Abstract: A graphics system enables an automatic choice between existing host rendering programs, existing hardware acceleration methods, and enhanced software acceleration programs for rendering graphic primitives. The graphics system accesses the speed and accuracy characterizations of a hardware accelerator attached to the system. Then, for each graphics primitive available from the enhanced software acceleration programs, the graphics system invention compares the speed and accuracy of the attached hardware accelerator with that of the enhanced software acceleration programs. The graphics system invention then selects which graphics primitives should be rendered by the enhanced software acceleration programs and which graphics primitives should be rendered by the attached hardware accelerator.