5 best shaders for Minecraft's 1.19 update

Shaders are a great way for Minecraft players to improve their visuals, which come in many different forms.

Players can download shaders for both Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, so there are plenty of methods for doing so. Several different sites collect multiple shaders for easy access. No matter where players receive their shaders, there are certainly some that stand out more than others.

Even after Minecraft 1.19's implementation, there are plenty of amazing shaders worth trying out. Whether they're being used via Sodium or OptiFine, these shaders truly stand out amongst the pack.

---

Ranking the top shaders after Minecraft The Wild Update

5) MakeUp Ultra Fast Shaders

MakeUp attempts to bring balance between visuals and FPS performance (Image via XavierFST/CurseForge)

A shader pack dating back to 2020, MakeUp attempts to provide Minecraft players with good performance and quality visuals. It can be built by players themselves, allowing them to pick and choose features they'd like to implement.

Additions players can use include depth of field, chromatic aberration, motion blur, ambient occlusion, and volumetric lighting. Thanks to its flexibility, MakeUp can help Minecraft players find the right balance between their ideal visuals and prevent frames per second dropoff.

---

4) Cyanide Shaders

Cyanide Shaders at night (Image via MLGimposter/CurseForge)

Another great shader pack for Minecraft players who want to avoid performance issues, Cyanide Shaders augments the vanilla game in subtle but effective ways. Used via Optifine and Iris, these shaders provide a subtle bloom effect and plenty of customizations, including tonemap operators.

Players can even use Cyanide to create their own shader packs if they'd like, making it an excellent base to start from.

---

3) Sildur's Vibrant Shaders

A sunset via Sildur's Vibrant Shaders (Image via Sildur)

One of the long-running options for Minecraft players, Sildur's Vibrant Shaders has been a top pick for years. Its lighting effects, shadows, and screen effects are comprehensive and bring an entirely new look to the game. Like several other packs, Sildur's Vibrant Shaders is also exceptionally flexible in meeting FPS goals.

Players can spend a remarkable amount of time tweaking their settings to reach their perfect ratio of performance and quality. There are six total versions of the mod to try out, from Lite Edition for lower-end machines to Extreme, which utilizes the shader to its fullest.

---

2) ProjectLUMA Shaders

A comparison between ProjectLUMA and Sildur's Vibrant Shaders (Image via AW Gaming/YouTube)

ProjectLUMA, another long-lived pack of shaders, is the successor of the once-great KUDA Shaders. They feature incredibly high-quality graphics with a considerably small performance impact.

One of the most impressive aspects of these shaders is the realistic skyboxes, clouds, and lighting. This is also reflected in the surface of the water, which looks as realistic as one could expect from a high-quality shader like this.

This pack is visually gorgeous from top to bottom, and most players should be able to run it efficiently without any prior tweaks.

---

1) BSL Shaders

The beauty of BSL Shaders (Image via CaptTatsu/CurseForge)

Long considered the golden standard for shaders, BSL includes a vast suite of customizations to fit players' tastes. Features include real-time shadow mapping, built-in anti-aliasing, and customizable clouds and water. Thanks to its customization, the pack can fit many different hardware specifications, and players who utilize it at its utmost are in for a treat.

BSL can completely transform a Minecraft world, making it a delightful place to inhabit in the Overworld. Meanwhile, locales like the Nether and End keep their ominous appearance while ratcheting up the lighting to make things even creepier. BSL is a top pick for a large portion of the community, and it's for a very good reason.

However, it's worth mentioning that the base version of BSL is only available for Java Edition. Some versions have been made available for Bedrock Edition, but these weren't necessarily sanctioned by the developer CaptTatsu. Regardless, this shader pack may not be a perfect fit for every player, but it's an excellent place to start for those who may be unfamiliar with shaders.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.