Microsoft has announced the next version of DirectX Raytracing, also known as DXR, DirectX Raytracing 1.2. This update introduces two significant features designed to improve performance significantly. Let’s break down what you can expect from these enhancements.
The first feature is Opacity Micromaps (OMM), which targets optimization for alpha-tested geometry. Microsoft claims this can lead to a remarkable up to 2.3x performance improvement in path-traced games. By better-managing opacity data, OMM reduces shader invocations and boosts rendering efficiency without losing visual quality.
The second feature is Shader Execution Reordering (SER), which aims for a leap in rendering performance, potentially making DXR up to 2x faster than its predecessor in specific scenarios. SER achieves this by intelligently organizing shader execution to improve GPU efficiency while reducing divergence. The result? Higher frame rates should make raytraced titles smoother and more interesting than before.
According to Microsoft, NVIDIA has committed driver support across its GeForce RTX GPUs. It is also collaborating with other hardware vendors, such as AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, to ensure the widespread adoption of DXR 1.2.
This news is interesting; however, don’t expect any games supporting DXR 1.2 anytime soon, releases are not likely until at least 2025 or even 2026! Regardless, Microsoft emphasizes that this new iteration will pave the way for more path-traced games on PC moving forward.
