The video evaluates the performance of Vulkan in Star Citizen after the release of version 4.0.1, noting significant improvements for NVIDIA cards but underwhelming results for AMD GPUs, which raises concerns about Vulkan’s readiness for widespread use. The presenter suggests that while NVIDIA users may find comparable performance between Vulkan and DirectX 11, AMD users should wait for further updates before fully switching to Vulkan due to inconsistent performance results.
The video discusses the current state of Vulkan in Star Citizen following the release of version 4.0.1. The presenter reflects on their previous assessments of Vulkan’s performance, noting that while Vulkan appeared to be on par with DirectX 11 in the earlier 4.0 preview, the latest updates have raised questions about whether it is ready for widespread use. The video highlights the significant performance improvements made in 4.0.1, especially for NVIDIA cards, but also indicates that there are still uncertainties surrounding Vulkan’s capabilities, particularly for AMD GPUs.
Ali Brown, the senior director of graphics and procedural tech at Cloud Imperium Games, provided an update on Vulkan’s development. He mentioned that the focus has been on stability and quality of life improvements, especially after the implementation of server meshing. The team has been cautious about adopting a new engine version to avoid instability and ensure timely updates for players. While the Squadron 42 team has been testing Vulkan with HDR and multi-threaded rendering, it remains unclear when these features will be fully integrated into Star Citizen.
The presenter conducted tests using various GPUs, including the NVIDIA 5080, AMD 6700 XT, and 7600, to evaluate performance differences between Vulkan and DirectX 11. Interestingly, while the NVIDIA card showed similar performance levels between the two graphics APIs, the AMD cards did not perform as expected. The 6700 XT showed lower performance in Vulkan compared to DirectX 11, which is contrary to the typical expectation that Vulkan would perform better on AMD hardware.
The 7600 performed even worse, particularly at 720p resolution, where it struggled with memory usage. The presenter noted that in previous tests, Vulkan had been advantageous for AMD cards with lower VRAM, but this time, the performance dipped significantly. This inconsistency raises questions about potential changes made by the developers that may have optimized DirectX 11 while inadvertently hindering Vulkan’s performance.
In conclusion, the video suggests that Vulkan may not yet be ready for prime time in Star Citizen, particularly for AMD GPUs. While NVIDIA users might find performance comparable between Vulkan and DirectX 11, the overall recommendation is to wait before fully switching to Vulkan. The presenter emphasizes that the situation is still evolving, and further improvements are anticipated, but the timeline for significant updates and enhancements remains uncertain, especially concerning multi-threaded rendering and HDR support.