To understand the confusion, we must first look under the hood of the game. Resident Evil 3 (2020) was built on Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine. This engine was a significant leap forward from the MT Framework engine used in titles like Resident Evil 5 and Devil May Cry 4 .
While DirectX 12 is newer, it isn't always the best performer for every setup. Players often opt for the DX11 version of Resident Evil 3 for the following reasons:
To give you concrete data, here is a synthesized benchmark based on community testing (mix of Digital Foundry analysis and Steam community results) using a mid-range system: . resident evil 3 directx 11
TargetPlatform=DirectX11
Many popular community mods were built for the original DX11 version and may not function correctly with the newer DX12 Ray Tracing update. Compatibility: To understand the confusion, we must first look
in standard image quality between the two APIs. However, only DX12 supports Ray Tracing
| Setting | Value | Why | |---------|-------|-----| | | Fullscreen | Lower input lag | | Resolution | Native (1080p/1440p) | – | | Frame Rate | Variable or 60/120 | Avoid “30” lock | | V-Sync | Off (use GPU driver V-Sync if needed) | Reduces input lag | | Texture Quality | High (2GB) / Medium (4GB+) | DX11 handles textures better | | Texture Filtering | High (ANISO x8) | Sharpens surfaces | | Mesh Quality | Medium | Saves VRAM | | Anti-aliasing | FXAA + TAA | Smoothest edges | | Shadow Quality | Medium | High shadows cost 20% FPS in DX11 | | Shadow Cache | On | Helps CPU in DX11 | | Contact Shadows | Off | Minimal visual gain | | Screen Space Reflections | On | Looks good without RT | | Volumetric Lighting | Low or Medium | Big performance hog | | Subsurface Scattering | On | Improves skin | | Bloom / Lens Flare | Off | Personal preference | | Motion Blur | Off | Clarity | | Depth of Field | Gameplay only | Avoids blur during aiming | While DirectX 12 is newer, it isn't always
So, before you flee from Nemesis, take two seconds to switch your API. Your frame time graph—and your sanity—will thank you.
: If you are playing on a system with a relatively weak processor but a strong graphics card, DX12 may provide smoother frame times and better overall system performance by reducing CPU overhead. General Game Review (Resident Evil 3 Remake)
GPU driver timeout or unstable overclock.
In the case of Resident Evil 3 , many players discovered the DX12 implementation wasn’t flawless. While visually identical, DX12 often introduced traversal stutter—small but annoying hitches when moving into new areas—and occasional frame-time spikes on systems that weren’t top-of-the-line.