AGP or PCI (not express) ?

[verton]

I have a PC with an AGP slot, but don't know whether it is 1X or 2X.

Supposedly, 4X should be compatible with 2X, but what about 1X?

8X is guaranteed not compatible with anything else.

Some cards are advertised as 8X and 4X, but does that mean 2X and 1X also?

This whole AGP incompatibility has my brain twisting inside out.

My big question is this. Should I even consider an AGP card, if I can just install a PCI card? Is the AGP headache worth the speed?

I will be likely buying a 128+ MB PCI card, which will be replacing a 16 MB AGP card. Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[FragTek]

Your card options will be somewhat more expanded if you do decide to go with AGP. You really need to find out exactly what speed AGP slot you have however... If it really is a 1x slot then meh u might stick with PCI, if it's a 2x/4x slot then there are quite a few nice older cards that you could pop in there.

Much better than going PCI if you have 2x/4x AGP.

 

[Tec]

I didnt know there are 128mb PCI only graphic cards , are you sure its pci ? and as for your question i think you should stop spending any money on old technology and save it up for latest tech ( I dont mean high tech ) or you can buy a new motherboard with onboard graphics ( £30 / £40 ) and a new cpu sempron perhaps. Dont take backward steps

 

[NoL]

9200 and 95*0 were PCI flavors. Or haul up a Rage 128.

 

[FragTek]

I've got a Rage 128 Pro sitting on top of my toolbox in the closet right now, awesome card!

 

[NoL]

And I've got one on my desk, the damn heatsink wont come off.

 

[Raven]

Supposedly, 4X should be compatible with 2X, but what about 1X?

so you know their is 2 4x flavors.

one runs at 3.3v other at 5v.

the 5v version is backwardscompatible to 1x as far as i know the 3.3v version is not backwardscompatible.

which motherboard are you using ?

and as already mentioned, a new motherboard with onboard gfx might be the best choice.

if you got an socket a motherboard then perhaps an nforce2 board can be something.

got an k7n2g-l one of msi's version which had builtin gf4mx460 and its fast enough to play farcry on with rather good framrates.

 

[verton]

which motherboard are you using ?

It's an OEM PC, so no idea what the motherboard is.

Is there a utility that can tell what AGP it is?

 

[FarFarAway]

SiSoft Sandra, CPU-Z, CPU-ID - think they should.

If it has an nvidia card it would say in those drivers

 

[Raven]

do you know which cpu you have ?

when the computer was bought which cpu was top of the line at that time ?

a little reference.

my first intel based motherboard could take p2 233 to p3 600eb and that one had agp 2x

 

[Raging]

it is probly agp x4(maybe x8),my old p4 1.7ghz rig has a ge force 2 mx/mx400

tbh i would save and build a new rig from scratch dude coz that is some old shizat

cheers.

 

[Raven]

it is probly agp x4(maybe x8),

do you know if it works under agp2 or agp3 specifiactions ?

agp2 goes up to 5v 4x and agp goes from 3.3v 4x upto 8x

but the difference is minor at best.

 

[Ham]

I second savvys save up for a new one...