GPU fault tolerance
Because DX11.1 reduces the need for GPUs to change rendering modes, it naturally cuts down the risk of hanging/freezing, as mentioned above. The new API version also includes GPU preemption, which helps with multitasking. You can see this sort of even in games like Far Cry 3, which support GPU buffering and multi-frame vsync, something we didn’t see much of in the past. From what I gather, this allows applications to “reserve” or predict GPU resource allocation, and is done closer to hardware level with DX11.1. With GPU preemption, the app queue is more expedient, and thus there are less “awkward pauses” as apps try to communicate with the GPU and the other way around. Pauses are never good in computing, as they are areas of vulnerability and thus prone to crashes. In other words, DX11.1-compatible GPUs are more “app aware” and savvy about talking to multiple programs at once. More efficient resource use, less waits, and less opportunities for things to go the way of the BSOD!