Intel HD 540 only advertises feature level up to 11.1

[Nicolas_G_2]

System Setup Information:
-----------------------------------------

System Used: Surface Pro 4
CPU SKU: i7-6650U
GPU SKU: Iris Graphics 540
Processor Line: U-series
System BIOS Version: 104.1085.768
CMOS settings: ?
Graphics Driver Version: 20.19.15.4404
GOP/VBIOS Version: ?
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
OS Version: 10.0.10586
API: Direct3D 11
Occurs on non-Intel GPUs?: N/A

Steps to Reproduce:
-------------------------------
1. Run "dxdiag"

2. Go to "Display" tab

3. Observe list of feature levels

Expected Results:
-------------------------------

Up to feature level 12.1 is supported

Actual Results:
-------------------------------

Up to feature level 11.1 is supported

Additional Information:
-------------------------------

Although obviously not an official source, Wikipedia says that HD 540 supports feature level 12.1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_levels_in_Direct3D

For some reason, the list of supported APIs for 5th/6th generation core are absent from the official Intel website: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/graphics-drivers/000005524.html

This also affects context creation from D3D11. D3D11CreateDevice fails if you ask for 12.1, but succeeds if you ask for 11.1 Feature level 12.1 features (such as conservative rasterization) seem to work despite creating an 11.1 D3D context.

[Michael_C_Intel2]

Hi Nicolas,

Thanks again for getting me all the details. This most likely is just a reporting error with the driver.  Indeed Iris 540 graphics does support DX12. You can always check the driver read me or my driver release blogs, each lists the API support level for each product. I am working with the driver team to see what we need to do about this.

-Michael 

[Nicolas_G_2]

It's true that Iris 540 supports DX12, but that's a given because the DX12 api only requires feature level 11. What I'm saying is that Skylake is supposed to support feature level 12.1, meaning that new rendering features like conservative rasterization, rasterizer order views, and tiled resources should be supported. Those features exist on Iris 540 and are currently functional and exposed, so why does dxdiag only report feature level 11.1 rather than feature level 12.1? That's what the real question is about: the feature level, not the API version.

[Michael_C_Intel2]

The reporting issue is fixed in the graphics driver, and the next driver release should have it. 

-Michael

[Nicolas_G_2]

Awesome! Thanks Michael.

[MSchm21]

A second FL 11_1 bug exists with such a configuration

Primary GPU: Skylake Gen9 (HD 530 in my case)

Secondary GPU: Nvidia GTX 970

Only FL 11_1 will be available for the application on Windows 10. Secondary GPU must be deactivated to recover proper DX12 support. This bug exists since many months, first Skylake drivers last year didn't have this issue. Already reported months ago but I'm sure Intel didn't care.