Video Card

[rickysharpe9]

Hello guys,

I am new to this forum and would like some advice on purchasing a new video card for an XP computer. I like gaming and have heard of AGP, PCI and PCIe sockets and would like to know about them. I have all three connectors on the motherboard of my computer.

What would you recommend buying and which one is most appropriate for my needs?

Thank you for you time.

Rick

 

[Kage]

Hey, and first, welcome

Could you possibly tell me what motherboard you have?
It should be written on it. The model number would do fine.

Its not very common for you to find AGP slots and PCI-E slots on the same one you see. Only a couple of boards I know of even bothered doing this, for people who might want to upgrade to PCI-E later, but still had an AGP card.

If you have a PCI-E slot, this is the way to go, as its the newest form of communication between the card and the motherboard, which is a lot faster than AGP, which it replaced.

PCI-E 16x is the slot you want for video card useage, as it is the fastest available at the moment, and if yours has one, you are ready to go.

Standard PCI sockets are still used for expansion cards, like sound, internet LAN cards, etc, etc, but I see that over time, support for PCI-E on many of these cards, will replace PCI completly.

Info on PCI-E
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/pci-express.htm

AGP:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/agp.htm

PCI:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/pci.htm

 

[LambOfGod]

PCI-E 16x is the slot you want for video card useage, as it is the fastest available at the moment, and if yours has one, you are ready to go.

Actually its PCI-E 2.0 thats the fastest

excellent write up all and all Kage.

 

[Kage]

Well okay, haha. Have any cards come out that use that fully yet?
I thought PCI-E 2.0 was still a run off from the 16x slot but with more features.

 

[LambOfGod]

Well okay, haha. Have any cards come out that use that fully yet?
I thought PCI-E 2.0 was still a run off from the 16x slot but with more features.

There are cards that use the standard yes.

If you mean do they max out the PCI E 2.0 Bus, no and if thats a good thing.. Because then we would need another standard with more headroom.

PCI-E 2.0 Doubles the bandwidth and Provides more power.

 

[Kage]

Ah right, thanks. Looks like I'll have to do more research.
I haven't been looking at new parts/technologies on the net/magazines for a while, so I think I may have lost touch slightly on what is what

 

[worshipme]

PCI-E 2.0 still has 16 lanes, and is still called PCI-E x16, so you weren't actually ever wrong Kage.

 

[LambOfGod]

PCI-E 2.0 still has 16 lanes, and is still called PCI-E x16, so you weren't actually ever wrong Kage.

I was just being very picky this morning haha..
I repped him for his informative post

 

[Kage]

Indeed you did, thanks