2 questions. DX9, and 3dmark.

First, I dont really understand the whole thing with DX9 video cards. Why would one have to buy a DX9 video card if you can just download and install directX 9 on a non Dx9 card? The only thing i can think of is that maybe installing DX9 on a non DX9 card will allow that card to run whatever game it is that requires it, but the graphics quality wont be as good as running DX9 on a DX9 video card. Am i right?

Also, In 3dmark 2001 SE, usually people get scores in the 1X,XXX's right? Well I have an AMD tbred B at around 2.4Ghz and about 170fsb. Semi relaxed ram timings, and a Saphire Atlantis 9000 PRO 128mb oced from 275core,250mem, to 310Core and 280 mem.

My 3dmark score is just a little more than 2000!

Anyone know why this is?

Thanks In Advance!
-@0C

Well....

1) the reason why you need to download DX 9 is because it is needed to play Direct 9 Games..... the difference between Direct 9 and 8 is that Direct 9 supports the new features in Direct X 9 Based cards... Non- Direct X 9 cards based cannot run the new features of the Direct X 9 because they are not DirectX 9 Based cards...

2) Not everything is what it seems, R9xxx cards are DirectX 9 based.... The R9000 u have is the slowest of them all.... MY R8500 Which is Non-Direct X9 based out performs the R9000.... The only advantage the R9000 has over my card is that it has the Direct X 9 features....

Now leave me alone...

does your card play games well? and the reason for buying a dx 9 card is so that you can use the features of dx9. a non dx9 card cannot use all the features of dx9. but you can still play games because they code for more than just dx9. but without the hardware(graphics card) support all those new dx9 features will not be seen. and if your card plays games well, i wouldnt worry to much about your 3dmark score.

well i think you should read a bit more about DX 9 and its features,dx 9 allows game programers to use more advanced effects and features then with dx 8 possible,but these new features are only visible with new dx 9 compatible vidcards

i think your low score is in 3dmark2003 not 3d2001,2003 runs on new dx 9 features that your card cant use thatswhy your low score

other peeps will give ya a more detailed answer then i just did dont worry

Ok thanks guys i get it now. I was just a little confused as to how that whole thing worked. I didnt know mine had DX9 support! thats kinda cool to know. I had thought it was 9200's are higher. Oh well im probably wrong.

Excelsior said:

Now leave me alone...

Click to expand...

you know, if you didnt want to be bothered wiht having to reply to my post, no one if forcing you.
And since he wants to be left alone, I wonder if anyone else knows this. Not only him, but i have heard from others that the 8500 has better performance. According to his sig it says the core is at 250 and the memory is at 500. Thats exactly what the stock speeds that my 9000 PRO has. Unless that 500 translates to 1000 DDR, which definatly would outperform mine.

Well it actually was 3d mark 2001 SE, but thats ok, it plays games well so thats all that matters

Anyways, thanks again! all my real questions have been answered, so if you dont feel like posting a reply dont bother, but if you do, thats great

The 9000 is slower than a 8500. When ATi made their 9X00 series cards, they found out that their 8500 was actually faster than their new 9000 budget card. To aleviate this little problem they changed the name of the 8500 to the 9100 and sold it for a higher price

Actually, it seems as though the 9000 and 9100 aren't DX9 compliant (and apparently even the 9200 since it's specs on ATi's site are similar in that they only mention DX8.1 support). Here's two quotes from ATi's site on the 9000...

At-a-glance:

• Best-of-class* 3D gaming with a Quad-pipe architecture
  Complex, realistic lighting effects with SMARTSHADER™ technology
• Sharper-looking 3D graphics with SMOOTHVISION™ technology
• Advanced video features, including FULLSTREAM™ technology, for smoother video stream and sharper image quality
• Dual display support with HYDRAVISION™
• Featuring CATALYST™ - The industry's most stable 3D acceleration software
• DX 8.1 Support

SMARTSHADER™ technology

• Full support for DirectX ® 8.1 programmable pixel and vertex shaders in hardware
• 1.4 pixel shaders support up to 22 instructions and up to 6 textures per rendering pass
• 1.1 vertex shaders support vertex programs up to 128 instructions
• Complete feature set also supported in OpenGL ® via extensions
• Programmable shaders provide enhanced 3D effects in over 100 existing and upcoming game titles

Click to expand...

And since I can't find anything about the 9100 on ATi's site, this is a quote from VisionTek regarding the 9100 they sell.

Specifications
• ATI® RADEON® 9100 VPU
• 250 MHz VPU core
• AGP or PCI
• 128MB or 64MBDDR Memory
• 128-bit memory path
• Memory Clock: 250MHz (500MHz DDR)
• 400MHz DAC
• API Support: DirectX® 8.1, OpenGL® 1.3
• Connectors: VGA, DVI-D

Click to expand...

JigPu

@md0Cer said:

Ok thanks guys i get it now. I was just a little confused as to how that whole thing worked. I didnt know mine had DX9 support! thats kinda cool to know. I had thought it was 9200's are higher. Oh well im probably wrong.



you know, if you didnt want to be bothered wiht having to reply to my post, no one if forcing you.
And since he wants to be left alone, I wonder if anyone else knows this. Not only him, but i have heard from others that the 8500 has better performance. According to his sig it says the core is at 250 and the memory is at 500. Thats exactly what the stock speeds that my 9000 PRO has. Unless that 500 translates to 1000 DDR, which definatly would outperform mine.

Well it actually was 3d mark 2001 SE, but thats ok, it plays games well so thats all that matters

Anyways, thanks again! all my real questions have been answered, so if you dont feel like posting a reply dont bother, but if you do, thats great

Click to expand...

Mate i was messing around, i always love to help people....

Edit: My Graphics card has been overclocked to 277/258.... that means 516Mhz DDR......

ah thanks guys! whew thank goodness excelsior lol you scared me for a second lol.

Thanks for the info jigpu, now im really quite interested in this. Im gonna go do some reasearch. BTW, i reran 3dmark and got a score of 10,000 ish. i dont know what went wrong before.