The release of DXVK-Sarek 1.13.0 brings significant performance and stability updates to Linux gamers running older hardware. By maintaining an off-shoot of the DXVK 1.10.x branch, this update provides a tailored experience for users with older GPUs, including Intel 2nd and 3rd gen CPUs and various legacy AMD components, who would otherwise face rising hardware requirements in modern versions of DXVK.

Quick Facts

  • New Shader Controls: Users can now pick between dyasync (default), async, and none via dxvk.conf or environment variables.
  • Frame Pacing: A new low-latency mode (dxvk.framePace) has been added to improve input response.
  • D7VK Upgrade: The D3D7 module has been updated from v1.9 to v2.1, including a D3D9 bridge rework.
  • Memory Management: The allocator now uses a dynamic per-type chunk size, reducing memory footprint on iGPUs.

Shader Compilation and Frame Pacing

The 1.13.0 update introduces more granular control over how shaders are compiled. While dyasync remains the default to prevent stutters on CPUs with limited cores, the addition of the async and none methods allows users to prioritize raw performance or strict rendering accuracy based on their specific hardware capabilities.

Additionally, the update includes new frame rate limiter methods (deviation, timeline, and reactive) and pacing modes (precise, sliced, sleep, and spin). These options are designed to help users optimize CPU wake-up jitter and frame submission, particularly for those running games through compatibility layers on older or emulated architectures like ARM.

Refined Memory Allocation

To address out-of-memory (OOM) crashes on integrated graphics, the memory allocator has been reworked to replace fixed 128 MiB chunks with a dynamic system. The allocator now tracks usage per resource type and grows in demand-based steps up to 256 MiB, effectively preventing unnecessary memory waste on systems with tight VRAM budgets.

Technical Improvements

Beyond the primary features, the update includes a transition to a Makefile-based build system, replacing older bash scripts. The ddraw/d7vk module is now restricted to x86 builds to ensure stability, and the D3D9 module has received widespread validation fixes and colorkeying support. Users can access these improvements immediately via the latest Proton-CachyOS or by integrating the release directly into their Linux distribution.