Where Winds Meet runs on Windows with both DirectX 11 and DirectX 12, and PC players are immediately asked which version to launch. That choice has real implications for performance, stutter, and access to features like DLSS, FSR, and frame generation.
This explainer walks through how DX12 is implemented in Where Winds Meet, when it’s the better option, and when you might want to fall back to DX11.
Where Winds Meet on PC: How the rendering path is set up
On Steam, Where Winds Meet exposes separate launch options for DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Under the hood, the Windows build uses an executable called Engine\Binaries\Win64r\wwm.exe with a DX12 control argument, which lines up with the game’s modern rendering feature set and the system requirements on its Steam page.
| Aspect | DX11 path | DX12 path |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum OS | Windows 10 / 11 (game still expects modern Windows) | Windows 10 / 11 |
| Minimum GPU (Steam) | GTX 1060 6GB / RX 480 8GB | GTX 1060 6GB / RX 480 8GB |
| DirectX feature level | 11.x | 12 |
| Upscaling support | FSR upscaling works; DLSS not available | DLSS and FSR upscaling available |
| Frame generation | FSR frame insertion not supported in this mode | DLSS frame generation and FSR frame insertion available |
| Typical use case | Fallback when DX12 is unstable | Default choice for modern GPUs |
Although the Steam system requirements only call out DirectX 12, the game still includes a DX11 launch path largely for compatibility and troubleshooting.
Performance: DX12 is usually faster, but stutter is the real problem
In raw frame-rate terms, Where Winds Meet scales well on fairly modest hardware. On a midrange card like an RTX 4060 at 1080p, the Ultra preset lands around the mid‑60s in frames per second, with higher presets (Balanced, Performance) stepping up to around 90–100fps before any upscaling is applied. On Intel Arc A‑series cards, the game is unusually quick, with an A750 or B580 pushing 70–90fps on Ultra at 1080p without needing DLSS or FSR.
DX12 is central to those results for two reasons:
- It exposes the more modern GPU scheduling and multithreading paths the engine expects.
- It unlocks DLSS and workable FSR upscaling, which significantly raise frame rates at higher resolutions.
The catch: stutter. Across several GPUs, Where Winds Meet can hitch hard during traversal or seemingly at random. On bad runs, stutters are severe enough that the game looks like it is about to crash, even while the average frame rate numbers look fine. There isn’t a single graphics setting you can toggle that reliably eliminates these spikes.
DX11 does not fully cure the stutter, but some players report fewer crashes and a slightly more predictable frame time profile when dropping back from DX12. That is why the game exposes both APIs at launch.
Upscaling and frame generation: What DX12 unlocks
Where Winds Meet includes both Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR, plus frame generation options. These are not evenly available across DX11 and DX12.
| Feature | DX11 availability | DX12 availability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLSS upscaling | No | Yes | Quality mode is a strong default for RTX GPUs. |
| DLSS frame generation | No | Yes | Works on RTX 40‑ and 50‑series; jumps 1440p from mid‑60s to ~100fps in testing. |
| FSR upscaling | Yes | Yes | Gives a solid boost on non‑RTX hardware. |
| FSR frame insertion / frame generation | No | Yes, but poor quality | Produces visible artifacts and high input latency; best avoided. |
There are a few practical consequences here:
- If you have an RTX card, DX12 is mandatory for DLSS and for Nvidia’s frame generation.
- FSR upscaling works under both APIs, but FSR frame generation is DX12‑only and is in rough shape visually.
- If you are on AMD or Intel and only want basic FSR upscaling, you can get that in either mode, but DX12 still tends to be the more performant path.
Note: FSR frame generation in this build lacks an input‑lag reduction mechanism equivalent to Nvidia Reflex, so camera and input feel can become noticeably sluggish when you turn it on. DLSS frame generation, in contrast, pairs with Reflex and feels much tighter.
Visual issues and polish: DX12 doesn’t fix the rough edges
Whichever API you choose, Where Winds Meet still has a mix of presentational problems that sit outside the DX11 vs DX12 decision:
- Aggressive pop‑in, with scenery and NPCs appearing very close to the camera even at Ultra quality.
- Some low‑fidelity effects, especially for burning ropes and vines, which transition abruptly between states.
