The two big names supporting Microsoft’s DirectX 10 are NVIDIA and ATI, whose latest graphics processing units (GPUs) aim to deliver the best DirectX 10 performance available. New hardware and software releases ensure that the market never stands still and PC gaming enthusiasts are well renowned for wanting to stay at the forefront of graphical advancements. Unlike consoles, PC gaming is a continually evolving technology. More DirectX 10 games however, notably EA’s recent Crysis, part of Microsoft’s Games for Windows initiative, are highlighting the power that DirectX 10 possesses in terms of visual performance. Though Windows Vista sales have been steady, both DirectX 10 and the operating system itself have so far struggled to lure prospective adopters with the promise of revolutionary gaming graphics. Therefore, the market for DirectX 10 is substantial and by making the new DirectX exclusive to Windows Vista, Microsoft hopes to see rapid adoption of its new OS from PC gamers. The PC gaming market is the largest gaming market in the world, with more users than any games console. Marketed toward the gaming audience, DirectX 10 appeals to PC gamers who wish to play the latest games with the best possible graphics and performance. In order to take advantage of games featuring high quality DirectX 10 visuals, users of Windows Vista require a DirectX 10 graphics card and choices therein are plenty.

The latest release, DirectX 10, was released exclusively as part of Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows Vista in late 2006.ĭirectX 10, an extensive update to DirectX, introduced Shader Model 4 among many other changes aimed at providing greatly improved rendering capabilities in Microsoft’s Vista operating system. Since then, every new release of Windows has seen the inclusion of a new version of DirectX. In 1996, Microsoft released version 2.0a of DirectX for its Windows 95 operating system. As time has gone by, these technologies and others have all become part of the DirectX collection. Originally launched in 1995, DirectX consists of various advanced programming interfaces (APIs) such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay and DirectSound. The Technology and how it worksĭirectX is a collection of graphics technologies designed to deliver an advanced, stable, and visually impressive graphics experience on Microsoft platforms. This HEXUS.help guide explains DirectX 10, which graphics cards support it, how they work and what the consumer’s choices are.

Directx 9 games list