3DMark ray tracing benchmark expected in Q4 2018

UL sends out word about two upcoming tests for the 3DMark suite. First up, is 3DMark Night Raid, a new benchmark for systems with integrated graphics solutions. It's designed for low-power Always Connected PCs and other mobile computing platforms. This benchmark is expected to be out in early October.

Night Raid is a DirectX 12 benchmark for PCs with integrated graphics. It is the ideal test for laptops, notebooks, tablets, and other mobile computing devices. You will also be able to use it to benchmark the latest low-power, Always Connected PCs powered by Windows 10 on ARM.

The more exciting announcement concerns a new real-time ray tracing benchmark. At the moment, the working title for this test is simply 3DMark ray tracing benchmark. It's expected to be ready in the final quarter of this year.

Later this year, we will release a new 3DMark benchmark test that combines real-time ray tracing with existing techniques to enhance reflections and other effects. The benchmark will run on any system that supports the DirectX Ray Tracing API.

The new benchmark is being developed with input from our Benchmark Development Program partners including AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, and other leading technology companies. We are working especially closely with Microsoft to create a first-class implementation of the DirectX Ray Tracing API.