Vertex count VS texture

I’m working an a low poly with rather flat looking graphics.

And I’ve been wondering: is it cheaper to just assign a bunch of different 100% engine build materials to a mesh (hence increasing vertex number, since it would require the faces to be subdivided), or to just use textures?

Maybe it really doesn’t make much of a difference? Are textures more expensive than poly counts?

your friend is google, since this question has been asked millions of times.

Polycount/vertex count is nothing to be worried about unless you are working on low end mobile stuff.
ANY additional material on a mesh after the first one will increase the drawcall by one.
And Drawcalls are much MUUUCH more important than materials and poly/vert count (in normal instances)

so just applying a shitload of materials on one mesh will murder your ms/fps/framerate faster than John wick can kill people.

If you simply use the right textures for the right instances, know how to unwrap and uv-map properly you can make hundreds of meshes with a very limited amount of textures/materials/material instances.