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AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Ultimate Big Navi @ Just $999!

The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is here, and it only costs $999… if you can find one!

Here is what you need to know about the ultimate Big Navi graphics card!

 

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Official Tech Briefing + Q&A Session

AMD claims that the Radeon RX 6900 XT is the ultimate 4K graphics card, thanks to its new RDNA 2 architecture with 80 enhanced Compute Units and 16 GB GDDR6 memory.

Let’s start with the official tech briefing and Q&A session with Nish Neelalojanan, Senior Manager of Gaming Product Management at the AMD Radeon Technologies Group.

 

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Key Features

The AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards are built on the new RDNA 2 architecture, which features an enhanced Compute Unit, a new visual pipeline with Ray Accelerators, and the new AMD Infinity Cache.

Recommended : AMD RDNA 2 Architecture : Tech Highlights!

AMD Smart Access Memory

This is an exclusive feature that is enabled when a Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card is paired with the Ryzen 5000 series processor and an X570 motherboard.

The Ryzen 5000 processor is given greater access to its GDDR6 graphics memory, providing up to 13% better performance when combined with the new Rage Mode one-click overclocking setting.

Recommended : AMD Smart Access Memory (PCIe Resizable BAR) Guide

AMD Infinity Cache

The AMD Infinity Cache is a new and very large 128 MB data cache. Think of it as an L3 cache for the GPU.

AMD added it to dramatically increase memory bandwidth, which reducing memory latency and power consumption.

They claim it delivers up to 3.25X the bandwidth of the 256-bit GDDR6 memory, and up to 2.4X more effective bandwidth per watt.

Recommended : AMD Infinity Cache Explained : L3 Cache Comes To The GPU!

DirectX 12 Ultimate Support

They will support the next-generation games with greater realism through DirectX Raytracing (DXR) and Variable Rate Shading.

New Ray Accelerator

Every RDNA 2 computer unit has a new fixed-function Ray Accelerator engine to deliver real-time lighting, shadow and refection realism through DirectX Raytracing (DXR).

It can be paired with AMD FidelityFX to enable hybrid rendering, offering a combination of rasterised and ray-traced effects for a blend of better image quality and higher performance.

Variable Rate Shading (VRS)

Variable Rate Shading dynamically reduces the shading rate for areas of the frame that do not require a high level of visual quality, improving performance at little to no perceptible loss in image quality.

Microsoft DirectStorage Support

They will support the future DirectStorage API for faster load times, and high-quality textures.

 

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Specifications

The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT headlines the Radeon RX 6000 series :

  • Radeon RX 6900 XT : 80 CUs, 80 RAs, 320 TMUs, 128 ROPs, 16 GB DDR6
  • Radeon RX 6800 XT : 72 CUs, 72 RAs, 288 TMUs, 128 ROPs, 16 GB DDR6
  • Radeon RX 6800 : 60 CUs, 60 RAs, 240 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 16 GB DDR6

Here is a table comparing their key specifications :

Specifications RX
6900 XT
RX
6800 XT
RX
6800
Transistors 26.8 billion
Fab Process 7 nm
Total Graphics Power 300 W 250 W
Compute Units 80 72 60
Ray Accelerators 80 72 60
Stream Processors 5120 4608 3840
Game Clock 2015 MHz 2015 MHz 1815 MHz
Boost Clock 2250 MHz 2250 MHz 2105 MHz
TFLOPS 23.04 20.74 16.17
TMUs 320 288 240
Max. Texture Rate 720 GT/s 648 GT/s 505 GT/s
ROPs 128 96
Max. Pixel Rate 288 GP/s 202 GP/s
Infinity Cache 128 MB
Graphics Memory 16 GB GDDR6 (16 Gbps)
Bus Width 256-bit
Bandwidth 512 GB/s
PCIe Interface PCIe 4.0 x16
PCIe Power 2 x 8-pin

 

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT : Price + Availability

At launch, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT has a SEP (Suggested E-tail Price) of US$999, which is approximately £749 / A$1,349 / S$1,339 / RM4,069.

As far as we can tell, it will only be available in the AMD reference design, although custom designs may be available at a later date.

 

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RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory Performance Comparison!

Find out what AMD Smart Access Memory is all about, and how much of a performance effect it really has on the Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card!

 

RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory : How Does It Improve Performance?

Smart Access Memory is really a marketing term for AMD’s implementation of the PCI Express Resizable BAR (Base Address Registers) capability.

CPUs are traditionally limited to a 256 MB I/O memory address “window” for the GPU frame buffer.

Turning on Resizable BAR or Smart Access Memory removes that small access window, letting the CPU directly access the Radeon RX 6800 XT‘s graphics memory.

