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Microsoft released DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.620 Retail and 1.722 Preview, with the preview adding ray-tracing tools intended to reduce acceleration-structure costs in dynamic scenes. In a Microsoft sample on a Radeon RX 9070, clustered geometry raised frame rate from 1.2 to 79 FPS, but the company cautions that results depend on workload, implementation and GPU. The retail release also adds shader-delivery and diagnostic features.
Microsoft has released DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.620 Retail and 1.722 Preview, adding developer tools intended to reduce the cost of ray tracing in complex, changing scenes. The preview introduces clustered geometry, partitioned top-level acceleration structures and GPU-driven builds; Microsoft says the changes are a major update to DirectX Raytracing since its 2018 debut.
The preview features target the acceleration structures that organize scene geometry for ray tracing. Microsoft’s Clustered Geometry divides geometry into reusable groups of up to 256 triangles and vertices, which developers can assemble into larger structures rather than rebuilding all geometry repeatedly. The approach is intended to let games use detailed geometry for both rasterization and ray tracing while limiting the work needed when objects or scenes change.
Partitioned Top-Level Acceleration Structures (PTLAS) let developers update changed portions of a scene instead of rebuilding the whole top-level structure. Microsoft also added GPU-driven acceleration-structure builds, aiming to reduce CPU-side overhead and improve handling of large, dynamic worlds. These are developer-facing features; they do not automatically change the performance of games already released.
Microsoft’s D3D12RaytracingClusteredGeometry sample compares the approach with traditional bottom-level acceleration-structure rebuilding. In one configuration on an AMD Radeon RX 9070, the sample reported 79 FPS with clustered geometry, compared with 1.2 FPS using its traditional setup. The reported build time fell from 788 milliseconds to 3.11 milliseconds, while total acceleration-structure memory fell from about 7.3 GiB to 774 MiB. The sample also reported higher scratch-memory requirements with clustered geometry.
Microsoft cautions that the figures come from a particular sample and configuration, not a performance guarantee for games. Results will vary with the workload, developer implementation and GPU architecture. The preview supports NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs, AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series, Intel Arc B-Series and supported Core Ultra integrated GPUs, subject to driver support.
The retail Agility SDK 1.620 also updates Advanced Shader Delivery. Partial Graphics Programs let developers reuse precompiled shader components across pipeline configurations, potentially reducing package sizes and compilation work. The optimization is currently limited to Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 GPUs, while broader vendor support is planned. Other additions include DirectX Dump Files for GPU-crash diagnostics, Fence Barriers Tier 1, batched asynchronous command-list APIs and DirectX Compute Graph Compiler interfaces for machine-learning workloads.
Making Ray Tracing More Efficient Across GPUs
Microsoft’s DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.722 Preview adds tools designed to lower acceleration-structure costs in dynamic scenes. A sample showed a dramatic improvement on one Radeon GPU, while real game results remain unknown.
Three ways to reduce scene-update overhead
Ray tracing relies on acceleration structures to help find which objects a ray may hit. Updating them as detailed scenes change can be costly.
Clustered Geometry
Groups of up to 256 triangles and vertices can be reused to assemble larger structures, avoiding repeated rebuilds of all geometry.
Partitioned TLAS
Partitioned top-level acceleration structures let developers update changed portions of a scene instead of rebuilding the entire top-level structure.
GPU-driven builds
GPU-driven acceleration-structure builds aim to reduce CPU-side overhead and better handle large, frequently changing worlds.
Build once, then focus updates where the scene changed
The tools are intended for developers integrating them into rendering pipelines. They do not automatically alter performance in released games.
Group geometry
Package detailed meshes into reusable clusters.
Assemble structures
Use clusters in the acceleration structures rays traverse.
Track changes
Partition the top-level structure around changing scene regions.
Build on GPU
Reduce CPU work as dynamic scene data is updated.
A striking result from one test setup
The D3D12RaytracingClusteredGeometry sample compared clustered geometry with traditional bottom-level acceleration-structure rebuilding.
These figures are not a game performance guarantee. Microsoft says results vary with workload, implementation, GPU architecture, and driver support.
Preview ray tracing tools, plus retail developer features
The releases serve different purposes: 1.722 Preview introduces the ray-tracing work, while 1.620 Retail brings shader delivery and diagnostics updates.
| Release | What’s included | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Agility SDK 1.722 Preview | Clustered geometry, partitioned top-level acceleration structures, GPU-driven builds | Tools for developers to reduce update costs in dynamic ray-traced scenes |
| Agility SDK 1.620 Retail | Advanced Shader Delivery updates, DirectX Dump Files, Fence Barriers Tier 1, batched asynchronous command-list APIs, Compute Graph Compiler interfaces | Shader reuse, GPU-crash diagnostics, command submission and machine-learning workload support |
| Shader Model 6.10 | Still in preview | Microsoft planned retail release alongside Agility SDK 1.621 in early December |
Several GPU families are listed for the preview
Availability depends on eligible hardware and compatible drivers. Listing a GPU family does not mean every game already supports the features.
