Google is rolling out the first iteration of WebGPU that will allow the Chrome browser to use a computer's graphics card to improve web gaming and its graphical fidelity.
The new API (Application Programming Interface) is the result of a six-year development cycle by the GPU for Web Community Group (opens in a new tab) with contributions from various tech giants including Mozilla, Apple, and Microsoft. As a successor to the current WebGL model, WebGPU would reduce your browser's "JavaScript workload" and triple the performance of "machine learning model inferences". The ultimate goal is to have browser games that show "highly detailed scenes with many different objects" as "many modern rendering techniques" will now be possible. Pre-existing titles like those found in 3D Javascript libraries like Babylon.js will also see an improvement.
Outside of games, productivity apps can use the API to "offload calculations to the GPU". Conferencing platforms like Google Meet can use improved machine learning to operate more efficiently, according to the WebGPU Explainer (opens in a new tab).
WebGPU is currently available by default in Chrome 113 beta (opens in a new tab), which is available for download on Windows, ChromeOS, and macOS. However, at least for the first two systems, you will need to meet some system requirements. Windows devices must support Direct3D 12, while ChromeOS devices must have the Vulkan API enabled. If you prefer to wait for a stable release, Chrome 113 will officially launch (opens in a new tab) with WebGPU on April 26.
For early adopters like us, Google provides some resources so people can see the API in action. We tested several games found in the Babylon.js library (opens in a new tab) in Chrome 111 and Chrome 113 beta to see if there were any significant updates. Single player titles like Temple Run 2 haven't improved their performance much, apart from being a bit faster. However, with Shell Shockers, a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS), we did notice faster load times and a smoother frame rate. Graphically, neither game looked any different, but keep in mind that adoption is just beginning. To see what WebGPU is capable of graphically, Babylon.js offers a free tech demo on its website (opens in a new tab).
As with other browsers, Google says WebGPU support for Firefox and Safari is still "a work in progress." Linux and Android devices are also expected to receive the API at a later date. There's no official word for the iOS version, but given macOS compatibility, it's probably only a matter of time.
If you're looking for another way to procrastinate, check out TechRadar's list of the best free games for web browsers.