It was bad enough that Microsoft all but required one to have a new computer with relatively high end hardware to run Vista and even more so if you play games.  Now, it seems that if you want to continue to do so you will need to buy more new hardware.

Or maybe not, it just depends.  With Vista SP1, Microsoft is releasing an “interim” update to DirectX 10 known as DirectX 10.1 which is backwards compatible with DirectX 10 but to get the advantages of the new features you will need a graphics card that supports DirectX 10.1.

Developers are just getting a handle on DirectX 10 and now a new version is on the horizon.  You don’t need a DirectX 10.1 card but gamers out there are a special bunch and despite the complaints, at least some will upgrade, just because.

But there is a slight problem.  ATi is the only manufacturer with a series of cards that supports DirectX 10.1 and it’s not clear if nvidia is going to support the new version in its forthcoming 9 series of cards.

APCMag suggests that nvidia won’t support DirectX 10.1 at all, not even in the 9 series and will instead wait for DirectX 11 to roll around before supporting a new version but it may release those cards before Microsoft actually releases DirectX 11 itself which could hurt performance of the early models.

If DirectX 10.1 is a “must have” for you, your only options are the Radeon HD3850 or HD3870 graphic cards. The HD3850 will run you under $200 and the HD3870 can go as high as $250, depending on additional features and memory configuration.

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Related:

Windows Vista fails to win over gamers

Valve Software: Offering DirectX 10 exclusively for Vista was a mistake

Microsoft sends Halo 2 and Shadowrun to Xbox 360, Windows Vista

Windows Vista experience index explained

New Microsoft Vista logo coming

Entry was posted on Sunday, January 13th, 2008 at 10:10 am under Microsoft, Tips, Upgrading, Vista.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Jonathan Schlaffer.