Graphics Performance Graphic cards are essential components in gaming rigs and PCs.Īnother key distinction between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 is graphics performance. This discrepancy in hardware support is due to DirectX 12, which heavily relies on Windows 10 features like its low-level hardware abstraction layer and support for new hardware architectures.Īs a result, while DirectX 12 offers significant performance gains and new capabilities, it is only compatible with newer hardware and software platforms. On the contrary, DirectX 12 is designed for compatibility with Windows 10 or later, making it the only choice for gamers and multimedia professionals who have not upgraded to Windows 10.

If you’re running an older version of Windows, you won’t be able to utilize DirectX 12. DirectX 11 was first released alongside Windows 7 and is compatible with that OS and later versions. One major distinction between DirectX 11 and 12 is hardware support. Hardware Support DirectX 12 works best with the latest versions of Windows. Whether a gamer or multimedia professional, understanding the distinctions between DirectX 11 and 12 can help you select the ideal API for your requirements. With each new version of DirectX, there have been significant advances in graphics and multimedia capabilities and performance and efficiency gains. Directx 11 vs 12: Side By Side Comparison Specification Our DirectX 11 vs DirectX 12 guide below explains the differences and helps you decide the version. While both offer significant advantages in gaming and multimedia production, it’s good to know their differences so you can choose the right one for your needs. Two popular versions in recent years are DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. With over two decades under its belt, DirectX continues to innovate, with each new version offering various improvements and features. DirectX is a set of APIs created by Microsoft to provide hardware acceleration for multimedia and gaming applications on Windows-based computers.

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