PCI-Express

[JoeM]

Hi,

I bought a geForce card not realising there were diferent sizes to PCI-E slots.

Are graphics cards available for x8 PCI-e slots?

 

[Speedo]

You will find 3 types of video cards on the general market: standard PCI, AGP and PCIe x16.

If PCIe x8 ones are made (I doubt it), then you'll probably really have to look to find one.

 

[Zakharov]

The only PCI-E x8 slots I am aware of are on SLI boards. If that is what you have then a PCI-E x16 graphics card will fit into one of the two x8 slots.

 

[Speedo]

The only PCI-E x8 slots I am aware of are on SLI boards. If that is what you have then a PCI-E x16 graphics card will fit into one of the two x8 slots.

No, they are x16 slots. If you are running 2 cards in SLI then each card runs at x8 speed (except for the nForce4 SLI x16 chipset, which can run 2 cards at x16). If you run a single card it will get the full x16.

 

[IglooDame]

Is there any advantage to PCI-Express versus AGP?

 

[JoeM]

Thought so, anyone want to buy a GeForce 6600LE? Will to part exchange!

I guess I'm looking for a cheap PCI card now...

 

[Speedo]

Is there any advantage to PCI-Express versus AGP?

Future-proofing mainly, because from this point on you aren't going to see anymore high end AGP cards made (there were rumors that there would be an AGP version of the x1800XL, but they were false). Essentially all new motherboards will be using PCIe, and therefore lacking AGP in 99% of cases, so it makes sense. The GF6800 and x800 series cards will be the last made for AGP.

PCIe has a much greater bandwidth available than AGP, but current systems don't need that extra bandwidth, so you won't see any real performance difference between PCIe and AGP in otherwise identical cards.

 

[IglooDame]

Future-proofing mainly, because from this point on you aren't going to see anymore high end AGP cards made (there were rumors that there would be an AGP version of the x1800XL, but they were false). Essentially all new motherboards will be using PCIe, and therefore lacking AGP in 99% of cases, so it makes sense. The GF6800 and x800 series cards will be the last made for AGP.

PCIe has a much greater bandwidth available than AGP, but current systems don't need that extra bandwidth, so you won't see any real performance difference between PCIe and AGP in otherwise identical cards.

Great, thank you.

I don't suppose you could recommend a solid AGP card that is a proven quantity for Civ4 and Doom3 under XP Pro (and doesn't melt the inside of the PC at maximum load)?

 

[Lahdoz]

I love my x800 pro. It can play anything at 1024x768 and I play 1280x1024 on most games. Great price as well. I'm not sure if the x850 can be had in AGP. The 6600 and 6800 cards are excellent as well.