Computer graphics card question

[ProMaX]

I'm thinking of buying a new video card for my computer and the current one i have has AGP 8x and the one i want to get is PCI-Express ..
i just wanna no wats the difference? and can i just get the new one and just swap them over?

Thanks in Advance
Cheers

[mattman]

Won't work mate.

AGP8x and PCI-E are totally not compatible, if you want PCI-E you need a new motherboard. You'll need to find the closest equivalent in AGP8x, tough on the high end cards unfortunately.

[DavoTheGreat]

To go to PCI-E you need a new motherboard, a new CPU and depending on what you get, you may even need new memory (if you choose a board that supports DDR2), as well as your new video card.

The best AGP card on the market is the Nvidia 7800GS - pretty much the same card as a 7800GT (PCI-E version) but you'll need to shop around to find one. I'd be checking places like MSY or Umart if you're in Sydney.

What kind of video card do you have now? And what's the rest of your PC? PM me if you need more info/help.

[ProMaX]

my computers pretty old but the video card on it is screwing up big time wenever i scroll down on black webpages or black background pages or in a game the colours go all funny and these weird vertical lines come on the screen and the onli way to get rid of it is to restart comp... umm main things on comp are
Athlon xp 3100+
1024GB RAM
Xpertvision ATI 9800SE
Asus A7V600-X motherboard

[ProMaX]

I was thinking about buying an XpertVision ATI Radeon X700 Select Video Card coz they're cheap and dont look like they go that bad, but then again i got no idea about hardware

Cheers again

[mattman]

Sounds like some funky vram

What sort of card were you looking at? You can still get most cards up to a 6800GS/XT in AGP, the only 7*** in AGP though (as above) is the 7800GS..

if looking for something equiv to what you have now or a tad better grab a 6600GT, should be around $250... if looking for something more then forget the 6800's and grab the 7800GS, not much more $$ but much better card... 7*** series shits all over 6***. Best comparison I've seen is a 7600GT holding it's own against a 6800Ultra...


Edit: after reading the above, look at a 6600 or 6600GT, both will perform as well as or a bit better than the X700 and are readily available in AGP.

[ProMaX]

hmmm umart online NSW has closed and new one will be opening soon

I was looking for something ATI but doesn't bother me as long as it works well, performance = good

will i need to buy new other stuff coz my GFX card atm is DDR and my motherboard supports DDR400 (i dunno wat all this means), wat if i buy a new video card thats DDR3?


EDIT: budget is around 400 tops
and all i seem to find for 7800GS's is 480-500

[mattman]

Video RAM can be anything, no matter what is on the rest of the system..

Your system is relatively up to date, you shouldn't need to change anything else. Upgrading mobo would probably mean a CPU upgrade unless you can find a slightly older socket A mobo (i think athlon xp's are socket A at least - i'm an intel boy).. ram is fine and will suit new mobo's.

ATi are a little tough for AGP, I think you can get x600's or X800's but no x700's... which leaves a big gap.

[ProMaX]

i found a 6800GT for $310, that a good price?
lol i've had this computer for atleast 3 and a half years

[mattman]

Yep that will do the trick very nicely

Will give your games a nice kick along..

[ProMaX]

so with the approval of mattman...
purchase the 6800GT for 310?
and yea u were spot on about finding a decent ATI card for AGP in combination with price

[mattman]

As long as it's AGP, then yep it will be good.

[ProMaX]

sure is

nVIDIA 6800 GT 256MB AGP 8x Graphics Card

[holdensupporter2005]

my computers pretty old but the video card on it is screwing up big time wenever i scroll down on black webpages or black background pages or in a game the colours go all funny and these weird vertical lines come on the screen and the onli way to get rid of it is to restart comp... umm main things on comp are
Athlon xp 3100+
1024GB RAM
Xpertvision ATI 9800SE
Asus A7V600-X motherboard

try downloading the latest graphics card drivers and windows updates. sometimes doing this will fix the problems that you may have.

[ProMaX]

tried that didn't really do much but put more space on my comp and the prob still continued

[DavoTheGreat]

I noticed the Umart site was down the other day, wasn't aware they were making a new one.

If you're in Sydney try MSY (www.msy.com.au) at Auburn for cheapest parts, usually a bit cheaper than Umart. But be prepared to wait in line there for a while (3 of us went down there on our lunchbreak last week, took us an hour just to get a motherboard and video card), and they're rude pricks too.

[wpnvrss]

i like stuff

[DavoTheGreat]

Stuff eh? Do you like things and gizmos too?

[wpnvrss]

no, just stuff