Every time you hit Play on Steam, Palworld asks whether you want the normal build or the DirectX 12 one, gives you no explanation, and waits. The honest answer is that neither option is universally faster — DirectX 12 or not depends on which part of your machine runs out of headroom first.

Short answer

Start on the default (DirectX 11). Try DirectX 12 only if you have a reasonably recent GPU and your frame rate does not improve when you lower the resolution — and switch back the moment you see crashes, hitching, or a black screen on launch.

That sounds like a hedge, but it follows from what the option actually does. It does not turn on extra effects and it does not unlock a hidden performance mode. It picks which graphics API Unreal Engine talks to, and the two APIs fail in different places.

What the DirectX 12 option actually changes

Palworld runs on Unreal Engine 5, which can render through either DirectX 11 or DirectX 12. DirectX 12 lets the engine spread draw call submission across several CPU threads instead of funnelling it through one. On a machine where the CPU is the limiting factor — a busy base full of pals, a big build, a dedicated server world that has been running for weeks — that is exactly the bottleneck it relieves.

DirectX 11 does the opposite favour. It is the older, more forgiving path: drivers have had a decade of bug fixes for it, it does not need to compile as many shaders up front, and it tends to behave on hardware that DirectX 12 treats badly, especially laptops that switch between integrated and discrete graphics.

See also: Palworld Evolutions — the closest Palworld answer to this one.

Pick DirectX 12 when

  • Your GPU is from roughly the RTX 20-series / RX 5000-series generation or newer.
  • Dropping your resolution barely changes your frame rate — a sign you are CPU-bound, which is the case DirectX 12 is built for.
  • Your frame rate collapses specifically around your own base or in multiplayer hubs, where the draw call count is highest.
  • You are chasing frametime consistency on a high-refresh monitor rather than a higher average number.

See also: Palworld Effigies — another Palworld answer people look up right after this one.

Stay on DirectX 11 when

  • The game crashes on launch, hangs on a black screen, or dies partway through loading a save. This is the single most common reason people go back.
  • You are on a laptop, an older GPU, or a driver version you would rather not touch.
  • You see constant micro-stutter that never settles down, even after an hour of play.
  • You run mods. They are generally written and tested against the default build.

See also: Roblox E Gift Card — Roblox runs into this one too.

The first twenty minutes will lie to you

DirectX 12 compiles shaders as it meets them. The first session after switching — or after any GPU driver update — will stutter every time the game shows you something new: a biome you have not visited, a pal you have not fought, a weapon you have not fired. That is not the option being broken, and judging it during that window is how most people conclude DirectX 12 is worse.

Play for a proper session before deciding. If the hitching is gone by the second half of it, the API is fine. If it is still hitching in places you have already been, it is not.

How to switch between them

The choice lives in the dialog Steam shows when you press Play, so it is not a one-way door — it applies per launch, and you can flip between them as often as you like. If the dialog stopped appearing, it is because you told Steam to remember your pick: the setting is in the game's properties, and clearing it brings the prompt back.

The Xbox and Game Pass versions do not show this dialog at all. They run the build Microsoft ships, and the DirectX 12 question simply does not arise there.

How to tell which one is actually winning

Turn on a frametime graph rather than an FPS counter — Steam's own overlay will do. Average frame rate hides the thing that makes Palworld feel bad, which is the occasional 60ms frame when a new pal spawns. Run the same route twice, once per API, and compare the shape of the graph rather than the headline number. A flatter line at a lower average is the better experience almost every time.

Palworld FAQ

Does DirectX 12 give more FPS in Palworld?

Sometimes, and mostly on newer hardware that is CPU-limited rather than GPU-limited. On older machines it frequently gives fewer, and on unstable drivers it gives none at all because the game will not start.

Is it safe to switch back and forth?

Yes. The launch option changes nothing about your save, your world, or your pals — it only changes how the game draws frames in that session.

Why does Palworld stutter after I switch to DirectX 12?

Shader compilation. It happens once per new effect after a switch or a driver update, and it should fade as you cover more of the map. If it never fades, go back to the default build.

Which option should I use on Steam Deck or a handheld?

The default. Handhelds are usually GPU- and power-limited rather than CPU-limited, which is the case DirectX 12 helps with least, and battery drain gets worse before frame rates get better.

If you only take one thing away: the default build is the safe answer, and DirectX 12 is a test you run for one session with a frametime graph open, not a setting you turn on because it has a bigger number in the name.