Share via

Using DirectX 11 with older hardware

Anonymous
2011-01-31T20:00:19+00:00

Hello, I have a question about DirectX 11. I have a graphics card that is designed for DirectX 9, I was wondering if DirectX 11 will work at all with my card. From my understanding, it will, just not with the advanced new features that a DirectX 11 compatible card would. Is this correct? Would using DirectX 11 with a supposedly "non-compatible" graphics card slow performance down? Thanks for the info, XPAero

Windows for home | Other | Gaming

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

Answer accepted by question author

  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-31T20:43:36+00:00

    DirectX 11 features will only work on a DirectX 11 capable card. But you can use your DirectX 9 card anyway. DX11 is hardware compatible with DX9. Certainly, you may miss performance improvements associated to DX11 but that's to expect; a slowdown using an older card, however, would be surprising (not getting improvements isn't the same as getting a slowdown).


    "192 GB ought to be enough for anybody." (from the miniseries "Next Generation's Jokes")

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments

3 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-01T09:18:42+00:00

    "Would using DirectX 11 still look better then DirectX 9?" This question doesn't arise. An application (say, a game) designed before DirectX 11 will never use the newer features because it doesn't know them. Some games, on the other hand, can run either in DirectX 11 or DirectX 9 mode, and they will run in DirectX 9 mode only, if the video card isn't DirectX 11 capable. A choice between graphics modes exists for newer cards (a DX 11 card supports DX 11, 10 and 9 games) but not for older ones. 


    "192 GB ought to be enough for anybody." (from the miniseries "Next Generation's Jokes")

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-31T23:25:43+00:00

    If you don't have a DX 11 video card, DX 11 won't run.

    If you want to use DX 11, you will have to buy a video card that can use it.

    What ever your existing video card that you are using is, only the DX version that it is capable of will run.

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-31T21:22:52+00:00

    Yes, I know a slowdown would be rather strange. It's just do you think that using DirectX 9 would be smoother/better quality because the card was designed for it? Would using DirectX 11 still look better then DirectX 9?

    0 comments No comments