Microsoft Brings Faster Game Loading to More PCs

Microsoft wants to expand their Advanced Shader Delivery feature to more Windows 11 PCs. The technology uses ready-to-use shaders to help games start faster and reduce stuttering.

AMD hardware already supports the feature across its RDNA graphics range. Microsoft is now adding support for hardware from Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm. The rollout started this month, with more supported devices coming soon.

Shaders are small programs that help games create graphics. Many PC games need to compile them when they first start.

This can make the first launch take longer. It can also cause short stutters while playing. Advanced Shader Delivery moves much of this work away from the player's PC.

Microsoft prepares the shaders before the game reaches the player. The finished data is then delivered with the game download.

This can cut down the work done by the CPU when a game starts. Microsoft says the feature can reduce load times and shader-related stutter. It can also lower power use in some cases.

The new rollout covers more Windows 11 devices from Intel, Nvidia and Qualcomm.

Intel has already confirmed support for its Lunar Lake and Panther Lake platforms. Qualcomm has also made Advanced Shader Delivery available on PCs with Snapdragon X2 chips. Its latest driver is required for the feature to work.

Nvidia is working with Microsoft to bring the feature to GeForce RTX users later this year. Microsoft says the wider rollout will help more PC players use precompiled shaders across different hardware.

Microsoft is using Gears of War: E-Day to show the feature on the new hardware. The game already supports Advanced Shader Delivery.

The feature is not automatic for every PC game tho. Developers need to add support for it, and the game must meet some of Microsoft's requirements.

As more games adopt the system, players should spend less time waiting for shader compilation. They may also see fewer stutters during the first moments of a game.