Vid-Card Question in a Spare PC

[some_user86]

Hey guys,

I have asked around a few tech sites, but didn't get a response. I thought that since I hang around here a lot, I might as well ask here. Plus I know that some on this forum have a great background in tech.

I have an old computer that I use for general windows computing and some light (very light) games. The computer is circa 2001, with a nVidia TNT M64 Pro. The other day I saw a great deal from Circuit City for a nVidia GeForce 5200 PCI card for $40. Since I had another computer with onboard graphics, I went ahead and bought two. The question is, before I install this in the computer with the TNT card, would I see any benefit from this card since it is PCI while the other is AGP (though older)?

Thanks.

[TDMVPDPOY]

no point even havin a dual VC setup if you got a crappy cpu and low ram....

one card wouldve been enough for you....

[some_user86]

Well, I wasn't planning on using it as a dual VC setup. I know I am not gonna set the computing performance record with 1.3 Ghz P4 and 640 MB ram, but it's still a plenty functional computer, I think.

I was planning on replacing the AGP card with the PCI card, but was wondering if the PCI bus would choke any performance benefit having a newer card. I needed one card anyways for a computer with a stupid integrated graphics chipset. I can always return the other card as I haven't opened it yet.

I was just wondering if I would see any benefits at all.

[Steve Perry]

Are you using a MAC? I thought I saw you ask the same question in the Mac Rumor forum.

The AGP uses more Memory. Agp now uses 32 bits instead of 16. Pci can only transfer in then out while agp can have in and out at the same time. Textures can be easily saved and used instead of using multiple textures.

[Steve Perry]

If you don't care about loss of memory then the AGP might have a slightly better picture and faster performance. Read what someone else had to say about it.

http://www.si87.com/Products/Videocards/agpvspci/details.html


This person has some good info also.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/PCI-Express-AGP.html

Good Luck! :wakeup

[to21]

PCI-E and PCI use the bus for data transfer. While AGP has a dedicated "channel" to the processor.

In any event PCI-E > AGP > PCI

[dougp]

PCI-E and PCI use the bus for data transfer. While AGP has a dedicated "channel" to the processor.

In any event PCI-E > AGP > PCI
He should look for something along the 9600PRO series card for around $40.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102410

[TDMVPDPOY]

i doubt his mobo has pci-e slots though

[dougp]

I linked an AGP card ... and I believe that to21 was just making a statement.

[Daffy Duck]

would you trade me your extra video card for a 50 pack of DVDR's?

[some_user86]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the posts. Sorry I couldn't respond earlier but I had a hellish couple of weeks in the lab before I go back to college.

Anyhow, I finally decided to just run 3DMark2001 SE on the computer with AGP card and then again with the PCI card (remember, I bought two and had already opened one for a computer with onboard graphics).

Anyways, the results weren't even close. 584 with the TNT Riva versus 3859 with the GeForce 5200. That kind of performance increase is good enough for me for $40. So, I have decided to keep the vid card.

To Steve Perry, yes I am also a Mac (different from MAC) user. I've got a ton of computers in my house, mostly a few years old at least. I don't know many pc-related forums besides the mac forums, because I am not a hardcore gamer and most pc forums seem to focus on this niche. I game lightly in between casual programming and writing term papers.

To Daffy Duck, even if I hadn't kept the vidcard, I probably would have returned it as it was $40 only after rebate. I would lose the $15 rebates if I had kept it and swapped the DVD-R pack with you (my understanding is that the 50 pack of DVD-Rs is about $40-45). Sorry.

[PM5K]

I was going to say the same thing, if you already bought it you might as well bench it rather than ask, but it looks like you beat me to it...