DirectStorage will be a Windows 11 exclusive feature

We can all agree that one of the most awesome gaming features being added to Windows 11 is DirectStorage. Users are thrilled to hear that this is finally becoming reality.

However, Microsoft has confirmed that DirectStorage will be an exclusive feature. What this means is, basically, the feature isn’t going to be added as an update to Windows 10.

No DirectStorage for Windows 10 users

To be more precise, the DirectStorage is a feature that was designed to take advantage of the latent power of NVMe SSDs, especially in games.

DirectStorage hasn’t only been created to make compatible games load faster, but to also support the vastness of open worlds that some modern titles going to have.

As you can understand, the ability to load assets to the graphics card faster, without bogging down the CPU, means that open-world games will render extremely fast, without long load times.

Everyone has been super hyped about DirectStorage, ever since it was first announced for the Xbox Series X/S consoles, as part of the Velocity architecture.

Also remember that DirectStorage supports PCIe 3.0 drives, as well as the faster PCIe 4.0 SSDs.

DirectStorage requires an NVMe SSD to store and run games that use the Standard NVM Express Controller driver and a DirectX12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support

How do I use DirectStorage and what requirements does it have?

Obviously, the first step would be upgrading to Windows 11, if you want to make the most of your NVMe SSD, in games. 

As far as system requirements go, DirectStorage will need an NVMe SSD, to store and run games that use the Standard NVM Express Controller driver, as well as a DirectX12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support.

Months ago, some rumors circulating on the internet led users to believe that it specifically required a 1TB or greater NVMe SSD.

But now what we know what exactly we require for this feature, as well as the fact that it’s going to be a Windows 11 exclusive, we can start making plans for the immediate future.

Also, make sure to also check the system requirements that Microsoft released for the new operating system that launched yesterday, the extremely popular Windows 11.