I wouldn't say AMD improvement we've seen with the recent events (DX12 patch for RotTR or Vulkan Patch for DOOM) is down to what AMD is doing with its driver. Some say its because the game is optimized for the particular game, some say because of bad driver implementation. For me and I stand by this, its down to fact that finally the API shift AMD is banking on since they created GCN finally came. If we are to discuss about this, it hard to keep everyone on the same page without first fundamentally understanding where the key components in making the game display on your screen sits. And I'm going to go long on this one once and for all to clear the air.



My simplistic explanation, application (game engine) talks to API layer (DirectX, Vulkan, OpenGL runtime). In order for the GPU hardware to talk to the API, the GPU vendor creates their specific driver. The API itself has so many functions and feature. But certain API function and feature must be implemented by the game developer to ensure that their game runs across multiple devices that supports the particular API (this is key as to why API like DirectX exist in the first place). And there are certain API function and features that's available for the game developer and GPU manufacturer (through their respective drive implementation) to use and implement, and there's where those specific GPU brand optimization game come about. The API is needed for today games to work (those who has played games in MS-DOS before the invention of DirectX, please raise your hand), there's no two ways about. If someone comes and tell me API is not needed, please uninstall all traces of DirectX runtime from your Windows PC and tell me you game works.

Now lets discuss first on this AMD/ GCN/ Async Compute thingy. AMD had GCN built into the GPUs starting in 2011, and at that time, the de facto API is DX11 for most games. Within that GCN, AMD had this hardware based Asynchronous Compute Engine that can utilize the asynchronous compute concept to improve game performance. But DX11 API does not make use of async compute. So there's AMD with their GCN sitting in their GPU, taking up transistor and die-space, but pretty much useless. But AMD believed that its a good technology, continue upgrading their GCN throughout DX11 reign, despite it basically not improving their card performance in any way. AMD was banking on that someday future API will make use of async compute. The created Mantle API to showcase the async compute capability who uses Mantle? But game developers know that Async Compute is good thing, Microsoft knows its good thing, Khronos knows it a good thing. Only now with DX12 and Vulkan latest development that Async Compute becomes a feature available in their API.

And that feature is NOT proprietary to AMD (although AMD has a hand in pushing it to be accepted as one the API features for DX12 and Vulkan). Its exist in DX12 and Vulkan API, and any game developer and GPU manufacturer (via their driver implementation) can take advantage of it if they want too. And I really mean ANYBODY. I would like to stress here too that DX12 is not all about Async Compute. Its just one of the available features of many others. But the fundamentals of DX12 existence is to move into low level API programming which is more efficient than DX11 API. Refer to pic below

[attachmentid=7083767]

In relation to the recent events with RotTR DX12 patch and Doom Vulkan patch, to say that its driver related is not quite right. AMD latest driver was already in use (and I'm sure that within that driver, using Async Compute already exist) before those 2 patches came out. But that Async Compute feature was not utilize, not until a few days ago when those 2 patches came out for DX12 and Vulkan, and finally those 2 game can make use of AMD async compute, and BOOM, improvement to some AMD cards with GCN. DX12 and Vulkan API as whole does not improve AMD cards performance. Its specific feature utilization within the respective API does (in this case API Async Compute support). So generalize that Dx12 or Vulkan will improve AMD cards performance is wrong. It totally depends on the game developer usage and implementation of DX12 and Vulkan API feature, but potential for AMD cards is there, if the game developers decides to do so. Its not so much within AMD controls, but its in the hands of the developer. And if any of you read through some those DirectX12 articles, one of the incentive for DX12 implementation is that game developer has more control on how their game engine interacts hardware level.

So this is my take on AMD/ DX12/ Vulkan. As owner of Nvidia's GTX 1080, I also have my opinion on Nvidia in relation to the new APIs and DX11. And that opinion is among the reason I sold of my GTX 970 just six months after buying it and went for GTX 1080 recently. Maybe I have my say on Nvidia some other time.

By the way, anyone who like techie stuff can watch this nice video which I think better explain things than my posting, the history and what to expect in future from this new APIs


And those who's interested about the RotTR DX12 issues, can head to minute 12:25

G-panel apa use?