Friday, March 20th 2020
Microsoft DirectX 12 Ultimate: Why it Helps Gamers Pick Future Proof Graphics Cards
Microsoft Thursday released the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo. This is not a new API with any new features, but rather a differentiator for graphics cards and game consoles that support four key modern features of DirectX 12. This helps consumers recognize the newer and upcoming GPUs, and tell them apart from some older DirectX 12 capable GPUs that were released in the mid-2010s. For a GPU to be eligible for the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo, it must feature hardware acceleration for ray-tracing with the DXR API; must support Mesh Shaders, Variable Rate Shading (VRS), and Sampler Feedback (all of the four). The upcoming Xbox Series X console features this logo by default. Microsoft made it absolutely clear that the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo isn't meant as a compatibility barrier, and that these games will work on older hardware, too.
As it stands, the "Navi"-based Radeon RX 5000 series are "obsolete", just like some Turing cards from the GeForce GTX 16-series. At this time, the only shipping product which features the logo is NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20-series and the TITAN RTX, as they support all the above features.
Microsoft's announcement of the logo invited quick reactions from NVIDIA and AMD. NVIDIA has reason to gloat that its circa Q3-2018 GeForce RTX 20-series are already DirectX 12 Ultimate logo certified, and gloat it did. AMD, on the other hand, was left to content with the fact that Xbox Series X has this logo, as its upcoming RDNA2 graphics architecture powers the console's GPU; and an assurance that its next-generation of Radeon RX graphics cards will feature the logo. Intel posted no reaction to this development, since none of its current iGPUs cut the requirements. Gen11 "Ice Lake" supports VRS tier-1, something RDNA doesn't. It's been rumored that the company's larger Xe discrete GPUs (those with two-figure TFLOPs), could implement DXR-compliant ray-tracing.
In our opinion, the introduction of the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo will spark a sense of urgency within AMD's ranks to launch next-gen Radeon RX graphics cards based on the RDNA2 architecture. It will also give Microsoft a vehicle that lets them fight the Sony Playstation 5 hardware capabilities. Perhaps with this logo, Microsoft is trying to communicate that its Xbox Series X console is as capable as PCs with GeForce RTX 20-series graphics cards (which is very much qualified, if you look at the console's hardware specs sheet).
NVIDIA has had raytracing for over a year, with mixed success in terms of adoption rates and how willing gamers were to pay for it. Still, right now, in people's minds, NVIDIA is the raytracing company — the only one. While Microsoft could admit "we've joined the raytracing party, two years later", they innovated their way out of this by creating a new certification that they could announce themselves, to bring parity back to mindsets of gamers. Remember, there's still quite some time before the new consoles release — plenty of time for marketing to work its magic.
Back when DirectX 12 was launched, Microsoft announced that it would be the "last DirectX" — a decision which has been effectively reverted now, because the company has realized the marketing value of new names, badges and stickers. Now of course this will simplify things for gamers that are not hardware experts. They can simply look for the DirectX 12 Ultimate Badge and know they will have what it takes to run the latest titles with all their features — whether that translates into playable framerates on the PC platform remains to be seen.
Microsoft's push for DirectX 12 should also nudge developers to embrace the DirectX 12 API. So far, DirectX 12 has seen very little adoption rate from game developers, with the vast majority of titles using DirectX 11, which is much simpler to develop for, too. Maybe we'll even see the DirectX 12 Ultimate Logo associated with games — to highlight that a game uses the four magical features, and will thus deliver next-gen graphics. The dark horse in consumer graphics is the Vulkan API by Khronos Group. There are plenty of AAA games that provide next-gen eye-candy with this API. It's supported across multiple PC operating systems, and is implemented alongside OpenGL in PlayStation 5. It also has a full-fleged ray-tracing feature-set. Microsoft could also be targeting Vulkan's growing popularity.
Variable Rate Shading is one of the key ingredients for next-gen consoles being able offer smooth 4K gaming. Consoles set the technological minimums for game developers, and it would pay to have a graphics card that's at least aligned with an Xbox Series X in terms of features, if not performance.
