Civ V and DirectX 9 vs. DirectX 11 - Worth an upgrade?

We're 90 days from release of Civilization V - and I'm considering making an upgrade to my gaming rig to get ready for the stunning graphics we've all seen in the gameplay videos released so far.

Firaxis has reassured the masses that the game is fully compatible with older DirectX 9 hardware, but they've also said that Civ V will have some graphics capabilities for which you will need a DirectX 11 compatible system. Will the benefits of DirectX 11 make a system upgrade worth it?

I've only seen one screenshot that hints at the difference in appearance between Civ V on older (DirectX 9) hardware when compared to newer hardware. WePlayCiv posted a screenshot showing DirectX 11 quality on the left and "integrated" (meaning non-DirectX 11) on the right. Important disclaimer: This screenshot is from an early build of the game (shown at the GDC10 conference), sothere's no guarantee that the image on the right represents how the final game will look on my current hardware. This screenshot only hints at the sort of sacrifices you might make if you play Civ V without DirectX 11.

Fortunately, upgrading a desktop PC to DirectX 11 is relatively easy -- just pop in a new graphics processing unit (GPU). I have my eye on a ~$150 DirectX 11 GPU right now. In addition to the DirectX 11 compatibility, this GPU also provides a nice boost to my system's graphics capabilities. I'll see a nice boost in general.

But, times are tough. $150 isn't an insignificant amount of cash. Will the added graphics muscle and DirectX 11 benefits justify the expense on a new GPU?

The difference won't be that big as that screenshot suggests. That only applies if you have an integrated video card that can't handle all the pretty stuff of a regular one. DX9 vs. DX11 will be noticeable for the trained eye, but not game breaking. I promise you.

It's quite nice though that Firaxis is dedicating resources so that almost everyone with a decent computer will be able to play it, even people with so-so laptops.

The only real major difference that I can see in that pic is the water. It probably is an old screenshot; but I would only upgrade if you have the cash to blow. Perhaps wait until the game is out first, and then make a decision based on better screenshot comparisons of the final game.

mantis2007 said:

We're 90 days from release of Civilization V - and I'm considering making an upgrade to my gaming rig to get ready for the stunning graphics we've all seen in the gameplay videos released so far.
(...)
Fortunately, upgrading a desktop PC to DirectX 11 is relatively easy -- just pop in a new graphics processing unit (GPU). I have my eye on a ~$150 DirectX 11 GPU right now. In addition to the DirectX 11 compatibility, this GPU also provides a nice boost to my system's graphics capabilities. I'll see a nice boost in general.

But, times are tough. $150 isn't an insignificant amount of cash. Will the added graphics muscle and DirectX 11 benefits justify the expense on a new GPU?

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In case of tough times the obvious solution would be to wait for Civ5 coming out, checking it on your current system and check about the first experience reports from DX11 users.

Evidently my laptop is Direct X 11, which is a surprise to me, since it's only a so-so laptop. Regardless, I'll probably run with lower settings anyway just to reduce strain on my computer (as it is, Civ4 lags in the later game - but ironically Civ5 might run faster for me since it can use dual processors).

Commander Bello said:

In case of tough times the obvious solution would be to wait for Civ5 coming out, checking it on your current system and check about the first experience reports from DX11 users.

Click to expand...

This,

also keep in mind the upgrade will be cheaper

civ_king said:

This,

also keep in mind the upgrade will be cheaper

Click to expand...

Good advice all - thanks

im running on Dx11 with a Radeon Mobility HD4570 (dx10) card and its not reallly slow but i bet itll run faster on dx9, so im going to revert

yeap, theres a real difference alright, running much faster, even on full resolution 1920x1080 at higher settings on my 21" screen

It isn't slow for me in the DX11 version, and I don't have a monster rig or a very new video card (GTS 250). Then again, I run it in a 1440x900 window, not in full screen (would be 1680x1050 for me), since I have to work a bit on the side. (But usually window mode means a performance hit).

I can't Alt-Tab while in DX11, so I go with DX9.

$150? what card are you looking at? I recommend a Sapphire Radeon 5750. Only $110, and DX11.

Actually the 5750 is only $100 (after rebate) at Newegg. I'm highly tempted to upgrade from my 3870 for that price.