WTF is going on with DX12 and Vulkan?
0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings
Channels and socials
Yes, yes, we heard you... DX12 and Vulkan are here. So here's a massive video covering these new APIs :) Massdrop link: dro.ps Freshbooks link: For your unrestricted 30 day free trial, just go to freshbooks.com and enter “Linus Tech Tips” in the "how did you hear about us" section. Buy video cards on Amazon: geni.us Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Affiliates, referral programs, & sponsors: linustechtips.com Join our community forum: bit.ly twitter.com @LinusTech Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com Sound effects provided by freesfx.co.uk
DirectX12 and Vulkan are positioned as the future of game APIs, promising more direct access to GPU hardware and better multi-core utilization. The presenter explains that these lower level APIs simplify or remove layers of abstraction, aiming to reduce driver overhead and enable more parallel work across CPU cores. He emphasizes that simply having DX12 or Vulkan does not guarantee automatic performance gains; real improvements depend on how well games and engines are designed to take advantage of the new capabilities, with some titles showing clear benefits and others performing similarly to or worse than older APIs at certain resolutions. The discussion covers how AMD and Nvidia GPUs respond to asynchronous compute and how driver and hardware implementations influence results in benchmarks like Rise of the Tomb Raider and Ashes of the Singularity. The speaker also notes platform differences, such as DirectX12 being Windows-only while Vulkan aims for broad cross-platform support, including Linux and SteamOS, which has significant implications for the Linux gaming ecosystem. In the conclusion, the video looks ahead to new game engines that will exploit these APIs, signaling a trend toward more sophisticated, engine-driven features rather than relying on the APIs alone for performance gains. The sponsor mentions and callouts are kept separate from the technical discussion, with a closing note urging viewers to watch related content on asynchronous compute and future engine technology.
Topics · technology · computer graphics · gaming hardware · programming
Questions answered
- What are DirectX12 and Vulkan designed to improve in modern games?
- They are designed to reduce driver overhead, share the load across multiple CPU cores, and allow developers to communicate more directly with GPU hardware for better parallelism and efficiency.
- Why is platform support a big deal for Vulkan compared to DirectX12?
- DirectX12 is Windows and Xbox only, while Vulkan is cross platform, enabling broader Linux, SteamOS, and Android support which can broaden game availability.
- What does asynchronous compute mean in this context?
- Asynchronous compute allows lightweight tasks to run in parallel with the main graphics work, enabling better utilization of GPU resources and potentially higher frame rates depending on the workload and drivers.
- Can simply enabling DX12 or Vulkan guarantee higher FPS across all games?
- No, improvements depend on the game's engine, how well the API is integrated, and the underlying hardware and driver support, with some titles showing gains and others not.