As it stands, the "Navi"-based Radeon RX 5000 series are "obsolete", just like some Turing cards from the GeForce GTX 16-series. At this time, the only shipping product which features the logo is NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20-series and the TITAN RTX, as they support all the above features.
In our opinion, the introduction of the DirectX 12 Ultimate logo will spark a sense of urgency within AMD's ranks to launch next-gen Radeon RX graphics cards based on the RDNA2 architecture. It will also give Microsoft a vehicle that lets them fight the Sony Playstation 5 hardware capabilities. Perhaps with this logo, Microsoft is trying to communicate that its Xbox Series X console is as capable as PCs with GeForce RTX 20-series graphics cards (which is very much qualified, if you look at the console's hardware specs sheet).
NVIDIA has had raytracing for over a year, with mixed success in terms of adoption rates and how willing gamers were to pay for it. Still, right now, in people's minds, NVIDIA is the raytracing company — the only one. While Microsoft could admit "we've joined the raytracing party, two years later", they innovated their way out of this by creating a new certification that they could announce themselves, to bring parity back to mindsets of gamers. Remember, there's still quite some time before the new consoles release — plenty of time for marketing to work its magic.
Back when DirectX 12 was launched, Microsoft announced that it would be the "last DirectX" — a decision which has been effectively reverted now, because the company has realized the marketing value of new names, badges and stickers. Now of course this will simplify things for gamers that are not hardware experts. They can simply look for the DirectX 12 Ultimate Badge and know they will have what it takes to run the latest titles with all their features — whether that translates into playable framerates on the PC platform remains to be seen.
Microsoft's push for DirectX 12 should also nudge developers to embrace the DirectX 12 API. So far, DirectX 12 has seen very little adoption rate from game developers, with the vast majority of titles using DirectX 11, which is much simpler to develop for, too. Maybe we'll even see the DirectX 12 Ultimate Logo associated with games — to highlight that a game uses the four magical features, and will thus deliver next-gen graphics. The dark horse in consumer graphics is the Vulkan API by Khronos Group. There are plenty of AAA games that provide next-gen eye-candy with this API. It's supported across multiple PC operating systems, and is implemented alongside OpenGL in PlayStation 5. It also has a full-fleged ray-tracing feature-set. Microsoft could also be targeting Vulkan's growing popularity.
Variable Rate Shading is one of the key ingredients for next-gen consoles being able offer smooth 4K gaming. Consoles set the technological minimums for game developers, and it would pay to have a graphics card that's at least aligned with an Xbox Series X in terms of features, if not performance.
61 Comments on Microsoft DirectX 12 Ultimate: Why it Helps Gamers Pick Future Proof Graphics Cards
As it stands, the "Navi"-based Radeon RX 5000 series are "obsolete", just like some Turing cards from the GeForce GTX 16-series. At this time, the only shipping product which features the logo is NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20-series and the TITAN RTX, as they support all the above features."
Does obsolete not imply Eol, certainly does in England.
You knew what word I meant so?.
Rtrt is still not common in games and those it is most I know who can don't for FPS reasons. This is the main reason I and many others bashed it when Nvidia released it. Very few gamers run with all the eye candy on all the time as it distracts you from frags.
I also bashed on Nvidia for the way they marketed it, like they had just invented RT....
I don't know anybody who said rtrt was not the future of gaming, just that future was a couple of GPU gen away and as such amd needed to get it right and not right now.
Back to the topic.
Another new dx12..... If games take 2 years to come out using it well I would be shocked and think 4 years before it becomes well executed and widespread and is more realistic.
I suspect the two big consoles will help adoption rates of this new (read 2018) tech once they finally hit the market.
I'm English, we get satire ,but that didn't come through right to me.
But no drama here just one opinion so far.
I love the hype regarding RTX. we are all gamers here. we all love nice graphics. they certainly improve the game experience, most of you started like me on DOS games or even earlier. so when we see the jump from that time this is just like sooo amazing.
