Aspects of this disclosure relate to a process for rendering graphics that includes designating a hardware shading unit of a graphics processing unit (GPU) to perform first shading operations associated with a first shader stage of a rendering pipeline. The process also includes switching operational modes of the hardware shading unit upon completion of the first shading operations. The process also includes performing, with the hardware shading unit of the GPU designated to perform the first shading operations, second shading operations associated with a second, different shader stage of the rendering pipeline.