No more long loading screens in games
Manufacturers are increasingly developing computer hardware. Newer processors perform more efficiently, graphics cards display more frames per second, and SSDs provide faster file transfers.
The issue is that, despite the huge speeds enabled by the PCI-Express 4.0 interface, loading times do not differ significantly from those of earlier SSD devices. Fortunately, the Xbox Series X | S function that allows you to immediately load DirectStorage games may soon make its way to personal PCs.
DirectStorage for PCs. No more long loading screens
The capability, or more specifically the DirectStorage API, was initially offered on the newest generation Xbox consoles. Microsoft announced a year and a half ago that it will also be available for personal computers - and now it is. How does it work? To support it, you'll need a super-fast PCI-Express 4.0 drive that supports the NVM-Express protocol.
This one connects directly with the operating memory, the other with the graphics card (rather than the CPU), and more specifically with its memory, thanks to the API (VRAM). The data is subsequently decompressed by the GPU, allowing players to see significantly faster fluctuations in load times in PC games.
In terms of system requirements, DirectStorage will work with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 - through Microsoft recommends the latter, stating it provides the best-optimized gaming experience. The obvious difference is that the functionality will not be offered in every book in the same way. Individual game developers must install support for the tool ahead of time in order for consumers to be able to use the solution.
It is worth noting that DirectStorage will undoubtedly take some time to become a comprehensive standard. Developers will be able to test early versions of the functionalities beginning in June, and one of the first games to use Microsoft's API will be Forspoken, whose release date has been pushed back to October 11 this year. Only then will we know whether DirectStorage is worthwhile, i.e. how much it will shorten loading screens.
