01At a glance
- Renderer
- Vulkan 1.3 only, no fallback
- Mapping
- RDNA2 → SPIR-V pipelines
- Cache
- Explicit pipelines persist per title
- Cost
- One renderer maintained well
02The argument
Vulkan's explicit pipeline model matches how RDNA2 work is structured, so translation is mechanical rather than interpretive — RDNA2 and SPIR-V. Explicit pipelines also persist cleanly, which is the entire Shader cache design.
A single renderer means every fix improves every title. A second renderer would halve maintenance and double the untested configurations behind each Compat rating.
03The trade-off, stated
- Vulkan 1.3 with current drivers is mandatory. Older GPUs cannot pass Vulkan check by design.
- No DirectX or OpenGL fallback exists or is planned. The floor is the floor.
- The payoff: one well-tested path from your owned dump to a warmed cache. Own your library; 400+ titles indexed. Build: Download Meridian.
04Questions
Q.01Will Meridian add DirectX?
No. One explicit renderer is the design; a second would halve quality for no rating gain.
Q.02Does Vulkan choice affect ratings?
Yes, positively: every rating run uses the same tested renderer, so results compare.
Q.03What if my GPU lacks Vulkan 1.3?
It cannot run Meridian. The Vulkan floor is load-bearing — see Hardware.