DirectX 11 vs. DirectX 12

DirectX is an API package made by Microsoft that allows you to manage computer activities related to the contents of your machine. This includes game programming, not just for Windows but for Xbox as well. To better understand how it all works, however, it is also good to understand what the APIs are.

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We’re talking about an application programming interface (API) that allows two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. To get a more concrete idea of ​​this mechanic, try to think of a telephone. If your mom texts you a shopping list, your phone will receive that data and display it for you. This is the API operating mechanism, reduced to a minimum.

This communication system, over the years, has evolved quite a bit. DirectX in fact, appears on our computers in 1994, initially linked to the gaming context. Since then, Microsoft has never stopped developing such software, going as far as DirectX 12, released simultaneously with Windows 10.

With its release, Microsoft’s DirectX 12 ushered in a new era for gamers and developers. Capable of reducing CPU overhead while increasing GPU performance, DirectX 12 quickly caught on with many Windows users.

But is it really as simple as it seems? What is the real difference between DirectX 11 and the later version? In this article, we will try to shed some light on this.

What is DirectX 11

DirectX 11 is the latest version of Microsoft’s DirectX application programming interface, which provides a set of tools for developing rich multimedia applications on the Windows platform.

It enables developers to create high-performance 3D graphics and audio components that can be used in games, simulations, and other interactive entertainment experiences.

DirectX 11 features improved performance over its predecessors by utilizing new technologies such as tessellation shaders and DirectCompute 5.0 for faster rendering speeds; better support for multi-threaded workloads; improved memory management capabilities; enhanced shader model 4 technology with more advanced lighting effects; plus much more.

Overall, DirectX 11 offers an unprecedented level of graphical fidelity while reducing system overhead to improve gaming performance across all platforms supported by Microsoft Windows operating systems.

What is DirectX 12

DirectX 12 is a software development platform created by Microsoft that provides developers with the tools to create high-performance multimedia applications, such as 3D graphics and audio.

It allows developers to use advanced features such as multi-threaded rendering, tessellation for better visuals, asynchronous compute shaders for improved performance on modern hardware architectures, and more.

DirectX 12 also supports multiple GPUs in a single system allowing gamers to experience the best possible gaming performance from their PC.

What are the differences between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12?

So, what are the differences between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12? As it seems logical, these are two releases released at different times, with the second one, which is better suited to modern hardware.

One of the most obvious differences between the two is the way they interact with your computer. Most games developed with DirectX 11 use only two to four CPU cores. One of these cores is usually dedicated to giving commands to the GPU on how to behave.

The game then uses the remaining cores to handle various things that consume CPU resources, such as game particle effects or on-screen camera distance. On the other hand, DirectX 12 distributes the workload of a CPU across multiple cores and also allows each of them to communicate with the GPU simultaneously.

DirectX 12 also comes with some extra features. Among them, we can mention asynchronous computing and graphics pipeline state management (PSO). 

Asynchronous computing increases GPU utilization by allowing multiple workloads to run in parallel. This essentially unlocks the full potential of your GPU. In addition to graphics rendering, your GPU is responsible for handling a variety of other tasks, such as running machine learning algorithms.

With DirectX 11, the GPU can only perform one of these tasks at a time and in a certain order. When this occurs, performance suffers because the GPU is overloaded.

Think of it like a waiter in a restaurant: when he first takes your order, he asks what you would like to drink first. Once you receive your drinks they ask what you would like to eat. Your order is taken in several steps and, the waiter will never ask you what you would like for dessert before you have eaten the main course. All of this would make no sense.

In computing, each of the waiter’s tasks is handled by a different GPU resource: until you receive your drink, the GPU resources needed to take your main course order will sit idle. With DirectX 12 asynchronous computing, the waiter would be able to take your order all at once like in a fast food chain. This maximizes GPU usage and improves gaming performance.

DirectX 11 vs. DirectX 12: What are the real differences?

DirectX 12 and OSPs

DirectX 12 also introduced OSPs. With DirectX 11, when a game’s geometry is sent to the GPU for rendering, a variety of hardware settings are responsible for interpreting this data. This is called the graphics pipeline and is the flow of data input and output that occurs as the GPU renders frames. But you should know that the DirectX 11 graphics pipeline is not perfect.

It contains a collection of different states, including the rasterization state, blends state, and depth stencil state, among other components. In DirectX 11, there are dependencies between these different states. As a result, a state cannot be completed until the previous state is defined. This reduces GPU usage and increases CPU overhead at the expense of performance.

To get around this, DirectX 12 introduced PSOs, which are objects that describe the state of the entire graphics pipeline. PSOs are like a bottle that contains the various “components” needed to create an image. This allows the GPU to pre-process each dependent state instead of having to continually recalculate states based on the current graphics pipeline.

