directx9
Latest
New 3DMark arrives for Windows, gaming PCs brace for punishment (video)
There's nothing quite so crushing to the self-esteem of a gamer as a new 3DMark build: even a year-old flagship PC can feel like a clunker as it struggles to get a decent frame rate in Futuremark's visually intensive tests. It's time to get masochistic once again, as the Windows version of the 2013 3DMark release is at last available. The software's showcase benchmark is Fire Strike, for brag-worthy rigs with high-end DirectX 11 graphics; there's also a Cloud Gate test for mere mortal DX 10/11 PCs, and Ice Storm for older DX 9 hardware. 3DMark is waiting both as a stand-alone download and through Steam today, while those who take their gaming on the road will have to wait for the still-in-progress Android, iOS and Windows RT releases to make their tablets cry for mercy.
Texas Instruments announces multi-core, 1.8GHz OMAP4470 ARM processor for Windows 8
When Qualcomm announced a pair of Windows 8-compatible ARM processors yesterday, we knew Texas Instruments wouldn't be far behind. Sure enough, the company has just announced a new addition to its OMAP 4 family of ARM SoCs, with the 1.8GHz OMAP4470. TI's new chip is powered by a pair of 1.0GHz ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore engines, as well as two, 266MHz ARM Cortex-M3 cores that handle multimedia duties. According to the company, this multi-core structure will enable faster web browsing and more frugal power usage, while putting the OMAP4470 in square competition with quad-core chips like NVIDIA's Kal-El and Intel's latest Sandy Bridge line. The SoC was designed for tablets, netbooks and smartphones running Android, Linux, or the next version of Windows, and can support a max QXGA resolution of 2048 x 1536, and up to three HD displays. There's also a single-core PowerVR SGX544 GPU capable of running Direct X 9, OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1, and OpenCL 1.1. The OMAP4470 is expected to hit the OEM and OED markets in the first half of 2012, but you can find more information in the specs sheet and press release, after the break.
NVIDIA ION LE hack adds DirectX 10 support, raises interesting questions
If myHPmini forum member runawayprisoner is to be believed (and why not?), rather than featuring some sort of dumbed-down hardware, the sole difference between the NVIDIA ION and the XP-friendly ION LE is that the latter has DirectX 10 support disabled in the device drivers. Indeed, when the full-blown ION drivers are hacked to recognize the ION LE device ID, not only do you get to run DX10, but performance increases markedly as well. Of course, DX10 is Windows 7 only, but you should conceivably be able to take your ION LE machine, install Windows 7 and the driver hack, and get on with your life (and save a few bucks in the process). Why bother with the charade, you ask? Theories abound, but we think it's a pretty good guess that NVIDIA is merely adhering to Microsoft licensing requirements here, and that in the long run crippling an existing chipset is cheaper than developing an entirely new one for an OS that's likely to be phased out sooner than later. [Via SlashGear]
NVIDIA clings desperately to XP with the DirectX10-hating ION LE chipset
Anything that makes our netbooks, nettops, and smartphones into slightly less mediocre video performers is okay in our book, so we're fond of NVIDIA's ION platform and are looking forward to finding out exactly what the company has up its sleeve for ION 2. We weren't, however, expecting an even cheaper revision of the chipset, but that's exactly what's been announced this morning. NVIDIA is creating ION LE, a sibling of the existing ION that does everything its big sister can do except support DirectX 10. The idea, of course, is to lower costs while providing all the functionality XP-packing netbooks and nettops need, but as Windows 7 sits at home getting made up for its débutante party we have to wonder just how much longer Microsoft's old faithful will be on the market -- and how much longer DX9 will be relevant.[Via SlashGear]
Dubious marketing: Microsoft makes DirectX 9 look REALLY bad
Microsoft has been caught using misleading images to promote the power of DirectX 10. Digg user, LtGenPanda, has spotted a Games for Windows Live DirectX 10 product page featuring the dubious marketing images. In order to easily characterize the power of DirectX 10 versus previous versions, Microsoft compared pre-release rendered screens of 2007's Crysis (using DX10) against the 2003 PC release of Halo: Combat Evolved (running DX9). Considering Crysis can also be played using DirectX 9 (albeit at lower quality), we call shenanigans! If the misleading images weren't enough, Microsoft adds some choice words to spin its web of deceit. In regards to the OMGness of DX10, the page reads: "The facial expressions, details of the face, the handle-bar moustache and the glazed looking eyes all add to the realism." Kids, the harsh truth is that handle-bar mustaches will only lead to a loss of friends and respect.
Rumorang: Crysis game for Xbox 360, not PC port
Xboxic reports that an unnamed developer, speaking to 1UP, has revealed details about a Crysis game headed to Xbox 360. Allegedly, the console version will not be a direct port of the PC title that's currently in development. Like Far Cry before it, Crysis will be stripped down for its console debut.The Xbox 360 version will supposedly incorporate similar story elements to its PC brethren, but will feature different gameplay aspects (physics, environments, etc.) that better utilize 360's DirectX 9 technology (the PC version is being built using DirectX 10). Expect full details if and when Crytek finally (and officially) announces this much-anticipated console installment of its high-profile franchise.See also: Crytek says 360 and PS3 can't handle Crysis Crytek revises claim: Crysis could be ported
Xbox 360 can't run DirectX 10, confirms ATI
1up reports that ATI has debunked a rumor that Xbox 360 could be upgraded to support DirectX 10 via a patch. "Xbox360 cannot run DX10," an ATI spokesperson told 1up. Currently, Microsoft's console runs an advanced version of DirectX 9, which, according to ATI, features "memory export that can enable DX10-class functionality such as stream-out."It's difficult to say when and if studios that are developing cross-platform titles for Xbox 360 and Vista will hit a roadblock because of DirectX variances between the two platforms, but certainly a game like Crytek's Crysis, which does support DX9 with some DX10 features, could be optimized and ported to consoles.
