DirectX 11 compatible hardware is required

[balexandre]

I have a system with 2 graphic cards both ATI:

- Radeon HD 4650
- Radeon x550 Series

and when I try to run 3DMark I get this message, even though DirectX11 is installed in the system

Do I need to remove the older card? Why can't I simply select what graphic card I want the benchmark to be run?

Thanks.

P.S. I keep trying to add a link or small image that shows dxdiag and the error... but no good :(

[DhinShin]

Neither card is DX11, you need DX11 hardware to run the benchmark.

[balexandre]

ohh, so it's the card and not the version installed ...

Thanks for the heads up, I was looking to this from a wrong perspective [oops]

[AntDX316]

ohh, so it's the card and not the version installed ...

Thanks for the heads up, I was looking to this from a wrong perspective [oops]

Welcome to the world of high end gaming

[balexandre]

Welcome to the world of high end gaming

Thanks,

until now, I guess that the only certain was: It's an expensive world

[Jarnis]

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmark11/faq/

quoting the relevant bit

A: This indicates that 3DMark11 could not start up DirectX 11 graphics mode.

* Verify that you actually have DirectX11 card (AMD Radeon HD 5xxx / HD 6xxx series, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 4xx / 5xx series or later). If not, 3DMark 11 will not run on your system. Use 3DMark Vantage to benchmark older DirectX 10 cards or 3DMark 06 to benchmark even older DirectX 9 cards.

The key is that you need both DirectX 11 API files (included in Windows 7, available for Vista) *and* DirectX 11 capable hardware. Neither of the cards you mention are DX11 (they support DX10 features).

DirectX 11 API files can happily run on whatever video card you have, they do not care. However, when application requests for the latest DirectX 11 features (like Tessellation and Computer shaders), the card must support those features or they can't be used and 3DMark 11 cannot run at all without those features.

Many games that include a DirectX 11 mode these days can degrade things for DX10 cards - they run even on DX10 hardware but you do not get all the same visual effects (or the performance may be worse) as those with DX11 hardware - this varies depending on the game and some games actually drop you to DirectX 9 level visuals if the card can't do DirectX 11, but in most cases they do this without bothering you too much about it. This is fully supported by Direct X11 API. Yet it cannot be done in 3DMark 11 because the whole benchmark is built to test those new features that must be present. Can't test what the hardware doesn't have.

[balexandre]

[offtopic]

Is it recommended that I would buy a DX11 graphic card?

All of this cause I'm having huge problems with current games both on steam (have none bought on a store).

specially: Grid, Team of Fortress, Need For Speed Shift 2... [cursing]

but no problems with Bioshock, Bioshock 2 and Americas Army 3...

[Langaleer]

I would suggest upgrading. Both cards were budget/low end for their generation and with how fast technology has moved, they are both very far behind in performance now.

It might be a good idea to give an indication of the games you play, the budget you are willing to part with and people here will be able to recommend as close to that as possible for you [yes]

[balexandre]

I'm at home now, and here I have a Geforce 9800 GT 1Gb and just verify it's a DX10 as well :o(

And it's in this Graphic Card that I have all the mention problems with gaming.

I'm using a Gygabyte EP45-UD3R so I can't even upgrade to a 2x medium-high in SLI... [no]

[idkfa]

Try 3dMark Vantage, it still looks very nice! and you only need dx10 hardware.