While the AMD graphics above suggest that Smart Access Memory will widen the memory path, and thus memory bandwidth, between the CPU and GPU, that’s not true.

It does not increase memory bandwidth. Instead, it speeds up CPU to GPU communications, by letting the CPU directly access more of GPU memory, instead of using the usual 256 MB “window”.

Recommended : AMD Smart Access Memory – How To Enable It?

 

RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory : 3DMark

The 3DMark benchmark results don’t show any significant performance difference, with Smart Access Memory enabled.

 

RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory : Game Performance Summary

But let’s look at its effect on the real world gaming performance…

Let’s start with a bird’s eye look at the performance effect of Smart Access Memory on the Radeon RX 6800 XT‘s performance.

For more detailed look at Smart Access Memory’s effect on each game, please click to the next page.

1080p Resolution (1920 x 1080)

At 1080p, Smart Access Memory improved frame rates by about 4.33%, and does not always give a performance boost to the Radeon RX 6800 XT.

It had virtually no performance effect in World War Z, The Division 2 and Star Control : Origins.

On the other hand, it delivered up to 16% better frame rates in Total War : Troy.

1440p Resolution (2560 x 1440)

Smart Access Memory had a bigger (5.22% average) effect on the Radeon RX 6800 XT at 1440p.

It had no effect in four games – Metro Exodus, World War Z, The Division 2 and Star Control : Origins.

But it has a large 10%-11% performance boost in F1 2019, Total War : Troy, Dirt 5 and Gears Tactics.

2160p Resolution (3840 x 2160)

At the 4K resolution though, the average performance boost from Smart Access Memory dropped to just 3.11%.

Most of the games had insignificant boosts in frame rates of 2-3%. Oddly enough, World War Z received a significant 4% boost in frame rate at 4K.

F1 2019 received the biggest boost from Smart Access Memory – a large 14% boost in frame rate!

Next Page > RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory Game Performance

 

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RX 6800 XT Smart Access Memory : Gaming Performance

F1 2019

F1 2019 really benefited from Smart Access Memory, with significant boosts in frame rates :

  • 1080p : +6.0%
  • 1440p : +10.8%
  • 2160p : +14.0%

Metro Exodus

On the other hand, Smart Access Memory had no effect on Metro Exodus.

World War Z

World War Z had uneven results with Smart Access Memory, with the greater effect at 4K :

  • 1080p : -1.3%
  • 1440p : +0.5%
  • 2160p : +4.0%

Total War : Troy

Total War : Troy benefited greatly from Smart Access Memory, especially at the 1080p and 1440p resolutions.

  • 1080p : +15.7%
  • 1440p : +10.0%
  • 2160p : +4.0%

The Division 2

The Division 2 actually performed slightly worse with Smart Access Memory enabled :

  • 1080p : -0.6%
  • 1440p : No difference
  • 2160p : -1.5%

Dirt 5

Dirt 5 benefited the most at the 1440p resolution :

  • 1080p : +4.0%
  • 1440p : +10.3%
  • 2160p : +2.5%

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider 5 benefited the most at the 1080p and 1440p resolutions :

  • 1080p : +7.9%
  • 1440p : +5.5%
  • 2160p : +4.0%

Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics benefited the most at the 1080p and 1440p resolutions :

  • 1080p : +5.7%
  • 1440p : +9.6%
  • 2160p : +3.3%

Star Control: Origins

Smart Access Memory had no effect on Star Control: Origins.

 

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Cyberpunk 2077 : Updated PC Specifications For RTX Gaming

NVIDIA just released updated PC specifications for RTX gaming on Cyberpunk 2077!

Check out these updated requirements to make sure you are ready to turn RTX on when Cyberpunk 2077 launches!

 

Cyberpunk 2077 : Updated PC Specifications For RTX Gaming

NVIDIA today revealed their updated system configurations for RTX gameplay.

CPU

  • 1080p : Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
  • 1440p or 4K : Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Graphics Card

Graphics Memory

  • 1080p : 6 GB
  • 1440p : 8 GB
  • 4K : 10 GB

System Memory + Storage

  • All resolutions : 16 GB RAM + 70 GB SSD

This is what NVIDIA says about RTX gaming on Cyberpunk 2077 :

The minimum GPU for Ray Tracing, at 1920×1080, is the GeForce RTX 2060. Gamers will explore Night City with Medium Ray Tracing Preset powered by DLSS.

At 2560×1440, we recommend a GeForce RTX 3070 or GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. Ray tracing is taken to Ultra, which greatly increases the fidelity of the aforementioned effects, and the distance at which they are visible, while DLSS provides boosted frame rates with uncompromised image quality.

And with rasterized settings also being cranked to Ultra, GeForce RTX 3070 and 2080 Ti gamers receive an incredible experience at the highest detail levels, unmatched by any other platform.

