Respawn added DirectX 12 support for Apex Legends in Season 15. Although it is in the beta stage, you can get better performance from it.
In Apex Legends Season 15, Respawn added a brand new Legend called Catalyst, implemented new features and made some weapon and legend-related changes. They also released the Broken Moon map after a long development period.
Apart from these, a new API upgrade is also being enforced in that season, which many people still don’t know about, even in Season 19. Since Apex Legends’ launch, it has been using the DirectX 11 or DX11 API. Although it is a great option for the time being, the DX11 API has its limitations in the game.
Contrarily, most modern games and graphics cards now support DirectX 12. It provides much better opportunities for the future of Apex Legends. As a result, Respawn added DirectX 12 beta support to the game starting from Season 15. And with a few simple steps, you can also experience this new feature.
Does Your GPU Supports DirectX 12?
Before you try to opt-in for DirectX 12 beta in Apex Legends, you should make sure your GPU supports a minimum DirectX Feature Level of 12_0. Although most modern graphics cards support DirectX 12 API, you can easily check it within a few moments.
To find out whether your GPU supports DirectX 12:
- Press Windows Key+R on your keyboard.
- Type dxdiag and press Enter.
- Go to the Display tab and find Feature Levels under the Drivers section.
- Make sure it has 12_0.
If your GPU has a DirectX Feature Level of 12_0 support, it means you are ready to go for the next steps.
How to Use DirectX 12 Beta in Apex Legends
Currently, the DirectX 12 beta is supported only on the PC platform. You can opt-in for the DirectX 12 beta by using a specific command line in EA App, Origin, or Steam.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
EA App:
- From My Collection, click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the Apex Legends tile and select View Properties.
- Add “-eac_launcher_settings SettingsDX12.json” in the text box under Advanced Launch Options.
- Click Save and launch the game normally.
Origin:
- From My Game Library, right-click Apex Legends -> Game Properties -> Advanced Launch Options.
- Add “-eac_launcher_settings SettingsDX12.json“ to Command line arguments
- Click Save and launch the game normally.
Steam:
- From your library, right-click Apex Legends, and select Properties.
- Add “-eac_launcher_settings SettingsDX12.json“ to Launch Options.
- Close the properties window and launch the game normally.
Following these steps will let you enjoy the DirectX 12 beta in Apex Legends at the moment. Since this is a beta, some bugs and glitches are expected. The DX11 version of the game is still the main version players are expected to use. If you experience any issues with DX12, you can return to DX11 by removing the “-eac_launcher_settings SettingsDX12.json“ command from EA App, Origin, or Steam.
Should You Use DirectX 12 Beta in Apex?
As DirectX 12 is currently in a beta stage in Apex Legends, bugs and glitches are to be expected. When DirectX 12 launches as a full-fledged API for Apex Legends, your gameplay experience will improve drastically.
However, it is still unfinished at the moment, and you may likely face FPS drops and input lags in some situations. Regardless, the difference between DX 11 and 12 won’t be huge. Still, if you encounter any issues with DirectX 12 beta, you can always roll back to DirectX 11 by simply removing the command specified in the above section.
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