This significantly reduces the CPU overhead found in DirectX 11 and improves performance. So, what does this difference actually look like? Well, according to Microsoft, DirectX 12 reduces CPU overhead by up to 50% and improves GPU performance by up to 20%. Although these are substantial improvements, there are still some small doubts to be clarified.

Because switching from DirectX 11 to DirectX 12 is not that easy

DirectX 11 was first released for Windows Vista on October 27, 2009So with DirectX 12 following in 2015, that’s a 6-year gap between the two releases. During this time, thousands of games have been developed using DirectX 11, and switching between the two technologies is tougher than you might think.

DirectX 11 has what is called a “high-level” API. To put it simply, high-level APIs are easier for developers to use – the result is stable, polished, and playable games. On the other hand, DirectX 12 is a low-level API and offers very different facilities than its counterpart. While it allows developers to fine-tune optimization at a granular level, it also requires extensive knowledge for optimal use.

In theory, adopting DirectX 12 is dealing with a better system, but the final result depends on the work of the developer. In fact, some development studios, to offer optimal software, forego the latest DirectX and opt for the older version.

Which is the best choice for you?

The answer depends on a few variables, such as the game you’re trying to run on your computer.

For example, Guild Wars 2 runs on DirectX 11. The developers have indeed decided to opt exclusively for this version. Believe it or not, it took ArenaNet (the studio that produced the title) a whopping 9 years to transition from DirectX 9 to DirectX 11 and they don’t want to take that long to optimize their title again.

However, there are some games that support both solutions. Fortnite is perhaps the most striking example of this. Through the game settings, users can switch between versions with ease.

To summarize, not all games support both technologies. For those that do, feel free to test the titles to figure out which one fits best. Not only that: but also keep in mind that your hardware configuration has a significant specific weight in the operation or otherwise of one of the two versions of DirectX.

Any modern GPU will support DirectX 12, but the same cannot be said for older GPUs like the Radeon HD 4870. Released in 2008, this GPU only supports up to DirectX 10. This means that it would not be able to run most modern games, which run on DirectX 11 and DirectX 12.

For more information on the GPU, we recommend taking a look at this article.

Is DirectX 12 the right choice for you?

All in all, moving from DirectX 11 to DirectX 12 is not as logical as it may appear on the surface. It depends on a variety of factors such as hardware, software, operating system, and whether a game supports one or both solutions. All of these factors need to be considered before making a decision, and this will likely be true for future generations of DirectX as well.

DirectX 11 vs 12 Fortnite

DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 are two popular graphics APIs used to render 3D visuals in games such as Fortnite. While both provide high-quality graphics, DirectX 12 has been shown to offer improved performance over its predecessor due to its more efficient use of system resources.

In addition, it offers additional features such as multi-threaded rendering capabilities that allow developers to take advantage of multiple CPU cores for better graphical performance. Ultimately, the choice between these two APIs depends on individual hardware specifications and user preferences;

However, those looking for the best possible experience should consider choosing a system with support for DirectX 12 when playing Fortnite or other demanding titles.

DirectX 11 vs DirectX 12 civ 6

DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 are two versions of the popular Microsoft graphics technology used in games like Civilization 6. DirectX 11 is widely available, while DirectX 12 requires Windows 10 or later and a compatible graphics card.

Generally speaking, users with access to both technologies will see improved performance when running games on DX12 compared to DX11, including better visuals at higher resolutions as well as faster loading times for assets.

However, some older systems may not be able to take advantage of all the features offered by DX12 due to its increased hardware requirements.

DirectX 11 vs 12 witcher 3

DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 are both graphics APIs used in the Witcher 3 game. While DirectX 11 is a mature API that has been around for many years, DX12 provides more modern features such as better asynchronous compute support, improved CPU/GPU performance scaling, faster shader compilation times, and reduced driver overhead.

As a result of these improvements, users running on DX12 can expect to see increased frame rates when compared to those running on DX11.

Ultimately though it will depend on the user’s hardware setup which version of DirectX they should use for optimal results in Witcher 3 – testing out each one is recommended before making a decision!

Will DirectX 12 improve FPS?

DirectX 12 has the potential to improve FPS in games, especially on lower-end systems. It offers more efficient use of resources through its multi-threaded command buffer and asynchronous shaders, allowing for better utilization of CPU cores and improved performance.

Additionally, DirectX 12 also allows for greater control over GPU workloads which can further enhance frame rates by reducing bottlenecks caused by excessive draw calls or other factors.

Therefore, with all these features combined, it is likely that DirectX 12 will be able to provide a noticeable improvement in frames per second on many gaming rigs around the world.

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