As some of you already know by now, Microsoft will introduce DirectX 11 as its next-generation graphics API. This means that the DirectX 10.1 API will probably end up as a footnote in Microsoft's history and AMD's HD 3xxx and HD 4xxx will be the only series of cards to support it.

As we informed you yesterday, Microsoft's DirectX 11 is set on becoming one of the main features for NVIDIA's next-generation graphics cards. For that matter, word has it NVIDIA is working hard with Microsoft in order to bring us the final specifications of DirectX 11 at last. Even more, the graphics manufacturer is going to let Microsoft talk about its upcoming API at the Nvision conference, which will be held in San Jose, California between the 25th - 27th of August.

It is then that we shall see the DirectX 11 in action, as well as how the future of gaming and consumer computer graphics holds in store for us. However, until that happens, some details are already emerging and, from them, we can tell Intel's Larabee is not going to get ray tracing support. That is because Microsoft believes that rasterization still is the most significant way of rendering images with today's computer technology. This is rather unfortunate for Intel's Larabee, since it has been said to be very good with ray tracing.

The Redmond company will not go down the path of ray tracing for a few more years, because it is convinced that developers aren't going to give up on years of rasterization experience just like that.

On the other hand, the news favors NVIDIA, which is expected to come out with a new GeForce lineup, especially since its current cards haven't succeeded in meeting the customers' expectations. In fact, the company's upcoming card, codenamed RV700, is slated to improve AMD's status in the graphics market. However, with NVIDIA preparing new high-end cards, AMD's possible reign might not be that lasting.