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Best AGP card.

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Exsomnis said:
Dunno for Pentium mate, I've not used one since the Pentium 3 650Mhz. But for Socket 754 and Socket 939 Athlons it's much cheaper to simply take the plunge and buy an nForce4 motherboard.

See my previous post for prices. Not only do you get a better, volt-moddable graphics card, you get a better upgrade path for well into Q3+ 2007. ;)
Click to expand...

IC7-Max3 =Socket 478

Not into modding for extra performance. Loads of you Pro-PCI-e guys say it will be cheaper for me to upgrade my whole system. The reason i havn'e considered this is because i have looked into it and its NOT cheaper. Hence the reason i want to stay with the AGP at present.

When i next do an upgrade, probably in about 12 months, i will probably change everthing but at this time i dont see any great reason why. After all, your mobo's will all be "DEAD STANDARDS" by then so why waste the money.
 
Gav said:
How is it cheaper?

I have at present:
P4 3.2
Abit IC7-Max3
2GB PC3200 Cas2 ram
6800GT

So spec me a new processor, mobo, memory and graphics to a similar spec for £350
Click to expand...


Because you can get an pci-e mobo that will support your cpu and ram for around 40 quid.

Then get a 7900 GT for £190

Total cost of upgrade 230 Quid substantially cheaper than spending 300 odd quid on a 7800 agp card.

Plus you have a clear upgrade path too.

If you were to get a Asus P4V800D-X S478, PCI-E / AGP, PCI-E, Lan, 5.1Snd, ATX mobo which can be had for 30 quid you would just transfer your cpu and ram over.
 
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tmileson said:
to what?
Click to expand...


pci-e cards.

His p4 is still a nice cpu so just get a s478 mobo pci-e mobo.And a 7900 GT

Something like:Asus P4V800D-X S478, PCI-E / AGP, PCI-E, Lan, 5.1Snd, ATX mobo which can be had for 30 quid you would just transfer your cpu and ram over.

total cost 220 quid!

cheaper than pouring 300 odd quid on a 7800 agp.

Faster peformance for less and the ablity to upgrade to next gen cards.

Its a win win situation. ;)
 
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Exsomnis said:
Sorry, come again?

Gainward BLISS Geforce 7800GS+ 512MB = £328 including VAT.
Total: £328

Gigabyte GA-K8NE Socket 754 PCI-E Mobo = £46 including VAT.
Gainward BLISS Geforce 7900GT 256MB = £211 including VAT.
Total: £257

Gigabyte GA-K8NE Socket 754 PCI-E Mobo = £46 including VAT.
Sapphire Radeon X1800XT 512MB = £258 including VAT.
Total: £304

Gigabyte GA-K8NE Socket 754 PCI-E Mobo = £46 including VAT.
Sapphire Radeon X1800XT 256MB = £170 including VAT.
Total: £216
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Not really an accurate comparisson you've done there though is it...

Option 3: I'll ignore... as you quote a XT1800 256. It's a 256mb board so not a direct comparisson.

Option 2 is a x1800XT 512mb (sounds good) and the the difference in price is £24!!! You then have to add £24 for the X1800 artic cooler solution the gainward comes with as standard so we're back to same price. Is an XT1800 a direct comparisson or should we be using X1900s?

Option 1 you've used a 256mb board again. the correct option would be the Gainward BLISS Geforce 7900 GT "Goes Like Hell" 512MB which is £328 inc VAT i.e exactly the same as the AGP version (ok, actually it's clocked slightly faster but there's not much in it) plus you then have to add a PCI-e motherboard.

All that and you'll still have to change your motherboard again when you want to change you proc...

Doing the PCI-e option is possible for about the same price (ish) but it's a whole load of extra hassle and I still don't believe it gives you any kind of better upgrade path (unless you want to go for SLi of course)

I'm sorry but I still really can't see any massive advantage to going the PCI- route for that level of card. Of course once the AM2 motherboards, Procs and DX10 cards are available it's a whole different thing.

/shrug
 
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easyrider said:
Because you can get an pci-e mobo that will support your cpu and ram for around 40 quid.

Then get a 7900 GT for £190

Total cost of upgrade 230 Quid substantially cheaper than spending 300 odd quid on a 7800 agp card.

Plus you have a clear upgrade path too.

If you were to get a Asus P4V800D-X S478, PCI-E / AGP, PCI-E, Lan, 5.1Snd, ATX mobo which can be had for 30 quid you would just transfer your cpu and ram over.
Click to expand...

