Ray tracing is likely one of the maximum state of the art applied sciences within the PC gaming global, with its complete attainable closing locked regardless of how a lot more robust the absolute best graphics playing cards have got. Then again, one developer seeks to check whether or not a processor can ray tracing in any capability.
To this point the solution is: more or less? Consistent with the developer, Konstantin Seurer, and reported on by way of PCGamesN, they’ve been “including options to a CPU-run Vulkan-based model of the open-source Mesa graphics library.” The dev enabled the serve as Put into effect VK_KHR_ray_query, which then allowed ray tracing to run on a processor. They examined this at the vintage identify Quake 2.
We don’t know what sort of processor was once utilized in checking out, that means it would vary from a consumer-type Intel Core i9 to an especially robust Threadripper form. What we do know, on the other hand, is the ideas gleaned from the one screenshot Seurer launched. It presentations us that 34% of the processor’s energy is getting used, that the consequences are a paltry 1fps, and that the processor is just working ray tracing because of the 0% GPU usage.
However why although?
Now that we understand it’s technically imaginable for a processor to run ray tracing, even supposing it’s slightly working and on Quake 2 no much less, there’s any other query that bears mentioning. Is it value having a processor run ray-tracing era within the first position?
On one hand, it’s an enchanting procedure and one who I’m taken with, as a result of why no longer push elements to their limits and notice what you’ll be able to accomplish with them. The absolute best processors are best getting more potent and extra environment friendly with each and every technology, with a few of them even with the ability to take care of one of the most absolute best PC video games with out a devoted graphics card. So it stands to explanation why that they may take care of extra complicated equipment sooner or later.
However, for what receive advantages would this be in the end? As said earlier than, graphics playing cards can slightly deliver out the most productive in ray tracing, and steadily it wishes the assistance of DLSS to tug it off with out tanking the framerate. From a sensible level, it is smart to depart the ray tracing to the playing cards which can be constructed to take care of it.
Regardless, I’m nonetheless curious to look if somebody else can pull off this feat someday.
Allow 48h for review and removal.