PCI or AGP graphics card

[superlightr]

I looking to upgrade my nvidia graphics card - how do I find out if I need a AGP or PCI new card?

Is installing a new card easy?

Looking at a Inno3d Geforce 7800gs 256mb AGP

Thanks

[mattley]

what are the specs on the rest of your system, unless it's really old it'll almost certainly be AGP, but if your processor is less that about 2.6GHz, it really isn't worth spending that much on a Grphics card as it'll spend half it's time just sitting there waiting for the rest of your system.

[superlightr]

its about 2 years old and alienware - I will try and find the paperwork. It was quite a hi-spec machine then.... clearly tech moves on. I will post when at home

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[Plotloss]

Almost certaintly AGP and yes its simple.

Two case screws, one card screw.

Jobs a goodun.

[rsvmilly]

If it is Alienware then they tend to be high spec. You can pretty much say it will be at least AGP. I don't think PCI Express was about then.

[docevi1]

PCI Express came in around October 2004, I know that as I built my AGP system a week before the first boards came out...

[GregE240]

What I WOULD do is make sure your new card is supported by Vista, looking forward.

Dunno about ATI, but NVidia wise anything above an FX5200 almost certainly IS.....

[Plotloss]

GregE240 said:

What I WOULD do is make sure your new card is supported by Vista, looking forward. Dunno about ATI, but NVidia wise anything above an FX5200 almost certainly IS.....

Is there a firm hardware compatability list out there somewhere fella?

[GregE240]

Not that I've found Matt, and I've got access to the Beta suite.....

Certainly to be found on NVidia's website, although finding it ain't easy.....

Put it this way, according to a guy at Microsoft last week, my P4 3GHz 1GB RAM 128Mg FX5200 meets the minimum spec.....just

[Plotloss]

Does it do what XP does on install with that hardware compatability wizard?

[GregE240]

Plotloss said:

Does it do what XP does on install with that hardware compatability wizard?

Certainly does sir.

Even got a whizzy gui thing that says in a nice way "This is why your PC is running like a bag of spanners", which is nice.

Haven't installed a beta yet on a thick PC, just playing around with VMs at the minute....

[superlightr]

so the computer will tell you what the software problem actuall is and fix it itself??

[Plotloss]

superlightr said:

so the computer will tell you what the software problem actuall is and fix it itself??

Nah, its starts the installation and then tells you it cant continue because of certain hardware items.

You can do it pre installation mind you, with a downloadable utility.

[superlightr]

mattley said:

what are the specs on the rest of your system, unless it's really old it'll almost certainly be AGP, but if your processor is less that about 2.6GHz, it really isn't worth spending that much on a Grphics card as it'll spend half it's time just sitting there waiting for the rest of your system.

Hi again

It an AMD 3200+ 2.2mhz, 1gb ram geforce fx5900xt, 128mb, 160gb hard drive.

so it sounds like a new processer as well??

[mattley]

superlightr said:

mattley said: what are the specs on the rest of your system, unless it's really old it'll almost certainly be AGP, but if your processor is less that about 2.6GHz, it really isn't worth spending that much on a Grphics card as it'll spend half it's time just sitting there waiting for the rest of your system. Hi again It an AMD 3200+ 2.2mhz, 1gb ram geforce fx5900xt, 128mb, 160gb hard drive. so it sounds like a new processer as well??

Hmmm, Alienware have always been very good at matching whole systems, and this one is probably maxed out. Great for it's time, but everything has moved on.

If you want to get into the nuts and bolts of you're system if might be worth finding out what the maximum specs of the motherboard are. You might be able to do a bargain upgrade on the CPU and GPU with your existing RAM, and realise a decent increase in performance, but if your MoBo is maxed, it isn't worth it.

I'm an Intel bloke through and through, so I really can't advise further. If you can post the make and model of the motherboard then I'm sure there are some proper AMD types here who can advise you better than I can regarding how far you can push your push you current system.

[superlightr]

thanks for your help. I will try and find the mobo. and post