And finally, if you’re playing at 4K or beyond, the GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3090 deliver the performance to play Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing at Ultra at this incredibly demanding resolution.

Both GPUs are powered by Ampere — NVIDIA’s 2nd gen RTX architecture — with dedicated RT Cores for ray tracing, and Tensor Cores for DLSS AI acceleration, delivering an unrivaled cinematic-quality experience.

 

Cyberpunk 2077 : Updated PC Specifications With RTX Off

What if you don’t feel the need to turn on ray tracing in Cyberpunk 2077?

Here are the recommended system specifications to game on Cyberpunk 2077 with RTX off :

CPU

  • 1080p : Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
  • 1440p or 4K : Intel Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Graphics Card

Graphics Memory

  • 1080p or 1440p : 6 GB
  • 4K : 8 GB

System Memory + Storage

  • All resolutions : 16 GB RAM + 70 GB SSD

 

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series : Where To Buy?

Malaysia

RTX 3070 : ZOTACZOTAC | MSI | Colorful | GIGABYTE | ASUS
RTX 3080 :
ZOTAC | GIGABYTE | ASUS |
RTX 3090 : ZOTAC | ZOTAC | GALAX | Leadtek | PNY | INNO 3D | MSI | EVGA | ASUS

Singapore

RTX 3070 : ZOTAC | MSI | ASUS | ASUS
RTX 3080 : PALIT
| PALIT | PALIT | GIGABYTE | MSI | GIGABYTE | MSI | AORUS | AORUS
RTX 3090 : ZOTAC
| ZOTAC | ZOTAC | ASUS | GIGABYTE

United States

RTX 3070 : MSI | MSI | ZOTAC | MSI | GIGABYTE | EVGA | ASUS | ZOTAC | ASUS
RTX 3080 : EVGA | ASUS | ZOTAC | MSI | ZOTAC | MSI | ASUS | MSI | NVIDIA | ASUS
RTX 3090 : EVGA | ASUS | MSI | ASUS | MSI | ZOTAC | EVGA | NVIDIA | PNY | GIGABYTE

United Kingdom

RTX 3070 : MSI | PNY | GIGABYTE | GIGABYTE | GIGABYTE | MSI | ZOTAC | MSI | GIGABYTE | ASUS
RTX 3090 : MSI | MSI | ZOTAC | ASUS | GIGABYTE | PALIT | PNY

Australia

RTX 3070 : GIGABYTE | GIGABYTE | MSI | MSI | MSI | ASUS | GIGABYTE | ASUS | ZOTAC | Palit
RTX 3080 : MSI | ASUS | MSI | MSI | NVIDIA | EVGA
RTX 3090 : MSI | MSI | GALAX | MSI | ASUS | MSI

 

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AMD RDNA 2 Architecture : Tech Highlights!

The success of the AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards is entirely due to the new RDNA 2 architecture.

Take a look at what’s new in the AMD RDNA 2 architecture!

 

AMD RDNA 2 Architecture : Tech Highlights!

The AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards are built on the new AMD RDNA 2 architecture, which features an enhanced Compute Unit, a new visual pipeline with Ray Accelerators, and the new AMD Infinity Cache.

AMD Infinity Cache

The AMD Infinity Cache is a new and very large 128 MB data cache. Think of it as an L3 cache for the GPU.

AMD added it to dramatically increase memory bandwidth, which reducing memory latency and power consumption.

They claim it delivers up to 3.25X the bandwidth of the 256-bit GDDR6 memory, and up to 2.4X more effective bandwidth per watt.

Recommended :AMD Infinity Cache Explained : L3 Cache Comes To The GPU!

New Ray Accelerator

RDNA 2 introduces a new Ray Accelerator – one for each Compute Unit.

The Ray Accelerator is a fixed-function ray tracing acceleration engine to deliver real-time lighting, shadow and reflection realism through DirectX Raytracing (DXR).

It will calculate the intersections of the rays with the scene geometry as represented in a Bounding Volume Hierarchy, sort them, and return the information to the shaders for further scene traversal or result shading.

Each Ray Accelerator can calculate up to 4 rays per box intersections or 1 ray per triangle intersection per clock cycle.

Variable Rate Shading

Variable rate shading allows the GPU to better use its limited processing capability by focusing on the most important parts of the frame.

AMD RDNA 2 has variable rate shading built throughout the entire pixel pipeline, with 1 x 1, 2 x 1, 1 x 2 and 2x 2 shading rates.

RDNA 2 also allows for very fine granularity – a different shading rate can to be selected for every 8 x 8 pixels region.

Hardware Decoding + Encoding

RDNA. 2 also introduces support for hardware 8K and AV1 decoding, allowing you to stream and watch video with virtually no performance impact.

