Enabling and configuring Direct Storage

The Xbox Series X is the most advanced console with Direct Storage technology. This technology exists in Windows. Setup takes a fraction of a second if you have Windows updated to 10 or 11. When you upgrade your computer, you will be able to use the API, but you need to follow other recommendations.

Direct Storage on Windows

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What is Direct Storage in Windows 11 and Windows 10

Direct Storage API is the latest API for Windows 11 and Windows 10 that loads games faster. Thanks to him, you can create a virtual world that will load quickly if necessary. This will improve the gaming experience of the users. As you know, the newest games have a lot of data that is downloaded to the computer. The necessary elements are broken up by games into smaller parts, which, in turn, prevents memory overload. Then only those parts that are needed for the game are loaded.

How to connect Direct Storage

Users do not need to use the helper steps for Direct Storage to work. Since the Direct Storage API is part of DirectX, you can start using the technology right now if you have the program. You do not need to enable additional features, but you should check if your device meets the system requirements of the utility.

Section "System" in WIndows

Section "About the system" in WIndows

First you need to find out your version of Windows on the computer. By updating it (need 10 or 11), you will be able to use the API.

Version number in Windows

The next requirement is the presence of new SSDs, which guarantee higher speeds than SATA and hard gestures.

dxdiag command in windows

It is mandatory to have a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card. You will not be able to use the Direct Storage API unless you upgrade your GPU. You can try using the dxdiag code to find out the version of DirectX that is installed on your personal computer.

Line "DirectX version" in WIndows

This is where DirectStorage comes in. This API is the result of current save and I/O requirements in games. If you have NVMe drives, then DirectStorage will still work. You will probably need an SSD and motherboard to work with DirectStorage.

Unfortunately, using this approach leads to the creation of a large number of queries. And modern APIs are not optimized for this, they process each request individually. Which is extremely inefficient for games that create thousands or tens of thousands of requests per second. As a result, modern PCI Express NMVe drives cannot reach their full potential and fill the I / O bandwidth. To solve these problems, the DirectStorage API uses several approaches at once. In particular, the use of computing resources for each request is reduced, and the requests themselves are grouped into blocks and processed in parallel, taking into account priorities.

NVMe for Direct Storage

DirectStorage API technology is designed to take into account all the problems and make the most of the pipeline to the GPU, directly from the NVMe drive. This process is carried out in several stages: reducing the necessary sources that calculate per request, synchronous grouping, processing the same requests, and providing direct control.

Thus, a minimum of time is spent on entering the game, players get large and understandable surreal worlds with instant loading of content.

Enhance games with DirectStorage

In modern consoles, for example, PS5 or Xbox, there is a Direct Storage system. Reducing the time to load a game without graphical defects in a short time is guaranteed, because the graphics avoid problems by getting the necessary information.
Direct Storage eliminates the need for the CPU to open data delivered to RAM for processing by sending jobs to the graphics card. This is how graphics refers to almost game files that are stored on an SSD. Get the image of the game as quickly as possible. At the same time, little time will be spent on loading, there will be fewer problems with graphics in games.

Direct Storage in games

Which PCs are Direct Storage suitable for?

Almost every computer can have and enable Direct Storage. But for this technology, you must have a computer that will meet the requirements. To play games or save them, you need to have 1 TV NVMe SSD. NVM Express Controller must be used by NVMe drives. To use DirectX 12 Ultimate, you need to have a high quality GPU.

Direct Storage Mechanism

Because it replaces older APIs, DirectStorage has a lot to offer developers. As you know, this technology is becoming a replacement for old APIs. DirectStorage has a lot of ideas that developers approve of.

Without Direct Storage

It includes the latest ways to shrink your GPU. Due to this, a significant amount of data follows the GPU, so you do not have to wait long for the game to load.

Older game APIs read information slowly, around 1 MB/s. DirectStorage does this faster, resulting in better frame rates, faster load times, and then you can create games that are more complex.

With Direct Storage

Do you use Direct Storage? Are games loading faster? We are waiting for your answers in the form below.

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