Windows 8 may not be officially released for a while, but that isn't stopping one well known software company from revealing plans to offer a new version of its most well known product for Microsoft's latest operating system. On Monday, Futuremark announced plans to release 3DMark for Windows 8. The new version of the gaming-themed PC hardware benchmarking software product is scheduled to be released sometime in 2012.
Futuremark says that 3DMark for Windows 8 (which is a working title, by the way) will be able to be used in both the classic Windows user interface as well as the new Metro-style touch screen UI. It wil also support both X86 processors and ARM-designed processors, just like Windows 8 is supposed to support. Futuremark also offered up a concept image for the new version of 3DMark, shown above. Previous versions of 3DMark have all used in-engine demos to record the gaming performance of PC hardware. It's possible that the concept art is for one of the planned demos for 3DMark for Windows 8.
Typically, Futuremark offers up a new version of 3DMark when there is also a new version of Microsoft's DirectX graphics API available. Currently, game developers are working on tools based on DirectX 11. Microsoft usually releases a new version of DirectX around the launch of a new Windows OS. It offered up a DirectX 11.1 version for the Windows 8 developers preview build. However, Microsoft has yet to reveal any plans for DirectX 12; if history is any indication though we should learn more about the next version of DirectX very soon.
Image via Futuremark
8 Comments - Add comment