Imagination Technologies Achieves DirectX 11 Milestone with D-Series GPU
Imagination Technologies has reached a significant milestone by successfully running 3DMark Fire Strike on its D-Series GPU using the DirectX 11 API. This achievement marks a pivotal step in the company’s strategy to make its entire GPU intellectual property (IP) portfolio fully compatible with the Windows ecosystem, enabling seamless support for Windows gaming and advanced graphics workloads.
DirectX 11 Support on PowerVR-Based D-Series GPUs
DirectX remains the most influential graphics API in the PC gaming and professional graphics markets. Imagination Technologies has focused on implementing comprehensive DirectX 11 support, which is now operational on its D-Series GPUs built on the renowned PowerVR architecture. For context, PowerVR technology was originally used in Apple’s early system-on-chips (SoCs) before Apple transitioned to its own custom GPU designs. Alongside AMD’s GCN and NVIDIA’s CUDA, PowerVR stands as one of the most impactful GPU architectures in the industry.
3DMark Fire Strike: A Benchmark for Desktop-Class Graphics
3DMark Fire Strike is a widely recognized DirectX 11 benchmark, designed to test the capabilities of desktop-class GPUs. Running this benchmark on the D-Series demonstrates that Imagination’s GPU IP is capable of handling demanding, real-world graphics workloads and gaming scenarios, not just lightweight or embedded applications. The company’s DXD product is the first in the D-Series lineup to feature hardware-based DirectX 11 Feature Level 11_0 support, underscoring its readiness for desktop graphics and cloud gaming environments.
Broad API Support and Future Developments
Imagination Technologies has engineered the D-Series to support a wide range of graphics and compute APIs, including DirectX 11, DirectX 12, Vulkan 1.4, OpenGL 4.6, and OpenCL 3.0. This broad compatibility positions the D-Series as a versatile solution for both desktop and cloud gaming, expanding its reach beyond traditional mobile-first GPU designs. The company’s E-Series GPU IP also includes support for DirectX 12 Feature Level 11_0, indicating that further DirectX 12 advancements are likely as DirectX 11 support matures.
Adoption and Demonstrations in the Industry
Imagination’s GPU IP has already been adopted by several manufacturers, particularly in China, who have adapted the technology for various applications. The DXTP architecture, initially optimized for efficiency in smartphones and power-constrained devices, has since evolved into discrete GPU formats targeting workstation and professional graphics markets. At the International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD) 2025, Xiang Dixian showcased the Fuxi A0 graphics card, featuring Imagination’s technology. Demo units were operational at the event, running a localized version of the Lenovo New Vision Z-engine 3D platform on the new hardware.
Imagination Technologies’ demonstration of 3DMark Fire Strike running on the D-Series GPU with DirectX 11 support highlights the company’s progress in delivering robust, Windows-compatible GPU solutions. This development signals a promising future for broader adoption of Imagination’s GPU IP in desktop, cloud, and workstation graphics markets.
