Best AGP 4X Graphics Card?

[JonRB]

I need to upgrade the graphics card in my ageing Dell Dimension 8100 system with a budget of £100 ex VAT maximum.

Trouble is that my Dell's AGP bus is 4X which I presume means that I won't be able to use the newer 8X cards?

I had hoped to put an nVidia FX5700 series card in, preferably with VIVO, but there is some confusion as to whether these are 8X only or support both 4X and 8X.

To be honest though, almost any modern card would be an improvement over the ancient TNT2 card that is in there at the moment.

Can anyone advise?

[plotloss]

95% of the 8x cards will fit the 4x slot as they have the 3 tines (for want of a better word) rather than the two.

[rsvmilly]

Radeon 9700 pro? Probably quicker than the 9800se.

[rsvmilly]

For another £20 get one of these;

www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=7944

Very fast and image is great.

Don't worry about more than 128Mb and no games yet support textures of this size.

[JonRB]

plotloss said:

95% of the 8x cards will fit the 4x slot as they have the 3 tines (for want of a better word) rather than the two.

But knowing my luck I'll inadvertently buy one of the 5%.

[plotloss]

Guess who found out the hard way.

It annoys me greatly because there was NO need at all to turn it around...

[JonRB]

plotloss said:

Guess who found out the hard way. It annoys me greatly because there was NO need at all to turn it around...

Sorry, I'm confused now. Are you saying that 8X cards DON'T fit in 4X slots and you did a typo when you said 95% do and meant 95% don't?

[plotloss]

No they do fit.

AGP 1x 2x 4x is one way and 4x/8x is turned around.

So if you have a 4x board an 8x will fit because of the aforementioned tines issue.

The AGP could have been in the same orientation for 1x 2x 4x and 8x though because the port itself hasnt changed.

[Alex]

I'm about to flog my 256MB FX5700 on Ebay if you're interested (just bought an X800 Pro).

[JonRB]

Alex said:

I'm about to flog my 256MB FX5700 on Ebay if you're interested (just bought an X800 Pro).

Is it VIVO?

[squirrelz]

plotloss said:

No they do fit. AGP 1x 2x 4x is one way and 4x/8x is turned around. So if you have a 4x board an 8x will fit because of the aforementioned tines issue. The AGP could have been in the same orientation for 1x 2x 4x and 8x though because the port itself hasnt changed.

Its because of the different voltages for the versions of AGP. Older ports cant supply the right voltages for 8x cards.

[squirrelz]

www.lowestonweb.com do a Radeon 9800 Pro for £125 inc VAT and delivery, which is about the same as £100 + VAT + Delivery

[Mark.S]

rsvmilly said:

Don't worry about more than 128Mb and no games yet support textures of this size.

All the next generation games will make use of >128mb (Far Cry, Doom3, Half Life2 etc). To run Doom3 at its highest quality settings requires a 500mb card!

[Alex]

JonRB said:

Alex said: I'm about to flog my 256MB FX5700 on Ebay if you're interested (just bought an X800 Pro). Is it VIVO?

Afraid not.

But my new one is!