Raytracing without RTX: Nvidia Pascal receives DXR support via driver

by Hilbert Hagedoorn on: 03/19/2019 09:02 AM | source: | 106 comment(s)

Nvidia announced that it will bring support for Microsoft's DXR-API (the API responsible for real-time ray tracing), to older GPUs. This invokes the 10-series and recently introduced 16-series GPUs series.

The new driver thus makes it possible to use real-time raytracing in games via DXR as part of DirectX 12 without exclusive RT cores and thus on the traditional computing cores. However, with DXR effects enabled, performance will be significantly lower than Turing's counterparts with specialized RT cores - so the purpose remains to be seen. Also AMD could use DXR on its Radeon graphics cards, if supported by the driver. AMD has not yet released an official raytracing driver.

A new GeForce driver is due to be released in April, that one will add the compatibility. The Titan X, Titan V and Titan XP would also get supported. It is good to note that laptops with similar GPUs may also expect to get DX-R with the new driver, including the more economical Max-Q versions. Performance can be disappointing, NVIDIA mentions. Only very basic raytracing effects would work.

DLSS remains exclusively for Turing RTX
From now on Raytracing will no longer be available exclusively on GeForce RTX at Nvidia. But with DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) it is different. The alternative AI-based antialiasing will continue to be provided only with the dedicated tensor cores of the RTX family, Nvidia said in the Q & A after the GDC presentation to media representatives.

At least theoretically, it would be possible to create a counterpart to the proprietary DLSS via the Microsoft API Windows Machine Learning (WinML) or DirectML. DirectML takes advantage of the unified compute units of GPUs, with which even Radeon graphics cards from AMD could offer such a function, as an AMD employee had already suggested in an interview.

So in short, people can enable DirectX Raytracing ( DXR ) on GeForce GTX 1060 6GB and higher graphics cards via a Game Ready Driver update, expected in April. DLSS, no bueno.

supported GPUs

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elite69
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#5652242 Posted on: 03/20/2019 08:55 PM

Lol i wasnt expecting this one. Thanks nvidia.

Prince Valiant
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Joined: 2014-02-23

#5652274 Posted on: 03/20/2019 09:52 PM

Enabling DXR in Pascal isn't about Pascal - it's about Turing. Nvidia wants to give Pascal owners a taste of ray-tracing so that they will be encouraged to buy Turing for faster ray-tracing performance.

It's a testament to the slow adoption and low sales of RTX.
I presume Nvidia is also trying to cultivate interest on the developer side by increasing the userbase with RT 'capable' cards.

tensai28
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Joined: 2013-10-31

#5652448 Posted on: 03/21/2019 07:26 AM

Not sure what's the point really. The current rtx cards with dedicated hardware already struggle to maintain decent frame rates with ray tracing. It's going to run so terrible on Pascal, I don't even know why they would bother.

edit: and now I read through the other comments. Now I get it. Been too busy lately to keep up.

NewTRUMP Order
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#5653407 Posted on: 03/23/2019 02:15 PM

The next RT architecture will cost less, history has shown that's how it works.

Ok how much less? And how much less do you think they are going to charge for more rt cores? I think not.

Aura89
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Joined: 2008-07-31

#5653590 Posted on: 03/24/2019 05:35 AM

Ok how much less? And how much less do you think they are going to charge for more rt cores? I think not.

So you're basing your...."opinion", if you can call it that, on what exactly?

Oh...right....nothing....got it.

RTX 2080 ti was the largest non-titan GPU they have ever made, if they manage to shrink it, while increasing performance across the board, there is zero reason to expect that it won't be cheaper as well.

We got a super-computer sized GPU over here, and a 2070 with an almost as large GPU as the previous high end GPU, and people are still surprised about prices......just amazing really

Your statement could be said about cuda cores as well, since the same applies "How much less do you think they will charge for cuda cores after the $830 8800 Ultra? I think not."

So, i guess by your statement, since the 8800 ultra has 128 cuda cores, and the RTX 2080 ti has 4352 cuda cores, we should expect to be paying $28,186 for the RTX 2080 ti?

Yup, seems logical, as time has gone by we have never payed less for more, it's always more more more, no wonder people are so upset at the RTX 2080 ti, being $28,186, i haven't been able to afford a GPU since the 8000 series, obviously.

WAYYY too much logic happenin' over here.

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