Codecs Decode Encode
VP9 4K @ 90 fps
8K @ 24 fps
H.264 1080p @ 600 fps
4K @ 150 fps
1080p @ 360 fps
4K @ 90 fps
H.265 1080p @ 360 fps
4K @ 90 fps
8K @ 24 fps
1080p @ 360 fps
4K @ 60 fps
AV1 8K @ 30 fps

 

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SYNCED : Off-Planet – Everything On Tencent’s PvPvE Game!

Tencent just unveiled their first-ever AAA game with real-time ray tracing and Siren digital character technologySYNCED : Off-Planet!

Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about Tencent’s upcoming PvPvE sci-fi game, including its gameplay, CG and trailer videos!

 

SYNCED : Off-Planet

Developed by Tencent NExT Studios, SYNCED : Off-Planet is a brand-new PvPvE franchise that has players fighting each other, while surviving over a thousand Nanos!

Set in a future where humanity’s mechanical and technological evolution went violently wrong, players compete against other survivors of the apocalypse to secure resources for their day-to-day survival, and for a chance to escape planet Earth.

Human settlements now struggle to survive the new dangers of the world, while they try to locate transport shuttles that can take them… off-planet.

Officially unveiled at the NVIDIA Gamescom 2019 showcase, SYNCED : Off-Planet will feature a massive PvPvE gaming experience with up to 48 players, and over a thousand Nanos – corrupted human cyborgs.

 

SYNCED : Off-Planet Gameplay

Every round in SYNCED : Off-Planet lasts 20 minutes, with 16 teams of three players each. There will also be 1,500 Nanos that will be introduced into the map in “AI-driven bursts”.

The goal will be to capture a shuttle leaving Earth, and defend it against other teams and the Nanos, of course.

Here is the first gameplay video Tencent NExT Studios revealed, showing off its ray-traced graphics.

Players will earn XP (Experience Points) after every match, which can be used to upgrade both active and passive skills.

However, a team’s ability to gather resources and eliminate other teams will also be important. Resources can be used to upgrade your equipment, as well as your home base.

You will be able to chat with other players and teams in the Haven, a pre-match area where you can also organise your team, and purchase accessories.

 

SYNCED The Horde To Get Off-Planet!

The name itself is a hint on how it differentiates itself from other battle royale or zombie games

For greater situational awareness of the battlefield, players will have the ability to sync with other players, as well as control groups of Nanos by hacking them.

To hack a horde of Nanos, you will need to find a Nano with a vulnerable node and shoot it out. Then you need to hold down a button (which leaves you defenceless) until the malware activates.

Then every nearby Nano comes under your control, and will automatically attack “unhacked” Nanos and enemy players. You can also send them to a designated spot.

The hack or sync will last a minute, after which the hacked Nanos will fall to the ground… dead.

Because the bodies of dead Nanos will lie where they fall and persist in the game, you can use them to build obstacles. You can literally stack them up to block access.

 

SYNCED : Off-Planet Graphics

This is the first official AAA game by Tencent that will feature NVIDIA RTX real-time ray tracing technology to deliver photo-realistic image quality with ray-traced reflections and shadows.

It will also feature the Siren digital character technology that Epic Games showed off at GDC 2018.

It is based on Cubic Motion’s motion capture technology that uses a live actor to instantaneously create digital facial animation, making the characters look remarkably life-like.

 

SYNCED : Off-Planet Ray Tracing Comparisons

Here are the first official SYNCED : Off-Planet ray tracing screenshots and comparisons!

Lakes, puddles, wet surfaces, shiny surfaces and numerous other objects and game elements will naturally reflect surrounding detail.

And all shadows will feature realistic contact hardening and softening, as you see in the real-world.

 

SYNCED : Off-Planet Price + Availability

According to NExT, SYNCED : Off-Planet will be monetised through micro-transactions, but they haven’t decided whether to charge for the game upfront, or make it free-to-play.

But NExT Creative Director, Clark Jiayang Yang, said, “We’re not going to do pay-to-win for sure. I hate those pay-to-win games. As long as it’s fair for everyone, I think that’s fine.

They are planning to host a closed beta and early access period next year, where player feedback will determine their final monetisation decision.

 

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The Two Colonels DLC for Metro Exodus Details Confirmed!

4A Games just launched The Two Colonels DLC for Metro Exodus at Gamescom 2019, and it’s now available for purchase!

Here is everything you need to know about this new Metro Exodus DLC, including the game trailer, and the first six screenshots, with and without ray tracing enabled!

 

The Two Colonels DLC for Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter game set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the former Russian Federation.

