HD 3850, which DirectX to install?

Arashikage · 09 Jan 2011

I'm using Windows 7 x64, and I have a Sapphire HD 3850 card. On the box it says DirectX 10. But I've read in a couple of searches Win 7 uses DirectX 11, and is backwards compatible with DX10.

I don't see DirectX 10 or 11 on Microsoft's DirectX website, only downloads for 9.0c installer. A few months ago I had to install 9.0c for a program to run. I believe I had to install this one: directx_Jun2010_redist.exe
DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)
DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer

I checked dxdiag, and it says my DirectX version is 11. My WEI says DirectX 10. But I read this is a bug in the WEI report. I'm relieved that I'm actually running DX11, but wondering what I actually did do by installing "DirectX End-User Runtimes" installer a few months ago.

On the web installer page it says "provides updates to 9.0c and previous versions of DirectX", so I'm kinda confused if this even updated DX11 or not...

- Does the DirectX End-User Runtimes installer update DirectX 11 too?
- If not, how should I update DirectX 11 from now on?
- Under Display, DDI says 10.1, so this means it knows I'm running a DX10 device, correct?

Krispy1 · 09 Jan 2011

nope the card does not support dx11 but it will support 10.1

Mashed1316 · 09 Jan 2011

Hello there, download the latest Direct X available which is:

DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)

Install it and you'll have the latest version available and supported for your Card, the only Cards that supports DX11 right now are Nvidia's 400/500 series and AMD HD 5000/6000 series.

Arashikage · 09 Jan 2011

Punkster said:

Hello there, download the latest Direct X available which is:

DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)

Install it and you'll have the latest version available and supported for your Card, the only Cards that supports DX11 right now are Nvidia's 400/500 series and AMD HD 5000/6000 series.

So then, like I said in my first post, it looks like I installed the right one then.

It's weird because in the description on the web installer Microsoft page (basically the same file), it says "9.0c and previous". Which made me think it reverted my DirectX to an older 9 version...

WukaChop · 09 Jan 2011

If you install a DX10 supporting game, it'll install DX10 for you, that's a guarantee, I have a HD 3870, they do support DX10, so you will have it installed with a DX10 game, if you can't find it on the site.

If you want to check, press start, and in the search bar, type "dxdiag" and press enter, you may get something come up about signed drivers, press no, or yes, it's up to you, not exactly important, and it should tell you what DX version you have at the bottom of the page.

RST101 · 09 Jan 2011

WukaChop said:

If you install a DX10 supporting game, it'll install DX10 for you, that's a guarantee, I have a HD 3870, they do support DX10, so you will have it installed with a DX10 game, if you can't find it on the site.

If you want to check, press start, and in the search bar, type "dxdiag" and press enter, you may get something come up about signed drivers, press no, or yes, it's up to you, not exactly important, and it should tell you what DX version you have at the bottom of the page.

All windows 7 machines will say dx 11 but that does not mean to say his system will support it. Being a 3850 it will only support up to 10.1. It is the gpu which dictates if you will get dx 11 on windows 7 or not.

Arashikage · 09 Jan 2011

^^ I checked dxdiag, Direct X version says 11. On the display tab, DDI Version says 10.1, so it means my device is only DX10 compatible.

I think all my confusion was from the description on Microsoft's Direct X page, it made me think it reverted my DirectX to 9.0c

The Microsoft DirectX® End-User Runtime provides updates to 9.0c and previous versions of DirectX — the core Windows® technology that drives high-speed multimedia and games on the PC.

DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)
DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer

RST101 · 10 Jan 2011

There is only one installer, which is dx9c.

1Bowtie · 10 Jan 2011

When you installed Win 7 64 you got the latest DirectX and it's backward compatible so there was no need to dl'd DirectX

RST101 · 10 Jan 2011

Mmm strange, whenever I custom install(which is often) I always have to manually install dx before playing any of my games and I'm running x64.