Microsoft has announced the next version of DirectX Raytracing, also known as DXR, DirectX Raytracing 1.2. DXR 1.2 will come with two major features that aim to significantly improve performance. So, let’s take a closer look at them.
The two new features of DXR 1.2 are Opacity micromaps and Shader execution reordering.
Opacity micromaps aim to significantly optimize alpha-tested geometry. According to MS, they can deliver up to 2.3x performance improvement in path-traced games. By efficiently managing opacity data, OMM reduces shader invocations and greatly enhances rendering efficiency without compromising visual quality.
On the other hand, Shader Execution Reordering offers a major leap forward in rendering performance. This can make DXR be up to 2x faster in some scenarios than its previous version. SER achieves this by intelligently grouping shader execution to enhance GPU efficiency, and reducing divergence. The result is higher frame rates, something that will make raytraced titles smoother and more immersive than ever.
As MS pointed out, NVIDIA has committed driver support across its GeForce RTX GPUs. MS is also actively working with other hardware vendors, including AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, to ensure widespread adoption.
Now while this is cool, we won’t see a game that supports DXR 1.2 anytime soon. So, don’t hold your breath for something spectacular in 2025 (or even 2026). Still, as MS stated, DXR 1.2 will pave the way for even more path-traced games on PC.
Stay tuned for more!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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