Vulkan API stands out with impressive potential!
Vulkan API stands out with impressive potential!
Took some time to arrive, but finally the Vulkan update for DOOM was released. It really impressed me—it turned performance from below 30 and nearly unplayable into over 80 FPS on low settings. I was still doubtful at first, but it worked even on ultra and stayed above 40 on a 7950 card. This change seems to come from OpenGL to Vulkan, not a direct DX11→Vulkan switch, so the boost should be significant. If Unreal Tournament (4) gets this smooth too, it’ll run beautifully. Some people reported issues with high-end cards, but I’m curious how it holds up on 1080 and mid-tier systems. Anyone else excited?
I'm not entirely sure about the stability, but I run at 2560*1080 which is just over half a million extra pixels. Still, those scores don't seem accurate. I played the game for up to five hours and managed around 45 fps, rarely dropping below 30. But once I entered Hell, performance dropped sharply—especially when the embers swirled around, bringing it under 30 from then on. The fog also tends to hurt FPS, sometimes noticeably in darker areas like caves. Shadows seem to impact my frame rate the most; keeping them medium still drops about 15 fps depending on the scene. It looks like some sections aren't optimized well, which might explain the inconsistencies. I think the part with the embers (through the blue skull door) was the key benchmark for me, showing a jump from around 33 to over 80 fps.
Vulkan truly delivers impressive performance! Using OpenGL, I achieved 50-60 frames per second (depending on the area), consistently around 60 in indoor settings. With a medium-high configuration and sometimes even lower at 30 fps, I ran Vulkan at its maximum with an R9 380 at 1080p and 80-100 fps. I wasn’t anticipating such results from Vulkan; I had hoped for another DX12 disappointment, but I was proven wrong.
2560x1080 offers about 33% more pixels than 1920x1080. This jump is significant, particularly when running a 2016 game on a 2013 mid-range card. In my view, that was probably the main issue. Still, I'm pleased Vulkan appears to be making a big difference.
It was surprising how much it took the leap without any issues when switching from 1080p to this resolution in games like Dirt Rally, Project Cars, and Arma 3.