essays

● Original DirectX runtime can be installed on this OS

◐ Software targeting DirectX version can be orchestrated through newer runtimes

○ Not available on this OS

Operating System ↓ / DirectX → DX3 DX5 DX6 DX7 DX8 DX9 DX10 DX11 DX12
Windows 1/2/3/NT3.1 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Windows 95 ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Windows 98 ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○
Windows ME ◐ ◐ ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○
Windows NT 4.0 ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Windows 2000 ◐ ◐ ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○
Windows XP ◐ ◐ ◐ ● ● ● ○ ○ ○
Windows Vista ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ● ● ◐ ○
Windows 7 / 8 ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ● ● ● ○
Windows 10 / 11 ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ◐ ● ● ● ●

DirectX 1/2/4 were not widely adopted.

Citation

Computing Culture. Table: DirectX / OS Compiled Reference.
Computing Culture Essays, 2026.
https://github.com/computing-culture/essays