DirectX 12 What's the big deal?

[A Guy]

DirectX 12 introduces the next version of Direct3D, the graphics API at the heart of DirectX. Direct3D is one of the most critical pieces of a game or game engine, and we’ve redesigned it to be faster and more efficient than ever before. Direct3D 12 enables richer scenes, more objects, and full utilization of modern GPU hardware. And it isn’t just for high-end gaming PCs either – Direct3D 12 works across all the Microsoft devices you care about. From phones and tablets, to laptops and desktops, and, of course, Xbox One, Direct3D 12 is the API you’ve been waiting for.

What makes Direct3D 12 better? First and foremost, it provides a lower level of hardware abstraction than ever before, allowing games to significantly improve multithread scaling and CPU utilization. In addition, games will benefit from reduced GPU overhead via features such as descriptor tables and concise pipeline state objects. And that’s not all – Direct3D 12 also introduces a set of new rendering pipeline features that will dramatically improve the efficiency of algorithms such as order-independent transparency, collision detection, and geometry culling.

Of course, an API is only as good as the tools that help you use it. DirectX 12 will contain great tools for Direct3D, available immediately when Direct3D 12 is released.

We think you’ll like this part: DirectX 12 will run on many of the cards gamers already have. More on that in our FAQ.

Q: When will I be able to get my hands on DirectX 12?
A: We are targeting Holiday 2015 games.

Source

A Guy

 

[King Arthur]

And it isn’t just for high-end gaming PCs either – Direct3D 12 works across all the Microsoft devices you care about. From phones and tablets, to laptops and desktops, and, of course, Xbox One, Direct3D 12 is the API you’ve been waiting for.

So basically what they're saying is that this will be Windows 8.X+ exclusive and us Windows 7< peasants can eat dirt.

Gotcha.

 

[Phone Man]

http://www.amd.com/us/press-releases/Pages/amd-demonstrates-2014mar20.aspx

AMD revealed that it will support DirectX® 12 on all AMD Radeon™ GPUs that feature the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture.

Available on select AMD Radeon™ R7 series, R9 series and HD 7000 series graphics cards, the visionary Graphics Core Next (GCN) Architecture is a radically new approach to the design of a consumer GPU, making it a top choice for gamers who expect the best.

Jim

 

[sygnus21]

My question is will we have to purchase a new card to enjoy DX12?

In the past, starting with 10 on, certain DX features have been hard coded into the GPU's; If this trend continues, we'll have to buy newer cards to enjoy the latest DX features. Remember, if you had say a DX10 card, there was no "software" to make it DX11, you simply had to purchase a DX11 card to enjoy DX11 games.

Currently the latest GPU's feature DX11.2

 

[RoasterMen]

Are they forcing us to have Windows 8 just to have DX12 API?

 

[sygnus21]

No one is forcing you to do anything. As for DX12, no, it probably will not be coming to Windows 7. Operative word is probably.

 

[LMiller7]

For Windows 7 support for DirectX 12 check the last sentence of this article:
Microsoft reveals DirectX 12 | Polygon

Technologies like DirectX do not exist in a vacuum but requires support by the OS. It may be that Windows 7 does not provide this support.

 

[A Guy]

They could also port compatible parts to 7 if they wanted, much as they did before

A Guy