Hmmmmregarding the graphics card, personally I'd seriously consider getting a top-end DirectX 9 card as opposed to a directX 10 enabled card.
Reason: there's still not a realistically-priced dX-10 enabled card which even comes close to the speed of a top-end dX9 card, and the dx10 enhancements will never compensate for that. So, while you may lose some dx10 refinements in some newer games, your actually playing experience will be smoother with a good dx9 card. And for most other kind of applications, it won't make any difference losing the dx10 stuff.
(Reason: there's still not a realistically-priced dX-10 enabled card which even comes close to the speed of a top-end dX9 card, and the dx10 enhancements will never compensate for that. So, while you may lose some dx10 refinements in some newer games, your actually playing experience will be smoother with a good dx9 card. And for most other kind of applications, it won't make any difference losing the dx10 stuff.
mofaha ┐( ˘_˘)┌ ʅ(́◡◝)ʃ,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 15:56,
archived)
plus I still use XPand as I understand it, DX10 is tied quite forcefully to Vista, no?
(
Mockingbird Practitioner of SCIENCE,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 15:57,
archived)
You will be kicking yourself if you stay with DX9 now.Not because of XP or Vista but because of the shader model. You might get a good ATI top end card with DX9 SM3 but games have moved on and are using SM4 now. All ATI new range is DX10.1 and SM4.1
Buying a high end SM3 card is false economy as you wll need to change it in 6 months if you are a gamer.
There is no reason not to buy an ATI HD3870XT or Nvidia96600GT ( not as good as the ati by far but at the same price point ) and have a good couple of years SM4 gaming with most of the bells and whistles.
(Buying a high end SM3 card is false economy as you wll need to change it in 6 months if you are a gamer.
There is no reason not to buy an ATI HD3870XT or Nvidia96600GT ( not as good as the ati by far but at the same price point ) and have a good couple of years SM4 gaming with most of the bells and whistles.
Pasanonic 's been known to cause insanity in laboratory mice,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 16:06,
archived)
depressingly, this is very true/wasted_too_much_on_an_overpriced_pc_blog
(
theoriginalsteve <this space intentionally left blank>,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 15:58,
archived)
it's utter bollocks.I have an Nvidia 8600 GT mid range DX10 card that knocks the socks off my X1800Xt in 3dmark.
DX10 SM4 is going to be the minimum for new games within 6 months and it is for many now.
(DX10 SM4 is going to be the minimum for new games within 6 months and it is for many now.
Pasanonic 's been known to cause insanity in laboratory mice,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 16:08,
archived)
I bought 2 8800 ultras to run with SLi, it has caused far more problems than having a dx9 chipset would have caused theoriginalsteve <this space intentionally left blank>,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 17:00,
archived)
To be honest I'dtake one out for now. You will get excellent quality from just one of them and the SLI option is hit and miss dependent upon what games you want to run. As of yet the games are not being made with SLI in mind, but that will change.
Plus what DX9 card is going to run better than an 8800 Ultra? none that I can think of plus you lose all of the DX10 SM 4 benefits.
It's SLI that is your problem, not the Direct X version.
(Plus what DX9 card is going to run better than an 8800 Ultra? none that I can think of plus you lose all of the DX10 SM 4 benefits.
It's SLI that is your problem, not the Direct X version.
Pasanonic 's been known to cause insanity in laboratory mice,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 17:15,
archived)
true... And I do have to disable one of tehm from time to timeTBH I'm just pissed at the lack of support
( theoriginalsteve <this space intentionally left blank>,
Mon 21 Jul 2008, 17:23,
archived)