Microsoft is preparing a significant upgrade to the ray tracing pipeline in DirectX 12 Ultimate, its flagship graphics API. On March 17, the company revealed detailed specs for three key technologies: clustered geometry, partitioned top-level acceleration structures (TLAS), and indirect acceleration structure operations. These innovations aim to speed up ray tracing in games by optimizing how GPUs handle scene geometry and shifting more processing tasks from the CPU to the GPU. All features are still in development, with a preview version expected in summer 2026.
Clustered geometry improves GPU efficiency in DirectX 12 Ultimate
Clustered geometry streamlines GPU interaction with the fundamental units of 3D graphics-triangles-by grouping nearby triangles into simplified blocks. This grouping lets the GPU create and move geometry in batches instead of juggling countless individual triangles. By eliminating repeated geometry updates and duplicates, this method boosts ray tracing performance, especially in scenes dense with foliage, crowds, or many small objects.
Partitioned TLAS enables efficient scene segmentation for ray tracing
The partitioned TLAS approach applies a similar concept to the entire game scene. It divides the scene into smaller, more manageable sections that the GPU can handle more efficiently during ray tracing. This segmentation speeds up rendering since the GPU only needs to process visible or relevant parts instead of the entire scene all at once.
Indirect acceleration structure operations reduce CPU load
Indirect acceleration structure operations enable the GPU to directly perform tasks previously done by the CPU. This includes creating, optimizing, moving, and instancing acceleration structures via API calls. By offloading these processes to the GPU, games will see reduced system latency and improved ray tracing performance in complex scenes.
Compatibility and impact on ray tracing performance across GPUs
Microsoft says these advancements will be compatible with any ray tracing-capable graphics card after driver updates. Newer GPUs are expected to benefit from additional improvements, though the company hasn’t specified which models. However, some older cards likely won’t support the new features due to hardware and resource limitations.
Comparison with NVIDIA and AMD’s ray tracing technologies
Compared to what competitors like NVIDIA and AMD offer, Microsoft’s focus on GPU-driven scene management and geometry clustering reflects the increasing demand for more efficient real-time ray tracing. While NVIDIA currently leads with hardware-accelerated RT cores and software like DLSS to boost performance, these API-level enhancements show Microsoft’s commitment to broad, cross-vendor improvements in ray tracing fidelity and efficiency that could push the whole industry forward.
Future outlook for DirectX 12 Ultimate ray tracing update
As ray tracing becomes standard in gaming, Microsoft’s DirectX 12 Ultimate update could redefine performance expectations-especially in open-world and highly detailed scenes. The shift toward GPU-resident acceleration tasks and smarter geometry grouping may herald a new phase of real-time graphics where hardware bottlenecks ease, and developers can push visuals further without sacrificing speed. The tech world will be watching closely for the 2026 preview to see how these API changes translate into real-world gains across PC and console ecosystems.