Deadlock Vulkan vs DX11: Which Renderer Should You Use?

§01Short answer#

There’s no single winner. Which renderer runs better depends on your GPU, driver version and CPU. If the game runs well, leave it alone. If you have crashes, stutter or low FPS, testing the other renderer is one of the quickest things to try.

§02How to switch renderer#

1. In Steam, right-click Deadlock and choose Properties.
2. On the General tab, find Launch Options.
3. Type -vulkan to force Vulkan, or -dx11 to force DirectX 11.
4. Launch the game. To go back to the default, delete the option.

These are the standard Source 2 launch options that Deadlock players use. If one stops working after an update, remove it and the game falls back to its default.

§03How to test fairly on your PC#

A fair test beats any chart from someone else’s hardware:

1. Use the same settings and resolution for both renderers.
2. Play a few minutes in the sandbox or a bot match first so shaders finish compiling — the first run on a new renderer always stutters more.
3. Record average FPS and, more importantly, how smooth it feels (1% lows) in the same busy situation, such as a team fight or a crowded lane.
4. Do it twice for each renderer and keep the one that feels smoother, not just the one with the higher average.

§04Stability and crash differences#

If the game crashes on start-up or during matches, switching renderer is worth trying before deeper fixes, because some crashes are driver-specific. Always update your GPU driver first. Our crash and launch fixes page covers the rest.

§05FAQ#