- Translation and localisation slips, including English sessions that drop back into Chinese in some UI panels.
These are engine or content issues rather than API issues. DX12 may give you higher frame rates and access to more tech features, but it will not resolve these visual inconsistencies by itself.
DX12 vs DX11: Which should you pick for Where Winds Meet?
Most players should start with DX12. That’s the path the game is tuned around, and it is effectively required if you want to use DLSS or any frame generation on RTX hardware. However, there are legitimate reasons to switch to DX11 if DX12 misbehaves on your system.
| Scenario | Recommended API | Why |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 30/40/50, 1080p or 1440p, want DLSS | DX12 | DLSS and frame generation only exist on the DX12 path. |
| Intel Arc (A‑series, B‑series) | DX12 | Game runs exceptionally fast on Arc under DX12; no benefit in stepping back. |
| Modern AMD card, stable DX12 | DX12 | Better utilisation and access to FSR options. |
| Any GPU, frequent crashes on DX12 | DX11 | Fallback path; some players report better stability. |
| Older GPU barely meeting minimum specs | Try DX12 first, then DX11 if needed | DX12 may still be faster; DX11 is there as a safety net. |
| Competitive PvP focus, no need for frame gen | DX12 with DLSS/FSR upscaling only | Keep frame times low and input latency consistent. |
The community pattern mirrors this: players typically launch DX12 by default, and only fall back to DX11 if they hit crashes or extreme hitching that doesn’t respond to graphics tweaks. DX11 removes access to some visual features but can be the difference between playing and not playing on problematic setups.
Recommended graphics settings when using DX12
Once you commit to DX12, a few settings give outsized performance gains without a big visual cost. Testing on an RTX 4060 at 1080p shows clear scaling across presets: Ultra around the mid‑60s fps, Quality around 80fps, Balanced near 90fps, and Performance just above 100fps.
Rather than dropping the global preset, make targeted cuts:
- Motion blur: Turn this off. It costs performance and makes camera pans look smeared.
- Super resolution type: On RTX, set DLSS to Quality at 1080p/1440p. On AMD or older Nvidia, use FSR in its best‑quality mode.
- Tessellation: Drop to Low. The frame‑time win is large, and the loss in surface detail is modest.
- Vegetation quality: Set to Medium. Low makes foliage too sparse, while Medium preserves density at a lower cost than High/Ultra.
- Reflection quality: Medium tends to look cleaner and sharper than Ultra’s hazier presentation while being cheaper to render.
On a 4060, that mix—DLSS Quality plus trimmed tessellation, vegetation, and reflections—pushes average frame rate into the low‑80s, while retaining most of the Ultra‑level image quality. That gives enough headroom to let DLSS frame generation nudge apparent frame rate toward 100–120fps if you want extra smoothness and are comfortable with the slightly higher latency.
FSR frame generation, by contrast, currently produces heavy artifacting and choppy motion, and is better left off regardless of GPU vendor.
How this fits with the game’s system requirements
There is an interesting tension between the formal system requirements and how the game actually behaves on hardware.
- The Steam listing sets the minimum CPU at an i7‑7700K or Ryzen 5 1600, with a GTX 1060 6GB or RX 480 8GB and 16GB of RAM.
- The official installation guide on the publisher site describes a lower minimum spec, including GTX 750 Ti or RX 550‑class GPUs and 8GB of RAM, plus a 60GB storage requirement for the standard install.
- In practice, the game runs surprisingly well on older and budget cards when you lean on the Performance preset and FSR at 70% scale.
The broad picture is that Where Winds Meet is not especially GPU‑hungry compared to many recent open‑world games, but it is sensitive to CPU, storage throughput, and its own stutter issues. Installing on an SSD, keeping background disk activity low, and using DX12 with sensible settings generally offer the best experience, as long as your system is stable with that API.
If you are staring at the launcher wondering which button to hit, the rule of thumb is simple: start with DX12 for better performance and access to DLSS and frame generation, then drop back to DX11 only if you run into crashes or show‑stopping hitching you cannot otherwise solve. From there, focus on the handful of heavy settings—tessellation, vegetation, reflections—rather than gutting the visuals across the board.
