The DirectX 12 API will be further developed to DirectX Ultimate. Important new features include support for DirectX Raytracing Tier 1.1 and Variable Rate Shading, but not just all of this.
Now it is official, DirectX 12 will soon be replaced by DirectX 12 Ultimate. The API will not only be used by PCs, but also by the Xbox Series X. DirectX 12 Ultimate consists of four main technologies. These are DirectX Raytracing v1.1, Variable Rate Shading, Mesh Shader and Sampler Feedback.
Variable Rate Shading and the Mesh Shader improve performance without visibly degrading the display. They offer developers a way to increase speed by selectively reducing detail in areas of the image where quality loss is unlikely to be noticeable.
DirectX 12 Ultimate, Nvidia and AMD position themselves
Nvidia did not hesitate to quickly join the announcement of DirectX 12 Ultimate. The explanation is simple. The company offers its support through its range of GeForce RTX. This concerns especially DXR 1.1, the result of a collaboration with Microsoft.
For its part, AMD tells us that the RDNA 2 graphics architecture will support this API. The giant adds:
“DirectX 12 Ultimate will take the new generation of games to a new level of realism with four key features: DirectX Raytracing (DXR), Variable Rate Shading (VRS), Mesh Shader and Sample Feedback.”
AMD has worked closely with Microsoft to share this inspiring experience with RDNA 2-based graphics solutions. AMD has also worked with Microsoft on the development of DXR 1.1, an upgrade to DXR that provides greater efficiency and better performance for ray tracing effects.
With DirectX 12 Ultimate, advanced effects such as ray tracing will be available in a growing number of games, while making it easier for developers to create games with the same API and graphics architecture on both PC and console platforms.