Abstract: A graphics system includes a graphics controller for rendering polygons with specular highlighting (glare) based on a comparison of texel color values from a texture map to a range of color values. The graphics processor includes range registers for storing the range of color values and color comparators for comparing a texel color value to the range of colors stored in the range registers. The range of color values used in the comparison corresponds to the range of colors of those portions of a texture for which specular highlighting is appropriate, such as metallic surfaces off which light reflects. If a texel color value to be applied to a screen pixel is within the range of colors defined for specular highlighting, the graphics processor adds an appropriate specular component to the texel value.