Playing Artyom, you have to flee Moscow Metro to the Far East on the locomotive Aurora. Wielding a variety of hand-made weapons, you must battle mutated creatures sand hostile humans along the way.

The Two Colonels DLC takes place in the tunnels of the Novosibirsk Metro, before the arrival of the Aurora crew…

Colonel Miller retraces the steps Colonel Khlebnikov took in his final days, as he made his way back to his son Kirill a year ago, on New Year’s Eve.

You will experience those harrowing days, where the radiation is getting worse and mutant attacks are on the rise. It will reveal the horrors that took place in the doomed station.

The DLC will also add a new weapon – the flamethrower, to help you in your quest!

 

The Two Colonels DLC Game Trailer

4A Games released this game trailer for The Two Colonels DLC at Gamescom 2019.

 

The Two Colonels DLC Ray Tracing Showcase

Metro Exodus already makes use of real-time ray tracing in the form of global illumination.

The Two Colonels DLC will add the ray-traced global illumination with emissive lighting to the game.

In addition, global illumination will also be applied to area lights, point lights and emissive lights.

Here are the first six screenshots from the DLC, with and without ray tracing enabled.

 

The Two Colonels DLC Price + Availability

The Two Colonels DLC is part of a two-story DLC expansion plan, and is available starting 20 August 2019.

The second DLC, Sam’s Story, is slated for release in early 2020. It will follow the adventures of a US Marine trying to make it home from the Moscow embassy, where he was serving when the bombs fell.

You can pre-purchase both DLCs using the Metro Exodus Expansion Pass for $19.99 / ~£16.50 / ~A$29.99 / ~RM 83.50.

The Two Colonels DLS is available separately for $7.99 on the Epic Games Store and Steam.

 

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Minecraft Ray Tracing : Everything You Need To Know!

Microsoft and NVIDIA just announced at Gamescom 2019 that Minecraft will get a FREE real-time ray tracing upgrade!

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Minecraft ray tracing upgrade – how it works, the official trailers, and comparisons!

 

Minecraft Gets FREE Ray Tracing Upgrade!

Mojang will soon release a free update for the Windows 10 version of Minecraft, which adds real-time ray tracing support using Microsoft DXR.

Players will get to enjoy photorealistic renders of their worlds, with more realistic shadows, lighting and colours… without resorting to complicated mods.

 

How Ray Tracing Will Work In Minecraft

Working with NVIDIA, Mojang is adding a form of real-time ray tracing called path tracing to Minecraft.

Path tracing simulates the way light travels throughout a scene, and offers a unified lighting model that replaces the different lighting effects that have traditionally been implemented using rasterised or hybrid renderers.

Here are some of the traditional lighting effects that path tracing in Minecraft will replace :

  • Direct lighting from the sun, sky and various light sources, including emissive surfaces such as glowstone and lava
  • Realistic hard and soft shadows depending on the size, shape and distance of the light source
  • Per-pixel emissive lighting
  • Indirect diffuse illumination (diffuse global illumination)
  • Indirect specular illumination (reflections)
  • Transparent materials with reflection, refraction and scattering (stained glass, water, ice)
  • Atmospheric scattering and density (volumetric fog, light shafts, realistic sky)

There is one caveat though – you will need a GeForce RTX graphics card to run Minecraft with real-time ray tracing. Like the new GeForce RTX SUPER cards.

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Minecraft Ray Tracing Comparisons

 

Minecraft Ray Tracing Availability

Mojang and NVIDIA did not give an exact date, only that the ray tracing upgrade will be available in 2020.

However, attendees at the special NVIDIA Gamescon 2019 event will be able to play-test the beta version for themselves, and even capture and share their game play!

 

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Watch Dogs : Legion – Everything You Need To Know!

After wowing everyone at E3, Ubisoft just showcased the real-time ray tracing capabilities of Watch Dogs : Legion at Gamescom 2019!

Here is our sneak peek of Watch Dogs : Legion, including the new ray tracing game trailer and showcase!

 

Watch Dogs : Legion

The third instalment of the Watch Dogs franchise, Legion is set in post-Brexit London full of organised crime and pervasive surveillance.

There is no longer a central protagonist. Instead, you can recruit anyone… literally, ANYONE, from the streets and play that character.

Customise Your Team!

You can assemble a team of up to 20 DedSec members, assigning each of them to one of three distinct classes – Enforcer, Infiltrator or Hacker – each with a unique skill set.

Enforcers – can use heavier weapons like assault rifles, and have a shock sticky mine skill!

Infiltrators – can cloak themselves or knock-out enemies by hacking their augmented-reality implants!

Hackers – have access to the Spider Bot, and can hijack military drones!

Take your new operatives out on missions to level up, and gain perks that can be used to modify their class-specific skills!

