Side by side
vkd3d-proton vs WineVDM
Both stand on game compatibility layers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxWindows
vkd3d-proton targets Direct3D 12 support through Vulkan, with priorities that favor performance and game compatibility over older-system support. Check the stated driver requirements and DXGI dependency before relying on it.
Visit vkd3d-proton Free plan Windows
WineVDM provides a route for running older Win16 software on 64-bit Windows, with several ways to launch programs. For DOS use, its own documentation points to other emulators because DOS support is incomplete.
Visit WineVDMThe facts
| vkd3d-proton | WineVDM | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Windows | Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On game compatibility layers | #18 of 27 | #22 of 27 |
vkd3d-proton: what it does well
- Free project for Direct3D 12 support through Vulkan.
- Intended for Wine, including Proton, and Windows.
- Manages a shader conversion cache.
- Includes shader and GPU debugging features.
What to know first
- Requires Vulkan 1.3 and specified driver features.
- Older drivers and systems may not be supported.
- Intel GPUs have not been tested by the project.
- DXGI components are not included.
WineVDM: what it does well
- Runs 16-bit Windows programs on 64-bit Windows
- Supports programs for Windows 1.x through 3.1
- Installed binaries can open Win16 programs directly
- Build instructions cover Visual Studio 2017 and CMake
What to know first
- DOS emulation is incomplete
- Windows only
- Missing VCRUNTIME140.dll requires a separate 32-bit redistributable
Alternatives to vkd3d-proton Alternatives to WineVDM The whole list