Page "Bézier curve" Paragraph 13

Because arcs of circles and ellipses cannot be exactly represented by Bézier curves, they are first approximated by Bézier curves, which are in turn approximated by arcs of circles.

This is inefficient as there exists also approximations of all Bézier curves using arcs of circles or ellipses, which can be rendered incrementally with arbitrary precision.

Another approach, used by modern hardware graphics adapters with accelerated geometry, can convert exactly all Bézier and conic curves ( or surfaces ) into NURBS, that can be rendered incrementally without first splitting the curve recursively to reach the necessary flatness condition.

This approach also allows preserving the curve definition under all linear or perspective 2D and 3D transforms and projections.