Fight To Take Back London!

Watch Dogs : Legion also boasts an improved melee system with punches, grapples and dodges. Not only are operatives with melee-boosting traits now more valuable, the whole game can be completed using only melee attacks!

That’s because enemies will only escalate to match your attacks – if you don’t use your guns, enemies won’t use theirs.

The cover-shooting system has also been improved, with a number of non-lethal guns and four non-lethal ammo types – shock, concussion, gas and tranquilliser.

This is important because when your operatives die, they are gone for good. Before they die though, you will get a chance to decide whether to keep fighting (to the death) or surrender.

Get the people of London to join the DedSec resistance and take back their city when Watch Dogs : Legion launches on March 6, 2019!

 

Watch Dogs : Legion Will Use Real-Time Ray Tracing!

Ubisoft and NVIDIA also jointly announced that the GeForce RTX will be the official graphics platform for Watch Dogs Legion.

This collaboration means that Legion will be utilise real-time ray tracing and other NVIDIA gaming technologies to deliver ultra-realistic visual effects.

Recommended : NVIDIA Ray Tracing Techniques – Showcase + Explanation!

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The First Watch Dogs : Legion Ray Tracing Game Trailers!

NVIDIA shared with us two Legion game trailers to show off the photo-realistic, real-time ray traced reflections.

In these ray-traced footage, they replaced cube maps and screen space reflections, allowing windows, water puddles, cars and other reflective surfaces to accurately reflect their surroundings.

 

Watch Dogs : Legion Ray Tracing Showcase

Here are the first two official Watch Dogs : Legion ray tracing screenshots for our comparison!

 

Watch Dogs : Legion Price + Availability

This third instalment of the Watch Dogs series will be released on 6 March 2020, with these pre-order prices :

Edition Platform US UK AU
Standard Edition PC / PS4 / Xbox One $59.99 £49.99 A$89.95
Gold Edition PC / PS4 / Xbox One $99.99 £83.99 A$149.95
Ultimate Edition PC only $119.99 £99.99 A$179.95
Collector Edition PC / PS4 / Xbox One $189.99 £149.99 A$279.95

 

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NVIDIA Gamescom 2019 : Ray Tracing Trailers + Showcase!

It was a ray tracing galore at Gamescom 2019, where NVIDIA revealed that a whopping NINE new games will feature real-time ray tracing!

Here is everything you need to know about the 9 new or upcoming games that will feature real-time ray tracing, including their trailers and comparisons!

 

NVIDIA @ Gamescom 2019 : Ray Tracing Galore!

Real-time ray tracing was the buzz term at Gamescom 2019, thanks to NVIDIA who revealed a whopping NINE new games that will introduce NVIDIA real-time ray tracing!

 

Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of Minecraft!

Once Mojang releases the Minecraft ray tracing update, players will get to enjoy photorealistic renders of their worlds, with more realistic shadows, lighting and colours… without resorting to complicated mods.

Recommended : Minecraft Ray Tracing : Everything You Need To Know!

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of Control

Remedy will be using three NVIDIA real-time ray tracing effects in Control :

  • Ray-Traced Translucent Reflections
  • Ray-Traced Indirect Diffuse Lighting
  • Ray-Traced Contact Shadows

Recommended : Control : What You Need To Game With Ray-Traced Graphics!

Next Page > Gamescom 2019 Trailer + Showcase (SYNCED : Off-Planet | The Two Colonels DLC)

 

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of SYNCED : Off-Planet!

Developed by Tencent Next Studios, SYNCED : Off-Planet is a brand-new PvPvE franchise that has players fighting each other, while surviving over a thousand Nano Zombies!

It will use NVIDIA RTX real-time ray tracing technology to deliver photo-realistic image quality with ray-traced reflections and shadows.

Lakes, puddles, wet surfaces, shiny surfaces and numerous other objects and game elements will naturally reflect surrounding detail.

And all shadows will be upgraded with realistic contact hardening and softening, as you see in the real-world.

Recommended : SYNCED : Off-Planet Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase!

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Showcase Of The Two Colonels DLC

Metro Exodus already makes use of real-time ray tracing in the form of global illumination.

The Two Colonels DLC will add the ray-traced global illumination with emissive lighting to the game.

In addition, global illumination will also be applied to area lights, point lights and emissive lights.

Recommended : The Two Colonels DLC for Metro Exodus – First Screenshots!

Here are the first six screenshots from the DLC, with and without ray tracing enabled.

Next Page > Gamescom 2019 Trailer + Showcase (Wolfenstein : Youngblood | Bloodlines 2)

 

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Showcase Of Wolfenstein : Youngblood

Wolfenstein : Youngblood launched without real-time ray tracing support, but that will soon change.

Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames are preparing a major update that will enhance the game with ray-traced reflections and ray-traced ambient occlusion shadowing!

Ray-Traced Reflections

Ray-Traced Reflections will accurately simulate the way light reflects on glossy and metal surfaces by tracing a single bounce of reflection rays across the scene.

Materials affected include smooth, natural mirrors, like windows and water, but also rougher surfaces like brushed metal.

Ambient Occlusion

Ambient Occlusion adds contact shadows where two surfaces or objects meet, and where an object blocks light from reaching another nearby game element.

Without Ambient Occlusion, scenes look flat and unrealistic, and objects appear as if they are floating.

Here are two screenshot comparisons to demonstrate the effect of real-time ray tracing in Wolfenstein : Youngblood!

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of Bloodlines 2

Paradox announced their partnership with NVIDIA to introduce real-time ray tracing to Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.

In addition, they will also introduce DLSS, which would allow gamers to use higher resolutions and image quality, while enjoying fast and smooth frame rates.

Recommended : Vampire Bloodlines 2 – First Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase!

Next Page > Gamescom 2019 Trailer + Showcase (Watch Dogs : Legion | CoD : Modern Warfare | Dying Light 2)

 

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Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of Watch Dogs : Legion

The third instalment of the Watch Dogs franchise, Legion is set in post-Brexit London full of organised crime and pervasive surveillance.

There is no longer a central protagonist. Instead, you can recruit anyone… literally, ANYONE, from the streets and play that character.

At E3, Ubisoft and NVIDIA announced that Watch Dogs : Legion will be utilise real-time ray tracing and other NVIDIA gaming technologies to deliver ultra-realistic visual effects.

Real-time ray-traced reflections will replace cube maps and screen space reflections, allowing windows, water puddles, cars and other reflective surfaces to accurately reflect their surroundings.

Recommended : Watch Dogs : Legion Sneak Peek + Ray Tracing Showcase!

 

Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase Of Call of Duty : Modern Warfare

In June 2019, Activision and Infinity Ward announced their partnership with NVIDIA to introduce real-time ray tracing, NVIDIA Adaptive Shading, and other NVIDIA gaming technologies in Call of Duty : Modern Warfare.

Recommended : Call of Duty : Modern Warfare Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase!

 

Gamescom 2019 Ray Tracing Showcase Of Dying Light 2

NVIDIA and Techland declined to reveal much, only that Dying Light 2 will feature real-time ray tracing. They showed off this single screenshot comparison.

 

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Control : What You Need To Game With Ray-Traced Graphics!

Control, the action adventure game, is almost here! But are you ready to play Control with ray-traced graphics?

Here is our guide on ray tracing in Control, and what you need to enjoy it. We will also share with you the first ray-traced Control game trailer and showcase!

 

Control Is Almost Here!

Developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by 505 Games, Control is one of the two games bundled with every NVIDIA RTX Super graphics card.

You play Jesse Faden, the new Director of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) – a secret U.S. government agency that studies and contains phenomena which violate the laws of reality.

Set inside the shape-shifting Oldest House, the featureless skyscraper HQ of the FBC in New York, you must battle an otherworldly threat to regain control and prevent the public from learning of the supernatural.

 

The First Ray-Traced Control Gameplay Trailer!

Here is the first ray-traced Control gameplay trailer that Remedy and NVIDIA unveiled at Gamescom 2019!

 

The Ray Tracing Effects In Control

NVIDIA revealed that Remedy will be using three high-fidelity real-time ray tracing effects in Control :

Ray-Traced Translucent Reflections

Control is the first game to feature ray-traced translucent reflections.

Unlike screen space techniques which can only reflect what’s on screen , ray-traced reflections incorporate the entire scene around the character, and can accurately represent objects outside the camera view, or facing away from the camera.

Within the Control game, the reflections bounce off of opaque materials like brushed metal, but more importantly, off of translucent materials like windows so we can see what is behind the glass too.

Ray-Traced Indirect Diffuse Lighting

Indirect diffuse lighting is light bouncing between non-glossy surfaces, which gives the scene a more realistic lighting effect.

Ray-traced indirect diffuse lighting in Control is composed of two parts :

  • For nearby surfaces, Control will trace a ray to evaluate one bounce of real-time (dynamic) diffuse reflection.
  • If no nearby surfaces are found, Control will use the ray information instead to sample pre-computed global illumination information at a more optimal location.

The end result is a more natural lighting feel, with objects that sit better in the scene.

Ray-Traced Contact Shadows

This is a hybrid technique where Control traces shadow rays to add accurate shadowing on any surface that is close to the shadow caster.

This enhances surface and contact details, and fixes problems associated with traditional shadow mapping techniques like aliasing, freckling and disconnected shadows.