Doesnt have enough sata ports. I need Raid capability and at least another 4 sata ports for slave drives. I also need at least 3 free pci slots for my other stuff (scsi, serial etc)
 
tmileson said:
Doing the PCI-e option is possible for about the same price (ish) but it's a whole load of extra hassle and I still don't believe it gives you any kind of better upgrade path (unless you want to go for SLi of course)

/shrug
Click to expand...


Of course it gives you a better upgrade path.

You can Buy the next gen cards on pci-e!

Rather than be stuck in the quagmire of AGP. ;)
 
Gav said:
Doesnt have enough sata ports. I need Raid capability and at least another 4 sata ports for slave drives. I also need at least 3 free pci slots for my other stuff (scsi, serial etc)
Click to expand...

do a google, there are other sata s478 pci-e mobos with your requirements out there.

You know it makes sense. ;)
 
tmileson said:
I'll ignore option 3 the XT1800 256. It's a 256mb board so not a direct comparisson.
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I stopped reading here, sorry. Read this link and this link in regards to 256MB vs 512MB and call it a day. I've gotten into this debate too many times on this forum, and since I am the only one who posts benchmarks about it, I simply post the links and wash my hands of it now. It's not worth my time anymore.

Any of the three cards I mentioned would kick seven shades out of a 7800GS+, I am very sorry to say it.

Easyrider and I are agreeing about something for once (PCI-E is better value for money.) I think that says it all really.

Have a very nice day.
 
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easyrider said:
Of course it gives you a better upgrade path.

You can Buy the next gen cards on pci-e!

Rather than be stuck in the quagmire of AGP. ;)
Click to expand...
The point being by the time I need a new PCI-e card faster than a 7900GT the current PCI-e boards will be old hat and i'll be wanting one of the new chipset AM2 based motherboards so would be chucking the old S939 motherboard (be it AGP or PCI-e) anyway.
 
tmileson said:
You said spend £500 on an OS and then another £500 later for a card... /shrug...

Maybe I mis understood
Click to expand...

Yup, your gona need a DX10 card for Vista, so how much is a DX10 card gona be, exactly, and by the time there is some DX10 stuff out there, games etc... which are not going to appear overnight and flood out, will take donks, your gona have to spend again for the latest card to run em. :)
 
Gav said:
Doesnt have enough sata ports. I need Raid capability and at least another 4 sata ports for slave drives. I also need at least 3 free pci slots for my other stuff (scsi, serial etc)
Click to expand...


ASUS Motherboard P4gpl-x - Intel 915pl S478 Pci-e 8usb Atx With Audio + Glan + Sata.


does everything you want.
 
tmileson said:
The point being by the time I need a new PCI-e card faster than a 7900GT the current PCI-e boards will be old hat and i'll be wanting one of the new chipset AM2 based motherboards so would be chucking the old S939 motherboard (be it AGP or PCI-e) anyway.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't even be considering buying an AM2 motherboard and DirectX 10 graphics card until Q3 '07 TBH. It'll be a long time before any games come out that give a hoot about them. If you buy them when they come out, they too will be "old hat" by the time you can use them.
 
tmileson said:
The point being by the time I need a new PCI-e card faster than a 7900GT the current PCI-e boards will be old hat and i'll be wanting one of the new chipset AM2 based motherboards so would be chucking the old S939 motherboard (be it AGP or PCI-e) anyway.
Click to expand...


No the point is its cheaper to get a new pci-e mobo and a 7900 GT than it is to get a top AGP card.

AM2 offers no performance gain over s939 either. ;)
 
easyrider said:
No the point is its cheaper to get a new pci-e mobo and a 7900 GT than it is to get a top AGP card.

AM2 offers no performance gain over s939 either. ;)
Click to expand...
No, it's more or less the same and with AGP version you don't have the hassle of swapping out a motherboard...

AM2 itslef doesn't but I would seriously hope the new processors would!!! :D
 
Exsomnis said:
You shouldn't even be considering buying an AM2 motherboard and DirectX 10 graphics card until Q3 '07 TBH. It'll be a long time before any games come out that give a hoot about them. If you buy them when they come out, they too will be "old hat" by the time you can use them.
Click to expand...
Glad you agree... So the point is a current AGP motherboard/Processor/7900GT 512 will suffice until then for more or less the same price as a PCI-e version. PCI-e version gives you no more life or upgrade path. The AGP version just gives people a lot easier upgrade to the same performance.
 
easyrider said:
ASUS Motherboard P4gpl-x - Intel 915pl S478 Pci-e 8usb Atx With Audio + Glan + Sata
like a previously posted does exactly waht you want ;)
Click to expand...

Seen it and ruled it out

Not enough Sata ports. The IC7-max 3 has 2 for a raid setup and a further 4 for slave drives.
 
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