[Tesla]

is pixel shader 3 a program or is it a component that only the most recent cards have..?... cos i have fx5600 and wanted to play splinter cell

 

[TheMatt]

Pixel shader 3.0 describes the shader version found in hardware of the graphics card. The FX5600 has pixel shader 2.0.

 

[Tesla]

so its something that i could only get if i bought a new grafics card... ?

if so which grafics card bring them.. and is ther the trouble that a pixel shader 4 is about to come out and i should would bit until i buy a new graifcs card

 

[TheMatt]

If it says that it needs shader 3.0 in the requirements, it can run, it just won't run as well. You will have to put it on lower settings. You can upgrade to a new graphics card if you want to have higher settings.

 

[ebackhus]

SM 2.0 is part of Direct X 9.0a/b.
SM 3.0 is part of Direct X 9.0c.
SM 4.0 is part of Direct X 10.

 

[g0ldfishcracker]

is there another way to tell what the shader versions are because most sites to tell if its Direct X 9.0 a, b, or c

 

[ebackhus]

I can tell you by what chip you're using if that helps. Like Matt told ya eaqrlier, the FX5600 has support for DirectX 9, which has ShaderModel 2.0 in it. The 6xxx series supports DirectX 9c, including ShaderModel 3.0. Support for ShaderModel 3.0 is part of nVidia's 7xxx series as well. Their new 8xxx series support DirectX 10, and that includes ShaderModel 4.0.

With ATi we have DirectX 9 support in the 9550 through the X850 series. The ATi X1xx series support DirectX 9c, including ShaderModel 3.0. ATi's upcoming X2xxx chips are to include support for DirectX 10, which has ShaderModel 4.0.