Graphics card compatibility

XNA Game Studio requires a graphics card with at least a Shader Model 1.1 card. Microsoft recommends a Shader Model 2.0 compatible card for their starter kits. This page lists cards which have been found to work, not work or partially work. If adding to this page, please include what issues the card has so that users know exactly what to expect with those graphics cards.

Cards That Work

Note: If a certain card does not appear on this list, it does NOT necessarily mean that the card won't work with XNA.

NVIDIA

• GeForce
  • GeForce 5 (SM2)
    • GeForce FX 5200
  • GeForce 6 (SM3)
    • GeForce 6800 GS
    • GeForce 6800 GT
  • GeForce 7 (SM3)
    • GeForce 7600 GT
    • GeForce 7900 GS (and GS GO)
    • GeForce 7950 GT
  • GeForce 8 (SM4)
    • Geforce 8300 GS
    • Geforce 8400M GS
    • Geforce 8600 GT
    • Geforce 8600M GT
    • Geforce 8700M GT
    • Geforce 8800 GT
    • Geforce 8800 GTS (g80 core)
    • Geforce 8800 GTS 512MB version (g92 core)
    • Geforce 8800 GTX
  • GeForce 9 (SM4)
    • GeForce 9400 GT
    • GeForce 9500 GT
    • GeForce 9500 GS
    • GeForce 9600 GT
    • GeForce 9600 GSO
    • GeForce 9600 GSO 512
    • GeForce 9600GTX
    • GeForce 9800 GX2
    • GeForce 9800 GT
    • GeForce 9800 GTX
    • GeForce 9800 GTX+
  • Quadro (SM3)
    • Quadro FX 1500

ATI

• Radeon
  • Radeon R300(SM2.0)
    • Radeon 9600
    • Radeon 9800
    • Radeon 9800se
  • Radeon R420 (SM2.0B)
    • Radeon x700 XT
    • Radeon x740 XT
    • Radeon x800 XT
    • Radeon x850 XT
  • Radeon R520 (SM3.0)
    • Radeon x1300 XT
    • Radeon x1350 XT
    • Radeon x1400 XT
    • Radeon x1600 XT
    • Radeon x1650 XT
    • Radeon x1800 XT
    • Radeon x1900 XT
    • Radeon x1950 XT
    • Radeon x1950 Pro
  • Radeon R600 (SM4.0)
    • Radeon HD2400
    • Radeon HD2600
    • Radeon HD2900
  • Radeon RV670 (SM4.1)
    • Radeon HD34xx
    • Radeon HD36xx
    • Radeon HD38xx

Intel

• GMA series
  • GMA 4500MHD (SM4)
    • Supports SM4.0 but performance is very poor.

VMWARE

• VMWare
  • Fusion ,Workstation(V2.0.1)
    • VMWare supports DirectX 9.0c and SM2.0 so you can use any computer with a graphics card and driver that supports DirectX 9.0c, and SM2.0. Any card listed above or one that meets the requirements should allow you to avoid the dual-boot scenario and enjoy XNA in virtualization. This is known to work on Intel Macs with OS X 10.5, but according to VMWare it also works with many flavors of Windows, Unix, Linux, etc. You must use Windows XP as your virtualized operating system in order for this to work.

Unconfirmed Cards

Parallels Desktop for Mac

• Parallels Desktop for Mac
  • V4.0 - There are reports that it works since V4.0 (and available shader model 2 support).
  • V5.0 - Should be supported better since V5.0 has shader model 3 support.

Cards That Do NOT Work

NVIDIA

• GeForce
  • GeForce 4 (SM2)
    • GeForce4 MX 4000
      • Based on GeForce2; does not actually support SM2.
  • GeForce 7 (SM3)
    • GeForce4 7300 GT

Intel

• GMA series
  • GMA 900
    • XNA apps crash on startup.
  • GMA 950
    • XNA apps crash on startup.