Why Vulkan API is Better Than DirectX 12 – 15 Proven Reasons Developers Prefer It

Vulkan API offers better performance, multi-threading, and platform support than DirectX 12. Discover why Vulkan is becoming the preferred graphics API.

Understanding Vulkan and DirectX 12

Vulkan API

Vulkan is a cross-platform, low-overhead graphics and compute API developed by the Khronos Group. It runs on Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS (via wrappers) and provides high-performance rendering capabilities.

DirectX 12

DirectX 12 is a Microsoft proprietary API limited to Windows and Xbox. Though powerful, it lacks Vulkan’s platform flexibility and open governance.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Unlike DirectX 12, Vulkan supports multiple OS platforms, making it ideal for games targeting diverse systems.

Open-Source vs Proprietary Licensing

Vulkan is open-source and royalty-free, while DirectX 12 is proprietary. Vulkan allows greater transparency and tool development by third parties.

Performance in Real-World Benchmarks

• DOOM Eternal (1080p Ultra): Vulkan: 190 FPS | DX12: 170 FPS
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood: Vulkan: 120 FPS | DX12: 102 FPS

Vulkan consistently uses fewer CPU resources, resulting in better multitasking and efficiency on low-core CPUs.

Lower-Level Hardware Access

Vulkan allows developers to fine-tune GPU and memory management, unlike DirectX 12 which restricts such flexibility under Microsoft’s abstraction layer.

Better Multi-threading Support

With superior parallelism, Vulkan can dispatch rendering work across many threads more efficiently than DirectX 12.

Driver Overhead and Efficiency

Vulkan shifts control to developers, reducing reliance on vendor GPU drivers and offering lower driver overhead and smoother performance.

Support for Modern Graphics Features

Both APIs support ray tracing and VRS, but Vulkan adapts faster due to its extensible, community-driven development model.

Vulkan in Game Development

• DOOM Eternal by id Software
• Dota 2 Vulkan backend by Valve
• Red Dead Redemption 2 Vulkan mode on PC

Vulkan in Emulators and Custom Engines

• RPCS3 (PS3 emulator): Significant FPS boost using Vulkan
• Dolphin Emulator: Vulkan delivers smoother gameplay and lower overhead

Industry Adoption and Ecosystem

Vulkan powers rendering on Android phones, Linux desktops, cloud gaming platforms (like Stadia and GeForce NOW), and is even used in the Steam Deck.

Vulkan in Professional Graphics & CAD

Tools like Blender and Autodesk Maya adopt Vulkan for stable, cross-platform 3D rendering and simulation performance.

Energy Efficiency on Mobile Devices

Vulkan’s low driver overhead and efficient thread management result in better power consumption and thermal output—critical for mobile gaming.

Tools and SDK Availability

• Vulkan SDK with validation layers
• RenderDoc for Vulkan debugging
• MoltenVK for running Vulkan on macOS/iOS

Community Support and Documentation

Vulkan benefits from strong open-source documentation, GitHub repositories, and active communities—unlike DirectX 12’s Microsoft-only docs.

Use Cases Where DirectX 12 is Better

• Xbox-exclusive development
• DirectML AI acceleration on Windows
• Native Game Pass integration for Windows Store games

Final Verdict: Vulkan vs DirectX 12

Bottom Line: Vulkan is ideal for cross-platform developers, open ecosystems, and those who demand ultimate performance control. DirectX 12 works best in Windows-locked pipelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Is Vulkan easier than DirectX 12?
  A: No, Vulkan has a steeper learning curve but more power and flexibility.
• Q: Can Vulkan run on iOS?
  A: Yes, via the MoltenVK layer.
• Q: Do modern engines support Vulkan?
  A: Yes, both Unreal Engine and Unity support Vulkan rendering.
• Q: Is Vulkan used in mobile gaming?
  A: Absolutely, it’s standard on Android and used in AR/VR engines.
• Q: Can Vulkan outperform DirectX 12?
  A: In many cases, yes—especially in multithreaded and CPU-bound workloads.

Conclusion

Vulkan API is the future-ready choice for developers who want platform independence, better efficiency, and greater control. Whether you're building games, emulators, or professional rendering tools—Vulkan gives you the edge.