego in 2025
    8 Min read
    5206 Views

    Top Gaming Companies in San Diego in 2025

    Whimsy Games at PG Connects to Barcelona 2025
    2 Min read
    1109 Views

    Whimsy Games at PG Connects to Barcelona 2025

    Game Publishing and Distribution: How to Choose the Right Publishing Partner for a Game
    6 Min read
    1215 Views

    Game Publishing and Distribution: How to Choose the Right Publishing Partner for a Game

    Whimsy Games at Nordic Game 2025
    2 Min read
    832 Views

    Whimsy Games at Nordic Game 2025

    REALLY PROUD TO WORK WITH

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    ready to start? portfolio

      i need
      i have a budget
      and please send me NDA
      Thanks for being awesome! And for contacting us.