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When The Witcher 3 delivers more frames in DirectX 11 (DX11) than DirectX 12 (DX12) on a particular PC, that result is real for that setup—but it does not prove DX11 is universally faster. The game’s version, hardware, graphics settings, resolution and the scene being measured can all affect performance, and the available official sources do not identify one definitive cause for the DX12 slowdowns some players report.
Version matters especially in 2026: CD PROJEKT RED announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered as available on September 29, 2026, and its support page says the next update will run exclusively in DX12. The notice does not establish whether that change has reached every storefront or installation, so check your installed version and launcher before looking for a DX11 option.
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Why DX11 can be faster on one PC
There is no single API-performance result that applies to every PC. DirectX is the interface the game uses to communicate with graphics hardware, but the frame rate players see depends on more than the API label. CD PROJEKT RED says expected frame rates vary with system configuration, graphics settings, resolution and scene. A result from one machine or location in the game cannot isolate DX11 or DX12 as the cause unless the comparison controls those other factors.
The available sources do not provide a controlled, current DX11-versus-DX12 benchmark or a definitive technical diagnosis for the historical reports of lower DX12 frame rates. Community posts asking why DX12 produces “considerably less frames” capture an experience some players report, not proof of a universal DX12 disadvantage.
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Build and hardware can change the outcome
Performance and compatibility are tied to the specific game build and hardware. CD PROJEKT RED’s Patch 4.03 PC notes documented a DX11 crash on launch or after loading a save on certain AMD GPUs. That is evidence of a particular version- and hardware-specific issue—not evidence that all AMD cards or every DX11 build are affected.
Graphics features can make comparisons misleading
Ray tracing, upscaling and frame generation affect what a frame-rate figure represents. CD PROJEKT RED’s published expectations for ray tracing and path tracing use automatic upscaling; path-tracing expectations also use frame generation. Those figures therefore are not native-resolution results from a feature-matched API test. If a DX11 result and a DX12 result use different features or settings, the comparison does not show the performance effect of the API alone.
Check which version you can actually run
In 2026, advice about switching APIs depends on the installed build. CD PROJEKT RED announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered as available on September 29, 2026. Its support page says the next update will run exclusively with DX12, explaining: “The game will run exclusively with DirectX 12, which will allow us to more effectively support ongoing technical improvements and modern hardware.” The announcement does not settle the rollout status for every PC storefront or installation. Check the game’s version and the API choices exposed by your launcher; a DX11 selection may not exist in a DX12-only build.
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Announced minimum requirements for the next update
CD PROJEKT RED lists the following minimum PC requirements for the next update. They are announced requirements, not a prescription for fixing low frame rates in an existing installation.
| Component | Announced minimum |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel Core i5-8400 |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB |
| Memory | 12 GB RAM |
| Storage | 70 GB SSD |
| Graphics memory | 6 GB VRAM |
CD PROJEKT RED says an SSD improves loading and asset streaming; the support page does not say it fixes an API-related frame-rate deficit.
How to compare DX11 and DX12 fairly
If your installed build offers both choices, compare them under the same conditions. CD PROJEKT RED notes that scene, configuration, settings and resolution affect expected frame rates, so changing several of these at once makes the result hard to interpret.
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- Record the build and launch option. Note the exact game version and whether you selected DX11 or DX12 through the launcher or executable.
- Match the settings. Keep resolution, graphics preset, ray tracing, upscaling, frame generation and other optional effects constant wherever the build permits.
- Use the same route. Replay the same saved scene or route in both modes. Include both a dense area and an outdoor area rather than comparing results from different locations.
- Track smoothness as well as average FPS. Record average frame rate and stutter or frame-time consistency, and repeat the route. A higher peak does not necessarily mean a smoother experience.
- Investigate crashes by build and hardware. If one API crashes, check the notes for your exact patch and driver support for your GPU before concluding that the API is inherently broken.
These steps control the comparison; they are not results from a benchmark of the game. If you are comparing figures reported by other players, treat them as anecdotal unless they identify the build, hardware, scene, resolution and relevant graphics features.
What older performance evidence does—and does not—show
NVIDIA’s 2015 guide covers the game’s older REDengine 3 rendering features, not the 2026 Remastered release. It reported that HairWorks could cost 15–20 frames per second in action sequences with multiple HairWorks-enhanced actors in its test scenarios; the guide also noted that Patch 1.03 had already improved HairWorks rendering performance. This historical, NVIDIA-published result illustrates how an optional graphics setting can affect performance, but it should not be treated as a current benchmark or as evidence that either API is faster today.
Likewise, Patch 4.03 added Intel Xe Super Sampling and listed improvements to ray-traced global illumination and reflections. Those were changes in that patch, not proof of a general performance advantage for DX11 or DX12. Neither those notes nor the historical NVIDIA guide provides a controlled comparison of both APIs on current hardware.
What to conclude from a DX11 lead
If DX11 gives you more frames on your PC, it is reasonable to use it when your installed build supports it and it remains stable. Treat the result as specific to that game version, hardware, settings and scene—not as a rule for all PCs. For the announced DX12-only update, first confirm whether your installation still offers a choice; the available official notice does not establish that every storefront has completed the change.
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