Buying Memory? eek!
Moderator: Executive
A quick check on newegg of 939 boards using their search for AGP 4x/8x and None AGP feature.
14 have AGP (old chipsets)
34 have PCIe, (new chipsets)
You will probably be able to get a AGP MB for the next couple years, but its going to be a motherboard using 2004 technology. All the new popular/performance MB models in the last year have been designed with PCIe chipsets because Nvidia (nforce4), and others dont support AGP in their current generation of chipsets. But the old chipset boards are proven boards being cleared out by manufactures and are excellent for tight budgets.
There is alot of hype about PCIe performance over AGP and can be currently blown off. The only thing that should be a concern is if you plan to buy a new motherboard after a year or two and plan to keep the video card. Or if you want the best high priced video card or motherboard, its going to be PCIe. The death of AGP was predicted in 2005 and hasnt happened yet, but its coming as the chip makers arent looking back.
Turning all the game settings up doesnt turn all the graphics on. Ask anyone who upgraded from a DirectX8 video card to a DirectX9 video card. Its a huge visual difference with the same game graphic settings. Gameplay may be somewhat comparable, but the eye candy is definitely not. Also recent video cards really like running along with 1+ gig of DDR400 or better RAM. Onboard video 256+MB RAM is also nice if you want high textures.
For Cheesy, his CPU and MB (the DDR400 upgrade is perfect) will hold back a $250 video card, but he will see improvement if the card is in his budget. Plus he may have a 250watt power supply in that Dell.
14 have AGP (old chipsets)
34 have PCIe, (new chipsets)
You will probably be able to get a AGP MB for the next couple years, but its going to be a motherboard using 2004 technology. All the new popular/performance MB models in the last year have been designed with PCIe chipsets because Nvidia (nforce4), and others dont support AGP in their current generation of chipsets. But the old chipset boards are proven boards being cleared out by manufactures and are excellent for tight budgets.
There is alot of hype about PCIe performance over AGP and can be currently blown off. The only thing that should be a concern is if you plan to buy a new motherboard after a year or two and plan to keep the video card. Or if you want the best high priced video card or motherboard, its going to be PCIe. The death of AGP was predicted in 2005 and hasnt happened yet, but its coming as the chip makers arent looking back.
Turning all the game settings up doesnt turn all the graphics on. Ask anyone who upgraded from a DirectX8 video card to a DirectX9 video card. Its a huge visual difference with the same game graphic settings. Gameplay may be somewhat comparable, but the eye candy is definitely not. Also recent video cards really like running along with 1+ gig of DDR400 or better RAM. Onboard video 256+MB RAM is also nice if you want high textures.
For Cheesy, his CPU and MB (the DDR400 upgrade is perfect) will hold back a $250 video card, but he will see improvement if the card is in his budget. Plus he may have a 250watt power supply in that Dell.
Putting it in took 5 min, but then when I turned it on, I got a blinking amber power light and it wouldn't turn on. I got worried I had shorted the whole thing somehow, and I looked around and ppl said it could mean a failed PSU or mobo. Then they said my AGP card could have come unseated so I put it back, and it still didn't work. But then I put my old RAM back in and it started fine, so then I put the new sticks back in again, and it worked 
So I dunno what happened, Im just glad it works now 
So I dunno what happened, Im just glad it works now 
How did the vid bios flash and mod go for you guys?ph1l0r wrote:Kaiserrr and me just ordered Powercolor X800 GTO Vivo AGP cards. They hopefully ship by tomorrow. It's said that these can be modded and overclocked to run on X800 XT or even X800 XT PE levels. Each cost 200 Euro which is a 100 Euros less than a regular X800XT costs. I guess the card will be fast enough and hell of a lot faster than the 9800 even without overclocking.