AMD RDNA2: Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading

[JeGX]

AMD RDNA2, RDNA's successor, will bring the support of raytracing (in upcoming Xbox Series X) and variable rate shading (or VRS).

Microsoft has already laid out the development framework for Raytracing through the DirectX Raytracing, or DXR, API, and should be a main development tool for game developers working to implement raytracing within the upcoming Xbox. With Microsoft's DXR implementation for the Xbox, this confirms RDNA2 is compatible with the DXR API, and in this case, should forward capability to desktop GPUs for PC gamers.

Variable Rate Shading, or VRS, is another feature to be included within AMD's RDNA2 GPUs. VRS enables the GPU to dynamically alter the focus of shading within certain areas of a scene. Microsoft has already developed two variations of VRS, one for NVIDIA's Turing GPUs, and the other for Intel's Gen11 GPUs, but no option for AMD's existing GCN or RDNA GPUs, for DirectX 12. With RDNA2's implementation of VRS, gamers may expect to achieve increased playability at 4K resolutions and beyond.

Link: https://wccftech.com/amd-rdna2-support-for-raytracing-variable-rate-shading/