Microsoft’s DirectStorage know-how has introduced lightning-fast loading occasions to video games. Nonetheless, it might appear that not all the pieces is sunshine and rainbows. DirectStorage could induce a slight efficiency loss, in line with the newest check by the German publication PC Video games {Hardware} (opens in new tab).
DirectStorage 1.1 strikes sport asset decompression from the processor to the graphics card. Microsoft’s demo confirmed that scenes load nearly 3X quicker on a graphics card than the processor. In fact, your mileage will fluctuate and rely massively in your {hardware}. However, it is an thrilling know-how that can make loading screens a factor of the previous. Whereas many information shops are specializing in benchmarking the influence of DirectStorage on loading occasions, PC Video games {Hardware} took it a step additional and measured the impact that Microsoft’s know-how has on body charges.
Forspoken, from Sq. Enix, is the primary sport to leverage DirectStorage, the muse for PC Video games {Hardware}’s exams. The publication’s system consisted of a Core i9-12900K (Alder Lake) processor and a GeForce RTX 4090, the most effective graphics playing cards, at 4K. The reviewer examined with a SATA SSD and two M.2 SSD however did not point out the precise fashions.
DirectStorage Body Price Benchmarks
| Configuration | Common FPS | 1% Percentile | 0.2% Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core i9-12900K + RTX 4090 (SATA SSD) | 83.2 | 54.3 | 36 |
| Core i9-12900K + RTX 4090 (M.2 SSD) | 75.3 | 53.8 | 37.3 |
| Core i9-12900K + RTX 4090 (M.2 SSD) | 74.4 | 53.5 | 35.1 |
In line with the outcomes, the configuration with the SATA SSD supplied the perfect efficiency when it comes to body charges. Nonetheless, switching to an M.2 SSD resulted in as much as 10% decrease common body charges. Whereas the quantity appears vital, it is lower than a ten FPS distinction between the configurations. Moreover, the percentiles have been very shut to one another, that means the gameplay was clean regardless of the decrease common body charges.
It is too early to inform if DirectStorage solely contributes to a ten% sport efficiency degradation. The quantity might be considerably extra appreciable. PC Video games {Hardware} examined at 4K, so it is believable that the influence is extra seen on decrease resolutions, similar to 1080p or 1440p. The GeForce RTX 4090 additionally possesses lots of firepower; due to this fact, it will be attention-grabbing to see how DirectStorage impacts slower graphics playing cards. What could be much more intriguing is to quantify the efficiency loss and examine it between AMD, Nvidia, and Intel graphics playing cards.
It was to be anticipated that DirectStorage would take some toll on the graphics card. There’s nonetheless lots of testing to be finished, although. PC Video games {Hardware}’s outcomes are only a stepping stone. In any occasion, DirectStorage is a game-changer for sport builders and avid gamers, and we’ll possible see it in lots of upcoming titles.