Further away from the shadow caster, we blend with traditional rasterized soft shadows using shadow maps.

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Control : Ray Tracing System Requirements

Remedy is recommending the following system requirements if you wish to turn on all three ray tracing features in Control :

CPU : Intel Core i5-7600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X, or better
GPU : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, or better
RAM : 16 GB
OS : Windows 10 64-bit

If you wish to turn on all three ray tracing features, with maxed-out graphics, Remedy recommends the following system requirements :

CPU : Intel Core i5-8600K / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, or better
GPU : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, or better
RAM : 16 GB
OS : Windows 10 64-bit

Control will be released on 27 August 2019, so you will soon be able to enjoy it with ray-traced graphics!

 

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Call of Duty : Modern Warfare Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase!

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare is coming soon! To slake your thirst for updates on this hotly-anticipated game, here are the first ray tracing game trailer and showcase!

 

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare is the 16th instalment of the Call of Duty series of first-person shooter games.

Slated for released on 25 October 2019, it will feature a modern setting, and the first CoD title to support cross-platform multiplayer capability!

 

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare – First Ray Tracing Trailer!

In June 2019, Activision and Infinity Ward announced their partnership with NVIDIA to introduce real-time ray tracing, NVIDIA Adaptive Shading, and other NVIDIA gaming technologies in Call of Duty : Modern Warfare.

Check out the first ray-traced Modern Warfare gameplay released by Activision and NVIDIA at Gamescom 2019!

 

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare Ray Tracing Showcase

Here are the first official Call of Duty : Modern Warfare ray tracing screenshots and comparisons!

 

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Vampire Bloodlines 2 – First Ray Tracing Trailer + Showcase!

Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is set for release next year, but we can now share with you the first ray tracing trailer and showcase!

 

Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2004 vampire-themed RPG, that is slated to be released in April 2020.

At Gamescom 2019, Paradox announced their partnership with NVIDIA to introduce real-time ray tracing to Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.

In addition, they will also introduce DLSS, which would allow gamers to use higher resolutions and image quality, while enjoying fast and smooth frame rates.

 

The First Bloodlines 2 Ray Tracing Trailer

This is the first Bloodlines 2 ray tracing trailer, unveiled at Gamescom 2019 by Paradox and NVIDIA.

According to NVIDIA, all suitable surfaces will accurately reflect surrounding detail in real-time. The look of each reflection is determined by the properties of the material on the affected object or surface.

In the case of windows, reflections have full transparency, enabling you to see detail beyond the glass, as well as the reflection itself, as in the real world.

Here’s the extended Bloodlines 2 game trailer, without real-time ray tracing…

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Bloodlines 2 Ray Tracing Showcase

Here are the first official Vampire : The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 ray tracing screenshots and comparisons!

 

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NVIDIA RTX Real-Time Ray Tracing Technology Explained!

NVIDIA just announced the NVIDIA RTX real-time ray tracing technology at GDC 2018. It promises to bring real-time, cinematic-quality rendering to content creators and game developers. Find out what NVIDIA RTX is all about, and what it means to all of us!

 

The Holy Grail For Photorealism

Ray tracing is the gold standard for creating realistic, lifelike lighting, reflections and shadows. It adds a level of realism far beyond what is possible using traditional rendering techniques.

Real-time ray tracing replaces a majority of the rendering techniques used today, with realistic optical calculations that replicate the way light behaves in the real world. But until today, it has been too computationally-demanding to be practical for real-time, interactive gaming.

 

NVIDIA RTX Real-Time Ray Tracing Technology

NVIDIA RTX is a real-time ray tracing technology that promises to deliver real-time ray tracing with high frame rates and low latency.

It runs exclusively (at the moment) on the NVIDIA Volta GPUs. Applications that run on the newly-announced Microsoft DirectX Raytracing (DXR) API will support NVIDIA RTX when used with an NVIDIA Volta graphics card.

 

GameWorks For Ray Tracing

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NVIDIA also announced that the NVIDIA GameWorks SDK will include a ray tracing denoiser module. This suite of tools and resources will help developers increase realism and shorten product cycles for titles developed using the new Microsoft DXR API and NVIDIA RTX.

The upcoming GameWorks SDK — which will support Volta and future generation GPU architectures — enables ray-traced area shadows, ray-traced glossy reflections and ray-traced ambient occlusion.

With these capabilities, developers can create realistic, high-quality reflections that capture the scene around it and achieve physically accurate lighting and shadows.

 

Broad Industry Support

Industry leaders such as 4A Games, Epic, Remedy Entertainment and Unity featured NVIDIA RTX in their technology demonstrations at the Game Developers Conference 2018. They showed how real-time ray tracing can provide amazing, lifelike graphics in future games.

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