Microsoft just shared fresh info about DirectX Raytracing 1.2, which improves real-time ray tracing. They added two helpful features called Opacity Micro-Maps and Shader Execution Reordering to help games run faster. Opacity Micro-Maps handle see-through objects like fences or hair without wasting power. Shader Execution Reordering changes how tasks line up, making your graphics card run tasks more smartly.
These features need newer graphics cards to work right. Microsoft teamed up with big companies to make everything play nicely together. Nvidia plans to use Opacity Micro-Maps on RTX 20-series cards and Shader Execution Reordering on RTX 40-series cards. Intel will add Shader Execution Reordering through its Agility SDK and later support Opacity Micro-Maps with its upcoming Celestial GPUs. Qualcomm said their next Windows graphics chips will support both features.
The upgrade focuses on making current ray tracing faster instead of creating brand-new methods. Tests show Opacity Micro-Maps can speed up certain path-tracing programs by 2.3 times. Shader Execution Reordering might even double the rendering speed in some cases. Thanks to these improvements, your games could look just as pretty but run much faster. Microsoft plans to release these updates for Windows computers by April 2025.
These features need newer graphics cards to work right. Microsoft teamed up with big companies to make everything play nicely together. Nvidia plans to use Opacity Micro-Maps on RTX 20-series cards and Shader Execution Reordering on RTX 40-series cards. Intel will add Shader Execution Reordering through its Agility SDK and later support Opacity Micro-Maps with its upcoming Celestial GPUs. Qualcomm said their next Windows graphics chips will support both features.
The upgrade focuses on making current ray tracing faster instead of creating brand-new methods. Tests show Opacity Micro-Maps can speed up certain path-tracing programs by 2.3 times. Shader Execution Reordering might even double the rendering speed in some cases. Thanks to these improvements, your games could look just as pretty but run much faster. Microsoft plans to release these updates for Windows computers by April 2025.
