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Updated October 4, 2026. The answer depends on which release you mean. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, released September 29, 2026, uses native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading, so the old DX11-versus-DX12 launcher choice applies to earlier builds, not the current Remastered release. For older builds that offer both APIs, neither is a guaranteed FPS winner on every PC: compare them on your own system under matched conditions.
What changed in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered?
CD PROJEKT RED’s September 29, 2026 release notice confirms that Remastered is available now. The publisher’s feature announcement says the PC game has native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading. That describes the current release’s renderer; it is not independent proof that DX12 will deliver a higher frame rate in every scene or on every PC.
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| 1 |
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Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition - PC | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC-DVD) | $18.52 | Buy on Amazon |
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Namco Bandai The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game Of The Year Edition | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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If you are choosing or troubleshooting an earlier 4.x build that offers DX11 and DX12, use the guidance below. The exact result depends on the game build, settings, hardware and scene.
Which API runs faster in older builds?
There is no verified, directly comparable DX11-versus-DX12 benchmark in the available evidence that establishes a universal winner. CD PROJEKT RED cautions that expected frame rates vary with the scene, system configuration, graphics settings and output resolution. Your result may differ from someone else’s even when both are using the same API.
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Do not treat the publisher’s current FPS targets as a DX11-versus-DX12 comparison. Its updated PC requirements and performance guidance describe QA-based targets for particular hardware, resolutions and feature configurations. The listed ray-tracing and path-tracing targets use DLSS, FSR or XeSS set to Auto; the path-tracing configuration also uses frame generation. Those figures are not a matched test of the two APIs.
Why the older DX11 and DX12 modes are not always an equal comparison
In earlier next-gen builds, DX11 did not include ray tracing or the general graphics improvements introduced with the next-gen update, according to a CD PROJEKT RED forum result. The forum page could not be independently opened, so treat this narrow historical distinction with some caution. It still matters when comparing screenshots or FPS: matching preset names alone does not guarantee that the two modes are rendering the same features or image.
If you want ray tracing in an older next-gen build, DX11 is not an equivalent option. Compare API performance with ray tracing disabled on both sides if your goal is to isolate the renderer difference; compare ray-traced play separately as a feature-and-performance choice.
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How to compare DX11 and DX12 on your PC
For an older build with both options, use a repeatable scene and keep the test conditions as close as possible. Change only the API when you can, and record any unavoidable differences.
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- Record the game version and patch, graphics driver, PC hardware, output resolution and graphics settings.
- Choose a saved location or repeatable scene, then test both modes in that same place. Avoid comparing different areas or gameplay sequences.
- Keep ray tracing, upscaling and frame generation either matched or explicitly noted. Do not compare unlike feature configurations as if the API were the only change.
- Compare average FPS alongside frame-time consistency and any stutter, crashes or other instability. A higher average alone may not describe the smoother or more reliable experience.
- Repeat the test if the result is close, then choose the mode that performs and behaves better in your own play.
State the patch when sharing results. Patch 4.01, released February 2, 2023, changed PC behavior, including adding a ray-traced global-illumination performance mode and fixes; older measurements may therefore describe a different setup. See CD PROJEKT RED’s Patch 4.01 change list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you need an SSD or a new graphics card?
CD PROJEKT RED says an SSD is required for the latest technical enhancements and cites faster loading and asset streaming as benefits. An SSD is a current system requirement consideration, not a fix for differences in FPS between rendering APIs. Check the publisher’s current requirements against your PC before upgrading storage.
A graphics card upgrade is relevant if you are targeting higher resolutions, ray tracing or path tracing, or if your own testing indicates that the GPU is limiting performance. The publisher’s requirements distinguish hardware tiers by configuration, but they do not identify one universally best upgrade. The same requirements page says the studio no longer develops or tests the game on Windows 10; check its current support information if your PC runs that operating system.
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