Finally Direct2D rendering is here with Firefox 4 nightly build.

Prerequisites

• Windows 7/Vista with latest service pack
• You should have DirectX 9/10 enabled Graphics card

1. Download Firefox nightly build

2. Take configuration page by navigating to about:config from address bar

3. Change mozilla.widget.render-mode value to 6 (default is –1)

4. Change gfx.font_rendering.directwrite.enabled to true (Just double click. default value is false)

We can’t ensure it’s drawing using Direct2D because some plugins may force the browser to draw using GDI. If possible disable/remove the plugins

Now how to test it?

Check the following tests. Probably these test should execute so smoothly if hardware accelerated.

http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/Performance/PsychedelicBrowsing/

http://people.mozilla.com/~vladimir/demos/photos.svg

Bas Schouten has published the performance gain of Direct2D over conventional GDI interface.

Image Courtesy Bas Schouten