Going to play Doom this weekend. thanks to the post of Techpowerup team. Great graphics. Great shooting. Fun. I just rushed on Steam to buy it.
Visual beauty of renderings "offered" to us is like a fresh beer in summer. and for many it's a quest.
When you start to look at buying a mountain bike. you'll look at the 4000 5000Euros ones and say Woooaa amazing stuff. because their marketing teams create the hype with all these new features and small improvements praised by amazing videos. for sure you don't need all that stuff to get the fun.
In the end you are only gonna buy the 1000-1500 Euros price range or less, of the brand that made the most hype. but you're still dreaming about all the new techno all arround, and proud that you are part of it.
some people like me have the need to dream about all these new stuff.
When I see RTX Im like Woouaa. but not only RTX... 4K60 ultra...
I don't own RTX now. but I dream that one day I will.
conclusion : fridge > beer > DOOM !
For gaming with most APIs like DX12/DX11/Vulkan RX 5000 series is just fine and will continue to be fine. I doubt DX12 Ultimate will be minimum requirement in near future... Unless there is some lazy game developer that does not wan't to do light baking for PC port as RT lightning just works on console and is supported through dx12 ultimate api.
First bit they're obsolete then second paragraph you wind it right back and they are not, your considerably more confused than me son I assure you.
Simple facts for simple people.
Just bought doom eternal.
It doesn't support ulty though might in the future.
My Vega 64 plays all settings on the very highest settings upto 4k
My Rtx2060 won't go anywhere near those settings or anywhere near 4k.
It will be two years before there is a few games that will only work on ulty at best. . . . .
So that's not obsolete then is it, and Even the Op used that word as comedy for some reason.
I was trying to leave the debate as quite as possible but people like to debate eh.
And of the many news post's this is the second I read in ten years I didn't appreciate.
This site put a slant on DX12 ulty no other site did.
I dont see the slant at all, man. Really feels like you are barking up the wrong tree. Good luck. :)
And I wasn't the first to feel like an agenda was in effect, even if there is not one.
I've tried Rtx adequately and I'm vastly underwhelmed , bit like physx initially, there's no where near enough Dev support to warrant ANY effort at this time to partake and it's a complete (Nvidia made) shitstorm as to what level of support you get in supported games.
Depending on what Rtx you have settings are limited to you(2060 gets no scaler slider for Rtx just on or off).
When you get a new tech , like 4k ,physx or hardware T&L.
Even if I can't play the game I would like to see it able to be maxed at 3fps if necessary, so I can see where we're headed with that tech.
With Rtx the only way to do similar is to pay three times an rtx2060s price for the 2080ti something I wouldn't recommend.
And anyone recommending an Rtx over anything because of Rtx is misleading information at this time IMHO, we're not at that moment and won't be for three years IMHO.
Which is why I didn't appreciate the obsolete banter in the Op.
So let that be the lesson for this time... no stress guys. It comes when it comes and we are still in early adoption land. And will be for at least a few years post XSX and PS5 launch, too.Obsolete is rendered useless. EOL is end of sales...
What means buy new, really?! Its just your own perspective and or upgrade itch saying that. The new cards on offer are just teasing you to get itchy. The rest is in your head.
It comes down to timing your gpu purchases right, in the end, and a big part of that is not riding the tech hype but lagging behind it for a liittld while and then make an informed choice. Its been proven time and time again... no need to rush, tech adoption is slow and bumpy and its all about the content anyway. Usually its the content that triggers a gpu upgrade and then you just look at whats on offer.
In the last two decades or so, the first thing to make anything obsolete has always* been performance, and then in some cases dropped driver support. I don't see this changing anytime soon.
Never upgrade in case you need a card, upgrade when you need it.
*) I'm sure there is an edge case here and there, but that's beside the point.
In this thread it's implied all cards out besides Rtx 2£££ series cards are obsolete Now because of a lack of features.
On the topic, is ultimate the only game in town, no are all the features of both consoles included, No.
Does an Rtx 2£££ series card have feature parity with both consoles, No.
So the implications are all cards could lack features required to get the best of all games in two years to three.