Windows XP for Home Users, Service Pack 2 Edition

Part of the horsepower comes from the technology support necessary to reproduce a game's dazzling graphics and full-range sound. Windows XP supports DirectX 9, which is a set of APIs that provide full access to the advanced features of high-performance hardware. DirectX works to create hardware-accelerated 3D images and engrossing music and sound effects.

DirectX works in the background to match the game's parameters with your PC's hardware capabilities. This way even the most multimedia-laden games can take full advantage of the latest video and audio chips and cards.

There are seven key components of DirectX:

• DirectDraw. Works with your PC's video card to display 2D graphics.

• Direct3D. Works with your video card to render 3D graphics.

• DirectSound. Works with your audio card to provide sound mixing and other functions related to digital audio playback.

• DirectMusic. Works with your audio card to deliver high-quality MIDI music for your game's background soundtrack.

• DirectInput. Provides direct input for joysticks and other input devices, including the latest force-feedback game controllers.

• DirectPlay. Supports game connections over a modem, LAN, or the Internet and is essential for multiple-player online/network games.

• DirectShow. Provides capture and playback of multimedia files in a variety of formats, including ASF, AVI, DV, MPEG, MP3, WAV, WMA, and WMV; DirectShow also enables video capture, DVD playback, video editing and mixing, and the reception of broadcast television signals.

As you might suspect, these DirectX components are used for more than just playing games. Any multimedia application can tap into DirectX for improved audio and video performance. Games, however, really utilize what DirectX has to offer. And because Windows XP supports the latest version of DirectX, you should be able to run the newest games on the newest hardware with maximum effect.