For F1 2015, it’s DirectX 11 or nothing: it’s graphically demanding too

As a result of a brand new, dramatically improved engine and handling model in place for F1 2015, Codemasters are claiming a far superior driving experience when compared to older titles in the franchise:

You can now experience the changes in grip caused by temperature changes, wear, car set-up, debris and weather conditions. Our improved vehicle dynamics much more accurately convey the difference in performance and the feel between mechanical and aerodynamic grip.”

Most importantly, however, the new engine incorporates a number of graphical improvements that drastically improve the visual experience, particularly for the PC apparently.

F1 2015 PC System Requirements:

MINIMUM:

OS: Windows 7 64 bit or Windows 8 64 bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad @ 3.0GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 @ 3.2GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel 4th Gen Iris Graphics or AMD HD5770 or NVIDIA GTS450
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible soundcard

RECOMMENDED:

OS: Windows 7 64 bit or Windows 8 64 bit
Processor: Intel Core i7 4770 or AMD FX 9370
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Intel 5th Gen Iris Pro or AMD R9 290 or Nvidia GTX970
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: Direct X compatible soundcard

It seems that F1 2015’s newly employed engine will require DirectX 11, without which it won’t run. That means a good number of popular GPUs still in use are ruled out.

It’s not a huge train smash because F1 2015 is a rather niche racing title, and we can’t imagine too many fans being put off by this. What we imagine will put fans off is the recommended requirements.

An AMD Radeon R9 290 or NVIDIA GTX 970 is a pretty serious ask, so is an Intel Core i7 4770 for that matter. That means a R4000+ card and a CPU that costs nearly as much.

The fact that the minimum requirements are fantastically low suggests a great deal of scalability. It’s either that or Codemasters have no idea what will work best with their new engine.

What we find most puzzling is that Codemasters suggests an integrated graphics chip as a viable option over the R9 290 or GTX970. NVIDIA and AMD’s discrete GPUs are leagues ahead of Intel, so Codemasters may well have no idea.