An unknown program installed in the Program Files (x86) folder and listed in Installed Programs in Windows 10 is being reported by dozens of Windows users. However, they don’t know what it is, and what it does. This program is known as “VulkanRT”.
According to the users, they don’t know how it was installed on their computer, and find it very suspicious. Some even accuse the program of being a form of spyware or think that it can cause problems related to a malicious program. Not just that, there are even a few sources online that portray the program as malware.
Although, that’s not the case at all. In this article, we will accentuate VulkanRT; what is it and what is its purpose? And, if uninstalling it makes a difference or not.
What Is VulkanRT?
It’s a cross-platform API that improves the performance of 3D applications running on Windows. Announced in 2015 as a part of the Game Developers Conference, VulkanRT is also accessible on the Linux OS. VulkanRT was developed in 2014 and persists as of now.
VulkanRT balances your CPU and GPU computation usage as well and is installed either when you update your GPU driver on your PC, or as a part of the graphics driver. Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD support VulkanRT, and the program will be installed regardless of which one you’re using.
The design of the API was done by the Khronos Group, an American non-profit consortium. Moreover, Khronos Group is also the creator of other prominent APIs, such as OpenXR, OpenGL, and WebGL.
Is it a Virus?
There’s no need to worry about it being a virus. VulkanRT is not a virus, and we say that with 100% certainty. It’s a really useful program, and you don’t have to uninstall it. VulkanRT is the API designed by AMD with the promise to improve the performance of several games, and it’s significantly effective in games like DOOM and Wolfenstein.
As of now, VulkanRT is supported with almost every GPU that has debuted and enhances the performance along with the details of the video games that are compatible with it. Even with its growing popularity, a lot of users are still unaware of the program. For those people, we’ve mentioned some of its key features so you can get an idea of what it is, and what it does.
Summary Of The Features:
- VulkanRT is predominantly used in smartphone devices and GPUs to optimize the performance of applications that are GPU-intensive.
- Unlike applications like DirectX 12, VulkanRT is available on all OS platforms available.
- It lowers the workload on the processor by a substantial amount, reducing the overheating problem of the driver. Batching is how VulkanRT does that, enabling CPU cores to perform more than their stock frequencies.
- Offering much faster and better performance with GPU optimization and code generation, VulkanRT even has more compact driver packages, easy maintenance, and doesn’t need a lot of space.
- In contrast to OpenGL 4 and DirectX 11, VulkanRT does not function only on single-core CPUs, but rather makes use of multi-core for more performance.
- Predominantly, VulkanRT was made for AMD drivers, which provide a much better performance and more frame rates with VulkanRT enabled.
Is VulkanRT Necessary?
It can be necessary because of the reasons mentioned below;
- Enhanced GPU Performance:
Applications optimized by VulkanRT utilize its API to run much faster and better than they normally do. For example, shifting DOOM to this runtime increases its performance drastically when compared to DirectX. VulkanRT is a more coveting application for AMD users since it provides much better and more optimized performance in contrast to DirectX in many eminent games.
- Lowers The CPU Workload:
While this can also be performed with DirectX 12, this feature is restricted to users with Windows 10 only. In contrast, VulkanRT is accessible on all of the prominent OS that is available and streamlines everything for a frictionless experience.
VulkanRT makes use of multi-core, which separates the workload from one core of the CPU to multiple cores, providing a much smoother experience without any hitches.
- Unified Kernel & Graphics Management:
The Vulkan Runtime provides unified management of computing kernels along with graphics shaders. What this does is assist in eradicating the requirement for a distinct API for the computer or another API for the graphical performance.
Why Should You Uninstall VulkanRT?
- When compared to an API like OpenGL, VulkanRT can be a little more complex.
- Although it’s supported by most developers, it is unfortunately not supported at a universal level. What this means is that you may not notice any improvement in the graphical performance of your computer.
Should You Uninstall it?
In simple words, no, you shouldn’t uninstall it. A few video games, such as Talos Principle, and DOTA 2 alongside Unity, CryEngine, and Steam video-games require VulkanRT to function as they are supposed to. If you’re someone who plays these games regularly, then you might want to keep them.
There’s no need to worry if you’ve already uninstalled it. You can install it again. All you have to do is reinstall your GPU drivers again, or update them to their latest version if possible.
Read More: Discord Text Formatting – How To Format Text & Use Code Blocks In Discord