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DirectX 12

What GPU Features Do You Need for Ray Tracing in PC Games?

Ray tracing requires compatible GPU and driver support plus implementation in the game. Learn what to check and why no single graphics card is a universal minimum.

By VGSources Team 3 min read
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For ray tracing in a modern PC game, you need a GPU and driver that expose the ray-tracing API capability the game uses—and the game itself must support that GPU. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is important for practical performance, but API support or an “RTX” label alone does not promise a particular frame rate, resolution, or graphics setting. Check the individual game’s requirements and support notes before deciding whether your card is suitable.

Ray tracing depends on both the GPU and the game

Ray tracing is not a single universal switch with one model cutoff. The graphics device and driver must expose the capability the game uses, and the developer must have implemented and enabled ray tracing for that game and GPU family. A card’s ability to expose a compatible API does not establish that every title supports it on that card.

For Direct3D 12 games, Microsoft defines ray-tracing tiers and documents how applications query device support. Its DirectX Raytracing Functional Specification, version 1.48 dated September 8, 2026, distinguishes native ray-tracing support from software emulation. Those capabilities are not equivalent assurances of performance. Microsoft documents the device-tier query through D3D12_RAYTRACING_TIER and D3D12_FEATURE_DATA_D3D12_OPTIONS5.

Hardware acceleration helps, but features do not rank performance

For practical play, look for a GPU with hardware ray-tracing acceleration rather than treating software-emulated capability as a performance substitute. Intel describes hardware ray-tracing units in Arc graphics, while AMD describes hardware ray-tracing acceleration in its Radeon RX 6000 family. These vendor feature descriptions confirm that acceleration is present in those product families; they do not establish that one vendor’s GPU is faster than another’s.

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Likewise, “RTX” is not a universal requirement. AMD and Intel products can support ray tracing, but a game’s developer must integrate and support the feature for the relevant GPU family. Intel notes that developers implement ray tracing through APIs such as DirectX 12 or Vulkan, and that support for another manufacturer’s GPUs does not automatically mean a title has added support for Intel Arc.

Game requirements are the practical compatibility test

Use the game publisher’s current requirements to determine which cards it supports and whether a listed GPU requirement applies specifically to ray-tracing features or to the game overall. For example, Bandai Namco lists the following GPUs for the ray-tracing graphics requirement in Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon:

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GPU listed by Bandai Namco Memory listed Ray-tracing availability
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB Garage only
AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT 8GB Garage only
Intel Arc A770 16GB Garage only

These are title- and mode-specific requirements, not a general minimum for PC ray tracing. Bandai Namco’s official game page says ray tracing is available only in the garage. The listed models therefore do not imply that the feature is available during missions or that the cards deliver a particular frame rate.

How to check whether your setup is suitable

  1. Find the official requirements for the exact game. Identify whether a GPU model is listed for ray tracing specifically, or for the game’s overall minimum or recommended specification.
  2. Confirm API and driver support. For a Direct3D 12 title, Microsoft’s documented tier query is one way an application checks device support. Players should also keep the GPU driver current and consult the game’s support information for known GPU-family limitations.
  3. Check that the developer supports your GPU family. A compatible API or hardware ray-tracing units do not force a game to implement the feature for that card.
  4. Match the requirement to your intended settings. Consider resolution, graphics preset, and target frame rate. A minimum GPU requirement alone does not guarantee a specific result at your preferred settings.
  5. Use game-specific performance evidence for comparisons. Compare benchmarks for the same title, settings, and resolution; feature names and API tiers alone cannot establish which GPU will perform better.
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Ray tracing is separate from upscaling and frame generation

Upscaling and frame generation can affect performance or image presentation, but they are separate features with their own game and GPU support requirements. They are not universal prerequisites for ray tracing, and the availability of one does not prove the availability of the other.

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