The additional D3D9Ex optimization introduced in Windows 7, the FlipEx swap effect, allows games to bypass the typical composition of the DWM in window modes, as instead of being copied over to the DWM the rendered frame is shared with it.
In modern Windows versions (Win10+) this allows FlipEx D3D9Ex games to trigger (mostly) the same modern flip model presentation optimization as D3D11 and D3D12 games does when they use one of their flip swap effects.
Sadly most games that makes use of D3D9Ex does not make use of the FlipEx swap effect, so I thought we could list the ones that actually do in here for now.
These games are confirmed (by using Special K's framebuffer and presentation setup tooltip) to be using the FlipEx swap effect:
- Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
- Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes
- Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders
- World Racing 2: Champion Edition
The following D3D9Ex games does not make use of FlipEx:
- Bayonetta
- Black Mesa
- BlazBlue Centralfiction
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Crimzon Clover World EXplosion
- DuckTales: Remastered
- ESCHATOS
- Europa Universalis IV
- Explodemon
- Ginga Force
- Half-Life 2: Lost Coast
- Half-Life: Source
- Injustice: Gods Among Us (this uses the Copy swap effect, which is almost equally rare, but not at all comparable to FlipEx)
- Judgement Silversword: Resurrection
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
- Perilous Warp
- Steins;Gate Elite
- Touhou: New World
- Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity