Unlocking Graphics Performance: NVIDIA Nsight Graphics 2021.3
Summary: NVIDIA Nsight Graphics 2021.3 is a comprehensive graphics debugger and profiler designed to help game developers optimize their applications for NVIDIA hardware. This latest release includes several key enhancements, including improved GPU Trace capabilities, enhanced support for Vulkan and OpenGL, and integration with Nsight Systems for system-wide performance analysis.
Enhanced GPU Trace Capabilities
GPU Trace is a powerful tool within Nsight Graphics that allows developers to analyze and optimize the performance of their graphics applications. In the 2021.3 release, GPU Trace has been enhanced to support Vulkan/OpenGL interoperability. This means that developers can now use the latest profiling capabilities on applications that use both OpenGL and Vulkan graphics APIs.
Key features of the enhanced GPU Trace include:
- Support for Capturing OpenGL SwapBuffers Calls: This allows developers to capture overall frame timing and screenshots of windows rendered by OpenGL.
- NVTX Marker Support: Developers can now use NVTX to mark user ranges while using OpenGL, providing helpful contextual information.
- Optix Support: GPU Trace now supports Optix, including Vulkan applications that trace rays in the compute shader and use Optix as a denoiser.
Improved User Interface for GPU Trace Analysis
The user interface for GPU Trace Analysis has been improved to make it easier for developers to identify performance issues. Key changes include:
- Refined Severity and Certainty Icons: The original numeric groups have been refined, and numbers or the ‘+’ icon are now used to denote ranges with potential performance improvements.
- Scaled Indicators: Indicators now scale according to the maximum projected gain, making it easier to find the most important ranges to focus on.
- Detailed Performance Information: All detailed performance information is sorted and grouped in tabs below the indicators, providing a useful explanation of the metric evaluation suggestions and steps to improve performance.
Integration with Nsight Systems
Nsight Graphics 2021.3 now allows for direct launch of Nsight Systems from within Nsight Graphics. This integration simplifies parameter management by allowing developers to keep application settings in a single location. This feature is compatible with Nsight Systems version 2021.3 or later.
Additional Features
Other notable features in Nsight Graphics 2021.3 include:
- Sample Applications and Reports: Nsight Graphics now ships with sample applications and reports to help developers experiment with and understand many of the tool’s features.
- C++ Capture Renaming: Developers can now rename C++ captures in the Project Explorer, making it easier to organize and mark-up captures.
- Expanded Platform Support: Support has been added for Arch Linux and the DirectX 12 Agility SDK.
System Requirements
| Platform | Supported |
|---|---|
| Linux x86_64 | Yes |
| Windows x86_64 | Yes |
| MacOS | Yes |
| Linux PowerPC | Yes |
| Linux aarch64 sbsa | Yes |
| DRIVE OS QNX aarch64 | Yes |
| DRIVE OS Linux aarch64 | Yes |
Supported NVIDIA GPU Architectures
| Architecture | Supported Models |
|---|---|
| Ampere | A100 with Multi-Instance GPU, GA10x |
| Turing | TU1xx |
| Volta | GV100, GV10B |
Recommended Drivers
| Platform | Driver Version |
|---|---|
| Windows | 496.13 |
| Linux | 495.29.05 |
Note: For detailed information on Nsight Graphics 2021.3, including release notes and system requirements, please visit the NVIDIA Developer website.
Conclusion
NVIDIA Nsight Graphics 2021.3 is a powerful tool for game developers looking to optimize their applications for NVIDIA hardware. With its enhanced GPU Trace capabilities, improved user interface, and integration with Nsight Systems, this release provides developers with the tools they need to identify and address performance issues. By leveraging these features, developers can create more efficient and high-performing graphics applications.