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New Graphics Cards won’t be essential for DirectX 12

Following Microsoft's recent Windows 10 press conference last week, there has been some confusion surrounding the DirectX 12 API and current GPU compatibility. However, Microsoft is hoping to clear things up a bit and has said that you won't need a new graphics card for the basic features.

Following last week's press event, Xbox executive, Mike Ybarra, said that “There will be DX 11.1 cards that take advantage of a lot of the driver and software tech that we're bringing in Windows 10, but if you want the full benefits of DX12, you're going to need a DX12 card.”

directx-12

Microsoft has since elaborated on Ybarra's statement, in an email sent to various press outlets a company spokesperson said:

“While we are not yet ready to detail everything related to DirectX 12, we can share that we are working closely with all of our hardware partners to help ensure that most modern PC gaming hardware will work well with DirectX 12, including; NVIDIA's Maxwell, Kepler and Fermi-based GPUs, Intel's 4th generation (and newer) Core processors and AMD's Graphics Core Next (GCN) based GPUs.”

It sounds like Microsoft is still working hard to nail down compatibility itself, so final details aren't ready just yet. Microsoft probably doesn't want to force PC gamers to go out and buy new DX12 specific GPUs when games start taking advantage of the new API late this year/early next year.

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KitGuru Says: Microsoft will be revealing more at the Game Developers Conference in March. DirectX 12 was always pegged for late 2015 so the company has plenty of time to work things out.

Source: Gamespot

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14 comments

  1. I’m just about to start a new build as mine is many years out of date so will be going for x99 and 4 gen processors is there any directx12 cards out there yet?? if not then I mat as well hold back till there is so I’m fully up to date.

  2. All of NVIDIA’S 900 series cards support DX12

  3. Well that sucks. I’ve got a Asus rog maximus V extreme and an i7 3770k…havent had a hitch yet and now I have to upgrade -_- wth

  4. The AMD R9 285, 290, 290X, and 295X2 all support DX12 when it will come out.

  5. Why would you have to upgrade?

  6. With r u going on about man u don’t even have a gpu from what it seems all u mentioned is ur cpu and mobo and are saying u have to upgrade for dx12… I think u don’t understand how it works :p

  7. Because I have a 3rd generation Intel proc. Dx12 and its glorious multi-core communication is for 4th gen and higher

  8. I didn’t list my GPU because I have a Titan and it makes the cut, same with my OS because I’ll have the free upgrade to 10. I put the objects that were the problem, and didn’t waste time with things that were fine. I’m not that new to this 😉

  9. By 4th Gen and newer they mean it’s for i’m not ur 3770k 🙂
    I mean how can a processor limit how dx12 works oO

  10. By 4th Gen processor they mean the IGP not the 3rd Gen not being able to handle dx12 that would just be weird and prolly not possible to limit by processors either 🙂

  11. Didn’t think of it that way, guess I got the thought pit in my head by a headline (not this one but another) saying “you might not have to upgrade your GPU, but a CPU upgrade is likely”…. Kinda wish I would a posted on there so I could say ” this headline” lol.

  12. fuck their directx 12 ! im not upgrading my pc and throw a lot of money on a video card again

  13. Søren Chr. Nielsen

    it’s not like MS is forcing you to upgrade. If you want to play a game that is designed to run on DX12 only, however, well then you’ve got only two choices: either upgrade or accept that you won’t be playing the game.

  14. I hope nvidia gtx 900 series cards support full DX12 features (hardware).