What do I need to buy to be DirectX v9.0c games compatible?

[LJoL]

I'm getting fed up with running into games that won't even start because my graphic card is not 9.0 compatible even though I've dled the 9.0c software and the most recent drivers from Intel that 'supposedly' made the chipset 9.0 compatible.

It horrifies me that in order to even 'play' a game without even personally caring about graphics quality I still am going to need to buy a gaming video card.. but after running into the 10th game that just won't play on my Intel card I've had it and admit defeat. But now I need to find the cheapest way of becoming compatible since my family can't really afford the expenses this is going to entail.

I've checked the NVidia GeForce and ATI Radeon series but all of the DirectX 9.0 compatible versions are PCI express.. and I'm not sure if my motherboard and bus is compatible with that. Which means possibly yet another expense upgrading the system to make it compatible.

Is there any way to check whether my system is PCIe compatible before having to buy new hardware for that too? I checked my system devices and saw mainly PCI things so I'm assuming it's noncompatible? (There were some PCIe things listed by Intel but I'm guessing the driver updates stuck them in by default?)

Secondly once I've accomplished a PCIe compatible system what graphic card would be the best buy? Contrary to power gamers I don't really give a damn about the graphics quality or its speed.. I just want the bloody games to run. Nothing works on my Intel 82915 version. It's gotten so bad that I've stopped buying games and just use the demos to see if a game will work since game after game turned out couldn't be played.

So which graphic card is the cheapest I can get yet still actually run these "next generation games" such as Call of Duty 2, Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, and even stupid poker software games (why the hell poker simulation software should require 9.0 is anyone's guess grr!)? Am I going to be looking for GeForce 6600 or what?

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Welcome to TechSpot

As far as I know, ATI cards from Radeon 9550 upwards and Nvidia cards from GeForceFX 5200 are DirectX9 compatible. They are available as AGP versions, but as they are more than a few months old, not all shops keep them on shelves.

But according to Intel,

The Intel® 82915G/82910GL Express Chipset Family, the Intel® 82945G Express Chipset, the Mobile Intel® 82915GM/GMS, 82910GML Express Chipset Family and the Mobile Intel® 82945GM Express Chipset Family are compatible with Microsoft DirectX* 9.0. Previous versions of DirectX (7.0a, 8.0, 8.1) are also supported.

Are you using Intel's own latest driver? You can get it from here.

 

[ozbokkie]

DirectX compatible Cards

I have a 9550 which works but with FEAR you have to reduce the settings to low.

 

[LJoL]

Oops had accidently doubleposted so editing out the older one since I don't see a delete post button.

 

[LJoL]

Are you using Intel's own latest driver? You can get it from here.

Yep already had downloaded the latest driver.. didn't fix these games. The problem is the Microsoft Shader 3.0 I think. It seems to me any game that uses that is incompatible with the Intel chipsets.

As for those Radeon and GeForce ones.. ok that's about what my information said (except the GeForce model you mentioned is lower than I had seen elsewhere).. but they use the PCI Express system.. and I don't think my system is compatible with that. Without going out and buying the graphic cards is there anyway to find out whether or not your pc is compatible? And if it isn't compatible does anyone know what to buy to make it so?

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

As for those Radeon and GeForce ones.. ok that's about what my information said (except the GeForce model you mentioned is lower than I had seen elsewhere).. but they use the PCI Express system.. and I don't think my system is compatible with that. Without going out and buying the graphic cards is there anyway to find out whether or not your pc is compatible? And if it isn't compatible does anyone know what to buy to make it so?

They use AGP. In fact there are no ATi Radeon 9xxx series for PCI Express. The fastest Radeon available as AGP version is X850 XT, as far as I know.

The fastest GeForce AGP card is 6800 Ultra.

I don't know of any webpage that would list all AGP and PCI Express versions.

 

[Sharkfood]

Hi LJol,
We need to figure out what upgrade options you have... and the only way we can do that is get some information about your system.

If it's an OEM/pre-built system, the make/model will be sufficient. In other words, if it's a Dell, Gateway, HP, Sony, etc.etc.- we'll need to know what model- such as Dell Dimension 8100, or HP Pavillion 1180, etc.etc.

If you are unsure, you can google and download a program called CPU-Z.. run this and look at the mainboard tab once run. It should identify the mainboard make/model as well as possibly yield insight to the graphics interface (be it PCI-Express, AGP or older PCI).

With this information, we can yield better suggestions towards 3d/graphics upgrades applicable to your system.

 

[LJoL]

The PC I am looking to upgrade is a store-bought Gateway 506GR and I'm pretty sure it's the older PCI bus not even AGP.

 

[Cartz]

You have been officially hosed...

This system ships with a grand total of 2 PCI slots, and no AGP or PCI-E slots, even though the marketing hooey runs on about how great PCI-E is...

I suppose the only thing left to do, just to be 100% certain that I wasn't looking at pics of a similar model of computer would be to pop the side panel off of your case and look inside..

Near the back, there should be a vertical stack of white expansion slots (the marketting material says 2) they will be about an inch apart, those are your PCI expansion slots.

Now, directly above those, there could be, but I doubt it, a Brown slot, which would be an AGP slot, or a blue/white slot (not sure of the color standard for PCI-E) that will be a different length then the PCI slots found below it...

If you don't have either of those, I'm sorry to say you're out of luck, you're looking at rebuilding the majority of the system before you can install a new graphics card. From what you've said, this will definately be out of your price range.

Next time before buying a system, you must investigate things like this. It's important to know if the system you're spending so much money on is going to be completely useless for the tasks you want it to perform.

That said, shame on Gateway for shipping a product without any sort of graphics port... I cannot fathom why a company would do something so stupid.