Plot twist: NVIDIA PhysX runs on AMD GPU. With ZLUDA performance improved up to 3 times

The open source project ZLUDA has made a significant advancement with the release of version 6, which introduces preliminary support for NVIDIA PhysX 32-bit on AMD Radeon GPUs as well. This new feature allows games that use NVIDIA's historical proprietary technology to run without the need for a PhysX-compatible graphics card, with evident benefits also on the performance front.

The most interesting news is actually the support for 32-bit CUDA-based PhysX, a feature still in pre-alpha, but already capable of delivering interesting results. In tests published by the developer, Mafia II reaches 80.2 FPS with ZLUDA activated compared to 26.2 FPS achieved without the library, a performance boost that exceeds three times. In addition to the frame rate, advanced graphical effects provided by PhysX are also available, including debris, fabrics, deformations, and flames.

In the past, those wishing to use these effects with incompatible hardware had to resort to a second graphics card that supported PhysX. With ZLUDA v6, this requirement is eliminated, although the project still has some limitations. The developer notes issues with fluid simulations and a library loading system within Steam games that requires further optimizations.

The project also introduces an enhanced Windows support, thanks to a new loader zluda.exe capable of automatically detecting and loading the necessary performance libraries. The goal is to make installation easier and provide clearer guidance to users when required components, such as some ROCm libraries, are missing.

There are also updates on the machine learning front. Version 6 includes fixes for the compiler and updates to performance libraries that improve compatibility with PyTorch, along with the introduction of support for textures, which is also useful for some workflows dedicated to Blender.

However, the project is going through a complicated economic period. After previously receiving support from AMD and subsequently from a private sponsor, ZLUDA no longer has financial backing. Developer Andrez Janik will continue the development as a personal project, dedicating his free time to it, with an update frequency lower than in the past.