What’s the difference between Rainbow Six Siege Vulkan versus normal?

Rainbow Six Siege presents players with two launch options: The default (DirectX 11) launcher and the Vulkan option. The difference between the two might seem confusing, but there’s real advantages to both depending on your system. Here’s what you need to know.

Rainbow Six Siege is a game that relies on good performance. If you’re dropping frames or struggling to see the enemy, all it takes is a split second to lose that gunfight.

It’s infuriating, but the game offers you one big setting at launch that could change the game. It’s the difference between the regular DirectX 11 launcher, or the Vulkan launcher.

When you click “Play,” you’ll be presented with the two. But what’s the best for you? Let’s break it all down.

What is the Vulkan launcher for Rainbow Six Siege?

The Vulkan API launcher changes the way Siege communicates with your computers’ GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

Vulkan reduces the load on your CPU compared to the normal DirectX 11 API, but can be a bit more taxing on your GPU. This is because more of the processing power is put on that individual bit of hardware.

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However, it has some very clear advantages for machines that can run it (and honestly, they don’t need to be that high-spec ⁠— anything above minimum should do). It should make frame rates more consistent and give players more customization on video settings down the line. It’s also better optimized for smooth graphics than the now-outdated DirectX 11 API.

Vulkan vs Normal: What’s better for Rainbow Six Siege?

Ultimately, the best launcher for Rainbow Six Siege depends on your PC.

If your PC has outdated video drivers, or is a bit lower-spec, then just keeping the default DirectX 11 boot option is best.

However, if you have more modern equipment (including a good GPU) and updated drivers, there’s plenty of advantages to Vulkan.

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Not only will your game be smoother, but it’ll eventually give you more flexibility in customizing video settings for your own optimal performance. If you do experience crashes regularly on the Vulkan build though, change back to DirectX 11, and those should stop.