DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer Editor's Review

This self-sufficient program is useful if you're using applications that have heavy multimedia elements.

These days a lot of high-speed multimedia and rich gaming software simply can't be used on older computer set ups. This is where runtimes like DirectX comes into play. It's bundled as part of standard Windows OS but you do still need to keep an eye out and make sure it's updating continually to reliably run your rich audio, 3D animation and full colour graphic files. Even some videos now rely on similar programs to help them function at full capacity.

If your DirectX is lagging behind the times, there are good chances that some the above will stop functioning as reliably. It's also possible that your audio and video playback abilities will become affected. If you've checked and you're not running the most recent version it's an easy problem to fix: just download the update for free.

DirectX is compatible with Windows 2000, 2003, XP, 7 and Vista operating systems and it cannot be uninstalled so you may want to do a full back up or set your restore point before installing.

Pro's: Feature and security updates released as required, multiple language support including Chinese, Czech, Russian and Swedish

Con's: Pay attention to the option extras as you're installing it, it automatically downloads some aspects you don't need to run the program (ie search toolbars)

Conclusion: Runs silently in the background, various file types will draw on DirectX support if required when you open them. It's a little irritating that it will install a search toolbar if you forget to deselect during install but then again, freeware needs to be paid somehow. Worth taking the time to install for the bother it could save you down the line.