Microsoft CASO can ship 16% larger FPS and 27% show latency discount with out MUX

Microsoft is addressing a elementary problem in right this moment’s hybrid laptop computer designs. On this context, “hybrid” refers to laptops outfitted with each built-in and discrete graphics items. These GPUs items can work collectively to enhance energy effectivity by sending the graphics duties to both graphics subsystem, relying on how complicated they’re. Nonetheless, on many laptops this additionally introduces an issue.
Sometimes, the iGPU is linked to the laptop computer’s show, with the dGPU/eGPU rendering sport visuals and passing them to the iGPU for display screen show. This setup balances efficiency and energy effectivity, offloading demanding duties to the dGPU for enhanced efficiency whereas conserving energy via the iGPU. Nonetheless, it includes a two-step course of, with the dGPU/eGPU rendering frames first to a shared useful resource after which to the iGPU.
For gaming classes demanding larger efficiency, the built-in GPU (iGPU) bottleneck can hinder the total potential of the discrete GPU (dGPU). NVIDIA’s Superior Optimus and AMD’s Good Entry Graphics use a multiplexer (mux) to deal with this situation, permitting the dGPU to take over for gaming whereas the iGPU handles on a regular basis duties. This setup eliminates the necessity for knowledge transfers between GPUs, maximizing gaming efficiency.

How multiplexers are utilized in laptops, Supply: Misairu-G/Github
Nonetheless, not all hybrid laptops have a mux answer, and utilizing the dGPU can improve energy consumption, decreasing battery life. CASO simplifies issues for laptops with no mux or with it disabled. It requires just one copy of rendered visualsleading to higher FPS and decrease show latency, providing a big efficiency enhance for hybrid laptops with out specialised {hardware}.
Microsoft is claiming a mean of 16% improve in FPS and 27% discount in show latency when utilizing CASO. The corporate can be claiming that there’s a 45% lower in TDRs (Timeout Detection and Recuperate Occasions), principally making these laptops extra secure.
We first launched CASO with assist for DirectX 11 in 2021 and expanded its attain to DirectX 12 throughout early 2023, which implies that CASO now helps nearly all PC video games.
In our checks, on a choose set of common PC video games, we noticed a mean of ~16% FPS increase1 and ~27% show latency discount. As well as, CASO contributed to a forty five% lower in timeout detection and restoration occasions (TDRs).
— Microsoft
In keeping with Microsoft, this expertise is already built-in into Home windows 11 methods, and it’s already a part of the system. It has no minimal dGPU requirement and can work by default on supported units.
NVIDIA has confirmed that CASO will work with all GeForce GPUs at the moment utilizing drivers model r515 or newer. Intel GPUs would require Xe Graphics on INtel eleventh Gen Core collection or newer and WDDM driver mannequin of three.0 or newer. AMD Radeon 6000 GPUs or newer will assist this expertise with WDDM driver 3.1 or newer.
Supply: Microsoft
