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Differences fo PCI to AGP

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SantiMun

Member
Joined
May 5, 2004
I unfortunatley have no AGP slot in my Motherboard (the risk you take when you recieve a computer as a gradation gift). I have no choice but to purchase a PCI graphics card. My question is how much do I lose (in terms of bandwidth etc.) by purchasing a PCI graphics card over an AGP graphics card?
 
You will loose alot the bandwidth is limited explacally if you have other cards hooked up to, the other thing is there are not that many PCI cards out there and all of them are slow end cards like a MX440 or ATI 7000.
 
i hate to say it, but i agree. PCI is 133Mbs(i think), and thats not just your video card...thats everything on the SB, i beleive. you'll never get decent bandwidth on a PCI card. you can get decent graphics, i've seen pci cards do pretty sweet things...but the reality is, for the money of that pci card you could get 4X the performance with an AGP one. if i were in your situation, i'd sell that computer, or the mobo, and get one with an AGP slot and a cheap AGP card.
 
yeah, i know someone who had a pci mx 440, it was okay. better graphics tan i had ever seen...but it was competing with my agp1X trident blade...it was actually pretty decent, ran that game...morrowwind? yeah, thats the one...ran it prety well.
 
walmart, bestbuy, staples, any online store...tehy're there. i've seen 9600 pci.
 
Well I all I have are three PCI slots. So the only other thing on it besides my graphics card is the modem. Will my modem take up some of the bandwidth or will that happen only if I'm online? Also, I was thinking about buying a PCI fan card to cool off my graphics card, but I was afraid it would also take up bandwidth. Should I invest in one of those or am I better of with something like a Vantec Iceberg4 PRO?? Thanks for all your advice guys.
 
The slot fan will not take any bandwith because its not connected to the pci bus,only the power supply.

The modem will but not enough to spoil your fun.
 
Good to hear. I wouldn't mind buying a new motherboard but I just want this computer to last through college. Once I'm done with that I'm going to buy a new computer from the ground up. I don't have a PCI fan card but I'm thinking about purchasing one. I already have an iceberg4 PRO, havent used it yet cause I'm waiting for my new 9100 128mb to come in and replace my crappy 9200se 128mb. Will my iceberg4 PRO be enough if I consider overclocking my 9100? Will the PCI fan card help out a lot or will it just be a wast of money and space?
 
The pci fan card will be a waste, and an iceberg will be plenty for the 9100. I can actualy run mine passively with a larger heatsink. Tell us your 3dmarks scores when you get it, I get about 9500 at stock clocks in 3dmark2001se(I have the agp version).
 
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Sure thing. I'm glad I bought the Iceberg then. When I finally get my 9100, how much of that thermal grease stuff do I have to apply on the copper base of my iceberg? Just enough to cover the GPU or the whole damn thing? Should I place just a thin amount with a q-tip or the more the better? I wish the manual had more depth instructions. It just says "apply thermal grease on chipsets."
 
The gpu is a plastic square, just like your 9200. I would apply it onto the gpu itself, not onto the heatsink. Remember, silver based grease can short stuff out, thats why I use ASC.
 
What is ACS?? The iceberg box came with some special "vantec thermal grease". Is that stuff alright? Plus, how much should I put on, I'm afraid if I don't put enough on, the copper heatsink wont absorb the heat and my card will fry up!
 
SantiMun said:
What is ACS?? The iceberg box came with some special "vantec thermal grease". Is that stuff alright? Plus, how much should I put on, I'm afraid if I don't put enough on, the copper heatsink wont absorb the heat and my card will fry up!

Im sure the aftermarket greases and compounds might be a lil better but I used the Stuff that came with my Iceburg and it works just fine.
 
Great, but how much of that stuff should I apply? And will it fit my Radeon 9100? On the back of the Vantec box, it only lists GeforceTi's as compatible cards.
 
Apply it thinly and evenly over the chipset(gpu). Make sure that not much or any will squeeze out when you put the heatsink on, the thinner the better.
 
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