9.0b vs. 9.0c

[MisterChief]

Does Direct X 9.0c make a difference in game and app performance vs. 9.0b? I haven't noticed anything.

 

[Megatomic]

With your card, no. But if you were to get an X800 or 6800 you'd benefit by having 9.0c installed (for PS2.0b or PS3 shader support).

 

[MisterChief]

Thankfully, I'm thinking of upgrading to an X800 soon. But will I see a noticeable difference?

 

[warcrow]

Megatomic is exactly right. Not with your hardware.

 

[Megatomic]

In newer games with advanced pixel shader support you'd see some differences. Like, say in Far Cry or HL2. But in UT2K4 you'd get nothing but more pixel pipelines and faster clocks.

 

[Googer]

Yes, to the very best of my knowlege it supports pixel shader 3.0 as well as some other programing efficiencies. That is if your hardware supports it.

 

[Malak]

x800 won't have shader 3.0.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: malak
x800 won't have shader 3.0.

Correct, Only Geforce 6xxx models have it. X800 only supports Shader Model 2.0, the next generation of ati products will have Version 3.0 and are likely to support sli.

It would be kind of cool if ati's sli was compatable with nVIDIA. Maybe you could get the best of both worlds. DX and OpenGL

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: Googer
the next generation of ati products will have Version 3.0

Well, directx9c has been out a while now and we haven't seen that happen yet. As long as more than half the market doesn't have a video card that supports it, I don't think devs will rush to use this tech.

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: malak
x800 won't have shader 3.0.

Correct, Only Geforce 6xxx models have it. X800 only supports Shader Model 2.0, the next generation of ati products will have Version 3.0 and are likely to support sli.

It would be kind of cool if ati's sli was compatable with nVIDIA. Maybe you could get the best of both worlds. DX and OpenGL

The X8xx has some extra features besides PS2.0 that is supported through DX9.0c. But unless the game use these instructions, there would be no difference.

 

[BFG10K]

Does Direct X 9.0c make a difference in game and app performance vs. 9.0b?

Only if you're running SM 2.0+/SM 3.0 games on SM 2.0+/SM 3.0 cards.

At the moment that's only really Far Cry on R420/NV40 cards but it's still a good idea to update DirectX anyway.