Not so long ago, Intel started producing graphics cards under its own brand Arc. However, these graphics cards are still a bit “raw” at the moment, and many users are wary of switching to them from the old and proven AMD and Nvidia. However, Intel continues to work on software enhancements for its video chips. Recently, the company has released a driver update that improves performance in DirectX 9, which gives a significant performance boost to old games and applications.
DirectX 9 is an old graphics API that was used in Windows. But over time, it was discontinued and replaced by newer and better graphics programs. However, some games still use DirectX 9, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offense and Team Fortress 2.
You should understand that full hardware support for DirectX 9 on Intel Arc is still not available. However, Intel’s software drivers should translate old API calls into modern code. Intel has now updated the graphics drivers to improve DirectX 9 performance, promising “up to 1.8 times faster” average FPS.
In a blog post, Intel said, “While the increase in average frame rate is terrific, the improvement in overall experience and smoothness is even better. If you look at the 99th percentile FPS, you’ll see that our relative improvement in CS:GO is more than 2x, and I can tell you, based on my own experience, that gamers will notice the difference immediately.“
What’s interesting is that Intel’s drivers contain DXVK code. This layer translates Direct3D to Vulkan, created mainly for Valve’s Proton compatibility layer. Intel seems to use DXVK to translate some DirectX 9 API calls into Vulkan code, fully supported by Arc graphics cards.
In addition, Intel’s blog also said: “We’re not going to stop there. We still have work to do! Further improvements for legacy API games and general driver enhancements are on the way, and future drivers will continue our march towards a refined and more productive product“.