Partial Graphics Programs
Reusable precompiled shader components may reduce package size and compilation work. The optimization currently targets Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 GPUs; broader vendor support is planned.
When will games use it?
No specific game integrations or adoption schedule were announced. The next evidence will come from developers testing the preview in real applications and games.
A broader DXR update, with game-level gains still unproven
DirectX Raytracing debuted in 2018. Microsoft describes these as its most substantial DXR enhancements since launch.
“The latest DirectX Raytracing enhancements are its most substantial update since the technology debuted in 2018.”— Microsoft
What to watch next
Developer adoption, driver support, and testing in shipping software will show whether reusable geometry and targeted updates translate into less costly ray-traced reflections and shadows. The sample provides a technical signal, not a forecast for commercial games.
What did Microsoft release?
Agility SDK 1.620 Retail and 1.722 Preview. The preview adds clustered geometry, partitioned top-level acceleration structures, and GPU-driven builds.
Will existing games get faster automatically?
No. These are developer-facing tools. A game must adopt them, and results depend on its implementation and workload.
How large was the sample gain?
On one Radeon RX 9070 configuration, the sample reported 79 FPS with clustered geometry versus 1.2 FPS with its traditional setup.
When is Shader Model 6.10 retail planned?
Microsoft planned it alongside Agility SDK 1.621 in early December; no more specific date was provided.
Lower Build Costs for Dynamic Ray Tracing
Ray tracing can require repeated construction or updating of acceleration structures as geometry moves, streams in or changes. For developers working on detailed, animated scenes, that overhead can limit how widely ray-traced effects are used or how frequently scene data can be updated. Microsoft’s tools aim to reduce that burden through reusable geometry and more targeted updates.
The sample’s reported gains are large, but they describe a single test setup and should not be treated as expected frame rates in shipping games. The practical impact will depend on how developers adapt their rendering pipelines and how each GPU and driver handles the features. If implemented effectively, the tools could make detailed ray-traced reflections and shadows less costly in future titles. Their availability across several GPU families may also make the technique accessible beyond a single vendor’s implementation.
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From DXR Tools to SDK 1.722
DirectX Raytracing is Microsoft’s DirectX 12 framework for adding ray-traced rendering to games and other graphics applications. The company dates its debut to 2018. Acceleration structures, commonly organized as bounding-volume hierarchies, help the GPU determine which scene objects a ray may intersect; maintaining those structures can become expensive when scenes are large or frequently changing.
Microsoft points to NVIDIA’s RTX Mega Geometry in Gears of War: E-Day as an early example of similar techniques. The new DirectX features are a standardized implementation intended to be available across supported GPU vendors, rather than a claim that all games or devices will see the same benefits. Separately, Microsoft says Shader Model 6.10 remains in preview, with a retail release planned alongside Agility SDK 1.621 in early December.
“The latest DirectX Raytracing enhancements are its most substantial update since the technology debuted in 2018.”
— Microsoft
Game-Level Gains Remain Unknown
The available figures come from a Microsoft development sample, and the source material does not establish how much performance commercial games will gain. It is also unclear when particular developers will adopt clustered geometry or PTLAS, or which upcoming games will use them. Support depends on compatible drivers as well as eligible hardware, and Microsoft’s stated hardware list does not mean every feature is already enabled in every game.
The benchmark reports increased scratch-memory requirements alongside lower total acceleration-structure memory. The practical trade-off will depend on each implementation and system. Partial Graphics Programs also remain exclusive to Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 GPUs for now; the timing of support from other vendors has not been specified.
Developers Test the Preview Features
Developers can evaluate the new ray-tracing features through Agility SDK 1.722 Preview and Microsoft’s comparison sample, with driver support required on listed hardware. The next evidence of their real-world impact will come from implementations and testing in actual applications and games; the announcement provides no release schedule for specific game integrations.
Microsoft has separately planned the retail release of Shader Model 6.10 alongside Agility SDK 1.621 in early December. The company has not supplied a more specific date in the source material.
Key Questions
What did Microsoft release?
Microsoft released DirectX 12 Agility SDK 1.620 Retail and 1.722 Preview. The preview adds clustered geometry, partitioned top-level acceleration structures and GPU-driven acceleration-structure builds for ray tracing.
Does the update make existing games faster?
Not automatically. The features are tools for developers, and any effect in a game depends on whether its developers adopt them and how the game is implemented.
How large were the sample performance gains?
In one Microsoft sample configuration on a Radeon RX 9070, clustered geometry ran at 79 FPS versus 1.2 FPS with the traditional setup. Microsoft says game results will vary by workload, implementation and GPU; the figures are not a general performance promise.
Which GPUs are listed for the preview?
The listed support includes GeForce RTX GPUs, AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series, Intel Arc B-Series and supported Core Ultra integrated GPUs. Driver support is also required.
When will Shader Model 6.10 leave preview?
Microsoft plans to release it with Agility SDK 1.621 in early December. The source does not give a specific date.
Source: Wccftech
