I need an AGP

[PeterBZ]

I just bought a new computer and found out that my motherboard only have PCI and no AGP (although there is a space to fill the AGP, the port just isn't there). I was wondering if it was possible to buy an AGP since I heard that AGP Video Cards are better than PCI Video Cards.

Sorry, I'm not really good with computer hardware....

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dishdog]

Nope you can't buy a AGP alot, and yes AGP slots are better then PCI slots. Are you sure it's not a PCI-Ex16 slot. if it is thats better then AGP slots.

 

[PeterBZ]

Because the computer I bought has a motherboard with a on-board video card, and the slot where video cards are usually placed is empty and below that empty space are 3 PCI slots I believe, the standard ones.

For example, I buy a Sapphire Radeon X700 256MB DDR PCI-E video card, and it's Bus is PCI-Express x16, would I be able to plug the card into the standard PCI slots. If I can, would I ruin the card's performance?

 

[TRDCorolla1]

PCIe cards aren't compatible with PCI slots. That's a downer. You'll have to settle with a regular PCI card. (AGP slots are usually offset to the right a little and comes in brown color or sometime different color depending on the motherboard. They are the very first slot on the motherboard for reference.)

 

[PeterBZ]

PCIe cards aren't compatible with PCI slots. That's a downer. You'll have to settle with a regular PCI card. (AGP slots are usually offset to the right a little and comes in brown color or sometime different color depending on the motherboard. They are the very first slot on the motherboard for reference.)

So do PCI Cards suck a lot? I checked my motherboard, there are no AGP or PCI-E slots. There're just normal PCI slots. Are PCI cards even compatible to today's games such as Half Life 2 and Doom 3?

I guess the only way out is to change my motherboard... but if I do that, do I have to reformat my harddrives and everything? What do I need to transfer if changing motherboards? By the way, is that black small chip on the motherboard the CPU? If so, what are it's functions?

 

[Kuberr]

Sure they are. They just won't be able to paly the games at the highest settings. I have a 9600SE in this computer, and I can play pretty much any game. The only problem is that I'd have to play on lower resolutions for higher framerates.

 

[PeterBZ]

What is a good PCI video card that is compatible with today's games and under $150 CDN? Also, where can I get them? I've looked through a few computer stores' websites and I could only find AGP and PIC-Express video cards. I couldn't find PCI cards.

 

[CrossCech]

and the slot where video cards are usually placed is empty and below that empty space are 3 PCI slots I believe, the standard ones.

Are you saying (probably brown) AGP slot is there, but no video card is in it, therefore empty?

Can you get a read on what the motherboard model is and share that with us?

 

[PeterBZ]

No, there IS no AGP slot. The video card is onboard. As for the motherboard model, how do I check that?

 

[CrossCech]

well, you can probably just give us the model PC you got and we can figure out the motherboard model from that