Vulkan 1.0 specifications and driver updates are now available.
Vulkan 1.0 specifications and driver updates are now available.
I recently looked through some Vulkan papers from NVIDIA this morning while experimenting with OpenGL, and I’m curious—does it already have support in the latest drivers? It seems the latest release doesn’t mention Vulkan at all. Still exciting!
Hope Vulkan helps DX12 become less relevant or pushes Microsoft to include DX12 in Windows 7/8. Valve believes developers have no real incentive to build a DX12 solution since Vulkan already offers cross-platform support. Their stance appears fair, though they seem slightly biased. Unless developers aim for both APIs, sticking with the widely supported one makes more sense than targeting just one, which currently appeals to only about 34% of PC gamers according to Steam data.
I tested it on Windows 10 with R9 290 using the Talos Principle beta version. Switching to the Vulkan renderer triggered a warning about beta status and potential performance and rendering problems. The AMD site confirmed it's still beta, and my experience showed about a 20% drop in performance compared to DirectX 11, with CPU usage fluctuating. No rendering glitches were noticed. At ultra settings 1080p, the issue persisted. Several Nvidia users reported crashes when using Vulkan. The developers released a workaround to access Vulkan APIs, making it available as an optional beta. Only the first step is implemented so far; steps 2 and 3 are pending full integration into their engine. This aligns with Chris Robers' comments on the time needed to fully adapt engines for DX12. Currently, we won’t have reliable Vulkan benchmarks.
I believe Sony's decision to back Vulkan on the PS4 could be a major turning point for DX12.
DirectX12 remains firmly in place at least for the time being. It's expected to continue alongside Vulkan.
Windows 7 is no longer receiving mainstream support, so that's unlikely. Windows 8... perhaps. I don't think there'll be much change. Developers seem to be slacking off. Many games still run on DirectX 9. Vulkan works across platforms, but most games stick with DirectX anyway—OpenGL is usually an afterthought or absent. DirectX 12 could help with Xbox One ports, making them simpler. Honestly, I'm not expecting significant updates.
An operating system can get updates even if it isn't part of the main support network. Windows 7 was tested with telemetry without mainstream backing. Support agreements act as assurances to users that help will be provided for that period, but they don’t guarantee future features or stability (as seen with Windows XP). When comparing Vulkan and OpenGL, OpenGL gradually became harder to work with due to outdated updates and poor documentation, while Vulkan started on a similar footing thanks to strong industry backing and more active development. Vulkan also benefits from Valve’s support, much like DX12 relies on Microsoft. OpenGL remains proprietary, whereas Vulkan is open-source. DirectX gained prominence not because of one factor alone, but because it evolved faster and had better resources, making it a more practical choice for developers if managed well.