is it worth buying a directx10...?

Question

is it worth buying a directx 10 compatible graphics card (for example the geforce 8600gt) , or is it better to spend the same amount of money on a more powerful (non directx10) graphics card, for example the geforce7900 or the ati x1950pro?

i have vista, but i prefer to use xp. what advantages would using a directx 10 card give me?

thank you

Answer 1

This is a difficult question. First off, if you plan to use XP, you will not get the benefits of DirectX 10, so the decision is quite easy, go with the 7900 or 1950Pro. The decision only becomes complicated if you plan to use Vista.

On the one hand, yes you will get the benefits of DirectX 10, but on the other hand, you will have a less powerful card. If you plan to only play older games, then you still would want to go with the 7900 or 1950. If you do plan to play newer games that support DirectX 10, then you might consider the 8600, but keep in mind any benefits of DirectX 10 will be offset by the less powerful card.

Also the amount of time you plan to keep this card should be factored in. If you plan to keep it a substantial amount of time, you might go ahead and get the 8600 to have DirectX 10 and future proof yourself. But if you plan to replace it relatively soon, get the 7900 or 1950, and you can get a good DirectX 10 card in the near future when the prices come down.

Answer 2

The directx card will be faster, and when you are ready to use vista, you will be able to get the DirectX 10 benefits on games such as Hellgate London, Bioshock, and Crysis (when it comes out).