Microsoft has released the Work Graphs API to enable advanced GPU-based rendering

Microsoft has released a new Agility Software Development Kit, which provides new capabilities. Agility SDK 1.613 includes Shader Model 6.8 and support for the Work Graphs API. The latter is an important feature that will promote the use of rendering on GPU drivers, offloading the central processor. Graphic processors will be able to generate work for themselves "on the fly". This idea was promoted by Epic developers, who advocated for GPUs to be able to perform more tasks independently.

Currently, in order to get the final image, part of the work is done by the CPU, and part by the GPU. However, sometimes the central processor spends too much time deciding what tasks to assign to the graphics processor next. Work Graphs is a system that helps the CPU and GPU work together more efficiently, according to Videocardz.

They allow the central processor to plan work in advance and organize tasks for the graphics processor. Instead of waiting for each block, the CPU can provide a list in advance of what needs to be done, so the graphics processor does not have to wait for the next task. Working together, the CPU and GPU can manage memory more quickly, keep everything organized, and allow for seamless execution of complex tasks.

The updated Shader Model 6.8 also contains new features, such as Start Vertex/Instance Location, which allows shaders to receive parameters from the API call. This can be useful for custom calculations regardless of fixed data functions. In addition, there is the Wave Size Range feature, which allows developers to define the desired wave size in shaders. This can help reduce the number of required shaders or even eliminate the need for multiple shaders. Finally, an enhanced comparison sampling feature has been introduced to provide better cross-platform shaders.

A new feature called GPU Upload Heaps allows for quick copying of data from the CPU to the GPU. This eliminates the need to use the PCI bus to transfer data from VRAM to the CPU. This feature uses ResizableBAR, allowing the CPU to write data to VRAM with low latency.

You can start using the new SDK with AMD and NVIDIA, which have released drivers for the first version of the new SDK. Work Graphs are supported by NVIDIA Ampere and Ada graphics processors with drivers 551.76 or later. AMD only confirms that Work Graphs work on RX 7000 graphics processors with RDNA3 architecture (for now). Intel has not yet released new drivers.