[fsphiladelphia]

Can someone explain in practical, results-oriented language what the effect of bilinear filtering is vs. trilinear filtering?  which is more of a drain on performance and which looks better?

[DaBrain]

Trillinear filtering looks better, but needs a bit more performance.

Billinear filtering isn't used anymore I think. At least not in recent games.

The difference (visual result) is that you get mipmaps blended over each other, or into each other. So you don't have any hard line between the mipmaps and cannot see directly where they get switched.

[fsphiladelphia]

Thanks for the info.  Trilinear mipmaps it is!