Universal Windows Platform unlocks framerate for PC devs

Microsoft has updated its Universal Windows Platform (UWP) to enable a handful of much-requested graphical and technical features.

Chief among the additions is the ability to unlock framerate, allowing devs to implement support in their UWP games and apps via an update.

However, hybrid laptops – using both an integrated and discrete GPU – remain unsupported for the time being, with Microsoft’s Bryan Langley confirming: “There is additional engineering work underway to enable this as quickly as possible.”

Also relating to framerate is the option to disable V-sync – a long-running gripe of PC players – as well as the inclusion of compatibility with AMD and Nvidia’s replacement Freesync and G-Sync technologies.

However, Langley added that, for the meantime, full screen exclusive mode would not be supported by DirectX 12.

"With Windows 10, DirectX 12 games which take up the entire screen perform just as well as the old full screen exclusive mode without any of the full screen exclusive mode disadvantages,” he explained.

“This is true for both Win32 and UWP games which use DirectX 12. All of these games can seamlessly alt-tab, run GameDVR and exhibit normal functionality of a window without any perf degradation vs full screen exclusive.”