For the current PC release, the old DX11-versus-DX12 choice no longer applies: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, released September 29, 2026, uses native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading. If you are playing an earlier build that offers both APIs, there is no established universal winner; the better-performing option depends on your PC, settings, resolution, and the scene being played.
What changed in the current release?
CD PROJEKT RED’s September 28, 2026 feature announcement says Remastered “now features native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading for better performance and visuals.” The release became available on September 29, 2026. In this version, the old launcher choice between DX11 and DX12 is not a way to select between two current renderers. The publisher’s description is a feature statement, not a guarantee that every PC will gain higher frame rates.
Remastered release details: CD PROJEKT RED’s release notice and Remastered feature announcement.
Which API runs better in older builds?
There is no reliable, matched DX11-versus-DX12 benchmark established here that supports naming one API as the winner across PCs. CD PROJEKT RED says its expected frame rates vary with scene, system configuration, graphics settings, and output resolution. Your results can therefore differ between areas of the game and between machines.
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Older DX11 and DX12 modes also were not feature-for-feature equivalents. CD PROJEKT RED’s forum guidance says the DX11 renderer lacked ray tracing and general graphical improvements introduced with the next-gen update. A comparison using the same preset name may still compare different image features, so it cannot automatically be treated as an API-only performance test. The historical distinction is described in CD PROJEKT RED forum guidance on DX11 and DX12 differences.
If you want ray tracing
In an earlier next-gen build, DX11 is not an equivalent choice if you want ray tracing: the official guidance says DX11 lacked that feature. Compare configurations that actually support the feature you intend to use rather than assuming both APIs can render the same scene in the same way.
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How to compare DX11 and DX12 on your PC
If your installed build still offers both choices, test them under controlled, repeatable conditions. Use the same PC and graphics driver, patch, saved location or repeatable scene, output resolution, graphics settings, ray-tracing state, upscaling mode, and frame-generation setting. Note the patch number: for example, Patch 4.01 changed PC behavior, including adding a ray-traced global-illumination performance mode and other fixes. Its dated change list is at CD PROJEKT RED’s Patch 4.01 notes.
- Record the game version or patch and which renderer you selected.
- Choose a repeatable location and keep resolution and graphics options consistent. For an API-focused comparison, disable ray tracing if one mode does not support it.
- Run each mode through the same route or scene under the same conditions. Record average frame rate alongside the settings; if you can, track frame-time consistency and note stutter or crashes separately.
- Repeat the runs and choose the mode that gives you the more useful combination of smoothness and stability. A single result from one scene may not represent the whole game.
This procedure is a way to assess your own system, not a claim that a new head-to-head test has been performed. CD PROJEKT RED’s current requirements page publishes QA-based performance targets by hardware tier and configuration, but those figures are not DX11-versus-DX12 results. Its ray-tracing and path-tracing targets use DLSS, FSR, or XeSS set to Auto; the path-tracing configuration also enables frame generation. See the current PC requirements and performance notes for the live tiers and qualifications.
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Does an SSD or hardware upgrade decide the API question?
No. CD PROJEKT RED says an SSD is required for the latest technical enhancements and notes loading and asset-streaming benefits. An SSD may be relevant if your PC still uses a hard drive, but it does not establish which renderer will deliver more FPS. Check the current requirements page for compatibility before upgrading.
A graphics card may matter if you are targeting higher resolutions, ray tracing, or path tracing, but the publisher’s tiered requirements do not identify a universally best GPU. A graphics upgrade is most defensible when your own results show a GPU bottleneck or you have a specific higher-end configuration in mind.
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What else to check before playing
The updated requirements page also says CD PROJEKT RED no longer develops or tests the game on Windows 10. Check the current support information for your operating system and configuration, especially if you are preparing a PC for Remastered.
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