Please help me upgrade! Quick info needed...

Ratbag · 14 Mar 2007 at 22:41

I've got an old NEO2 skt 939 motherboard with a 6800 AGP card. I want to upgrade the motherboard and graphics to PCI-E spec....

My current CPU and RAM should be fine but its the PSU thats causing concern. I have an Antec 380w, from a couple of years ago.

Question is: do PCI-E motherboards and GPU's need additional connectors not present on older PSU's? Will the PSU be up to running a new mobo and 7900GS graphics card?

I can pick up a 7900GS for under £100, is it good value? Much better than the 7600GT?

Whats the best (well, cheapest!) Skt939 SLi ready mobo?. I've found a Foxconn mobo (a subsidiary of leadtek) for 45 quid....

Cheers!

jongeeone · 14 Mar 2007 at 22:48

a 7900GS is better than a 7600GT yea and they do have extra power connectors.

masslac · 14 Mar 2007 at 23:08

Also the 1950PRO is better than the 7900GS.

Tetras · 15 Mar 2007 at 00:15

I've got an old NEO2 skt 939 motherboard with a 6800 AGP card. I want to upgrade the motherboard and graphics to PCI-E spec....

You do realise PCI-E isn't actually noticably faster with current cards and a PCI-E and AGP 6800 GT would perform pretty much identically?

If you went for a 7600 GT I think you'll be dissapointed with the performance increase. I'd also be dubious about buying a socket 939 motherboard when the socket is pretty much dead and an SLI board for a 7600/7900 card when DX10 is already upon us and much faster single cards are already available (and cheaper ones on the way). There is also no chance your going to be able to power two modern graphics card on that PSU and it sounds like you'll need adapters for both the PCI-E graphics cards and motherboard.

Cupra · 15 Mar 2007 at 00:19

Tetras said:
You do realise PCI-E isn't actually noticably faster with current cards and a PCI-E and AGP 6800 GT would perform pretty much identically?

If you went for a 7600 GT I think you'll be dissapointed with the performance increase. I'd also be dubious about buying a socket 939 motherboard when the socket is pretty much dead and an SLI board for a 7600/7900 card when DX10 is already upon us and much faster single cards are already available (and cheaper ones on the way). There is also no chance your going to be able to power two modern graphics card on that PSU and it sounds like you'll need adapters for both the PCI-E graphics cards and motherboard.

its a bummer when ppl tell ya its not a cheap fix innit

Ratbag · 15 Mar 2007 at 18:04

You do realise PCI-E isn't actually noticably faster with current cards and a PCI-E and AGP 6800 GT would perform pretty much identically?

I know they'd perform the same its just that PCI-E cards are massively cheaper than the remaining AGP cards I can find!

I don't want to SLi straight off, I'm thinking down the line I'll be able to deploy another card when I get round to upgrading the PSU.

Basically, I'm skint and I need to upgrade in steps. Any suggestions would be welcome, otherwise I'll have to put the idea on the backburner....

Cheers.