For gamers, graphic designers, audio-visual media controllers and other people who deal with computerized images and sound, it is very important to have high quality, crisp and clear images in their material. This can only be achieved using capable hardware and software. Manufacturers have met this demand by designing and creating equipment that makes this possible. Examples of these are graphics cards and Graphical Processing Units (GPUs). These devices help us to experience advanced graphics and animation in our games and other media. However, there is a very important piece of software that is required to make these devices work properly. This one is known as DirectX. Here is more about it.
Experience A More Immersive and Interactive Gaming Experience With DirectX
What is DirectX?
DirectX is a collection of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) which are created by Microsoft so as to allow third party software such as games to interact with the hardware components of the personal computer. These APIs help the computer to render vector graphics that are of 2D and 3D nature. This essentially allows you to play high quality audio and video using your computer in the Windows operating system platform. DirectX is the intermediary between the game software and your computer’s hardware. Without it, gamers would find it very difficult to play and enjoy the various games available for PC. As a matter of fact, the first version of DirectX was released to solve this problem.
Prior to DirectX, PC games ran on the DOS platform. In this one, you could actually program the DOS operating system and hardware components of the computer system directly. Examples of these components were the video card, mouse and audio card too. It was a very difficult process to set up the operating system so as to play a game that demanded extra memory or optimized performance. Thankfully, Microsoft realized this and packaged DirectX into the Windows 95 operating system. Released in June 1996, it was known as DirectX version 2.0a. This API changed the world of gaming forever. The latest version is known as DirectX 12. This version focuses on boosting the visual richness of the graphics displayed as you play your games. It also helps to use the CPU resources more efficiently.
What new capabilities does DirectX provide you with?
DirectX 12 provides you with low-level access to the hardware components of the computer system which you are using. This gives you the freedom of deeper game calibration. It also creates a better link between the GPU and any software which is installed in the computer system. The GPUs of today are so powerful that they perform just as well as the main processor. As such, DirectX 12 allows the GPU to take over some of the computing tasks from the main processor. This results in faster overall performance when you are playing PC games.
DirectX 12 allows the computer system to manage its state and other resources more comfortably. In addition to that, it allows for the necessary synchronization to occur favorably. Thanks to this, the developers of advanced games can control the GPU much more effectively and improve the behavior of the game during active play. As such, if you are an ardent gamer, this new API from Microsoft is everything you need to improve your experience.
How to download DirectX 12 and install it in your computer
The process of installing DirectX 12 in your computer takes less than a quarter hour. To accomplish it, the first step which you need to take is visit the installer page where you can find the DirectX 12 software download link. It is in the End-User Runtime installer page of the Microsoft website. Once there, you will find a red button marked ‘Download’. Click on it. After that, click on a blue button marked ‘Next’.
Once you do this, Microsoft will recommend to you a number of other software products from them. You do not have to download these. Simply uncheck the boxes which are assigned to them so that you do not download and install them in your computer. Otherwise, you can check them so as to proceed with downloading them if you wish. Note that if you do not download them, the Next button turns into an ‘No thanks’ button and you can proceed with the installation through it. You can then complete the installation of DirectX 12 by following the given instructions. To navigate to the DirectX 12 download page, simply follow this link, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=35.
Important features of DirectX 12
If you have an original copy of Windows 10 installed in your computer, you do not have to download DirectX 12 because it is already packaged in it. To improve its versions, you can use Windows Update. DirectX 12 is the beauty of the Windows 10 operating system. This OS is used in a variety of Microsoft devices. Examples of these are tablets, laptops, smartphones, desktop computers and even the Xbox One. Moreover, if you run an OS version that is earlier than Windows 10, DirectX 12 can help you to play high definition games. This is because the API is backwards compatible. There are 3 main areas of operation which make DirectX 12 an effective API. They are its ability to access resources, submit tasks to the GPU and also perform pipeline state processes.
The DirectX 12 API helps to improve CPU utilization performance over the DirectX 11 by up to 50%. Thank to this, there is already a collection of PC games which utilize DIrect X 12 to deliver amazing gameplay and crisp clear graphics. Examples of these games are The Elder Scrolls online version, Gears of War: the Ultimate Edition, Hitman, Rise of the Tomb Raider and Ashes of the Singularity.
Conclusion
The gaming industry across the world is worth millions of dollars. Amateur and professional gamers spend time, energy and financial resources to invest in the latest hardware and software to render their favorite games in the best way possible. DirectX 12 makes this a breeze in the Windows 10 platform. Already built into the operating system, DirectX allows the players to experience the next generation graphics and animation physics that are provided in these games. It is a huge improvement over the last version and any gamer worth his salt should have DirectX 12 active in their machine.
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