Microsoft Introduces DirectX Raytracing 1.2 with Major Performance and Visual Advances

The new API features opacity micromaps and shader execution reordering, offering substantial improvements in raytraced gaming performance and fidelity.

DirectX Raytracing (DXR) 1.2 introduces opacity micromaps (OMM) and shader execution reordering (SER), promising up to 2.3x and 2x performance boosts, respectively, in specific scenarios.
NVIDIA RTX GPUs already support key DXR 1.2 features, while Microsoft is collaborating with AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm for broader adoption.
Neural rendering advancements, including cooperative vectors and Neural Block Texture Compression, aim to enhance AI-driven graphics efficiency and realism.
Updates to Windows WARP ensure DX12 Ultimate compatibility, enabling raytracing and other advanced features on systems without dedicated GPUs.
The preview Agility SDK for DXR 1.2 is set to launch in April 2025, with Remedy's Alan Wake 2 showcasing the technology’s potential at GDC.