Earlier this week, Microsoft unveiled the next step for their gaming graphics API, DirectX 12.
The key enhancement of the upgrade will be on performance. PC utilization will be improved significantly, better spreading the computing across multiple cores.
Reads the company's blog post:
DirectX 12 introduces the next version of Direct3D, the graphics API at the heart of DirectX. ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
Originally posted by ddp: is windows 7 going to be able to use it or just win8 & above?
Considering DirectX 11.2 is already a Windows 8 exclusive, I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume that yes, Microsoft is going to try to use DirectX 12 to bludgeon people into switching to 8.1 (or 9), just as they so clumsily tried with Vista and DirectX 10. Not that it worked then, or will now, of course.
In fact, it was specifically that obnoxious tactic that made me swear to NEVER move to Vista, even after it finally matured and became a reasonably viable OS, and if they do it again, the same for Windows 8.
Edit --> Following that link, this is scheduled for release sometime around the holiday season in 2015, so I imagine this wil be a Windows 9 exclusive. Interestingly enough, however, they claim it'll work on 80% of the hardware currently in use; I'm not sure how that's supposed to work, considering current DirectX versions need compatible graphics hardware to work at all =o . If it's true, that'll be a significant improvement, on its own.
One could easily see MS holding DX12 for ransom, requiring W9 as payment.
But with Mantle here and working good (considering it's youth), it would only take enough outcry from the public for Nvidia to adapt Mantle, costing MS that bit of leverage they had to require W9.
