What Graphic Card for AGP.

[buljash_si_ti]

I'am upgrading my brother's computer so i can't decide what vga for AGP to chose, the specs to his computer are:
mobo-asus p4v8x-x
cpu-intel pentium 4 3.0Ghz
ram-2gb Kingston
psu-powmax 500w

 

[blade85]

anything higher than a 7600GT will get bottlenecked by the cpu. soo i guess thats your best bet.

Or a x1650XT.

Does he play a lot of games?

 

[pauldh]

What's his budget and what games does he play. What resolution does he game at?

In general AGP cards rank starting with the best:
X1950XT
GF7950GT
X1950Pro/7900GS
X1650XT/7600GT/7800GS
X1650 pro GDDR3/7600GS
etc.

There are also the ATI X800 and X850 series I left out since they are getting har to find new and don't support SM3.0. Fine cards if you are looking used and don't play one of the few Sm3.0 only games.

Personally, I would pair a P4 3.0GHz with a X1950 pro caliber card you can play at higher resolution and/or with more eye candy.

Price wise the X1650XT is one of the better AGP bargains since you have a 600W PSU. This ice quiet card recommends a 450W PSU with 30amp 12v rail(s).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161064

$40 more gets you a better performing card, although we have heard some talks about stability problems with some of them. I would still buy this card without hesitation. Probably most peoples issues are due to infuffienct PSU, but can't rule out card/heat issues for some people. Just a warning, but again it wouldn't stop me from buying it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161070

Most other X1950 pro's are $200+, same with the 7900GS. The 7600GS and 7800GS are in the $160-170 range, same with the 512MB X1650XT. You have alot of choices, but without knowing the budget and games, it's hard to point you toward any one of them.

 

[pauldh]

anything higher than a 7600GT will get bottlenecked by the cpu

With a P4 3.0GHz and 2GB of ram, I personally feel he is a perfect case for a X1950 pro. Especially if he plays GPU demanding games, has adequate power and can find a cheaper X1950 pro like the $179 I linked to. At that price, he isn't paying much of a premium over a PCI-e version. Then again, he could just play WOW and have a budget of $100.

 

[doolittle]

psu-powmax 500w

Run his system through the PSU calculator if it is over 200w post-upgrade please replace it. It is not worth the risk - it is labeled at double it's max rating.

Powmax Assassin 500W review, jonnyguru[/url]"]* After blowing up a couple of these, it has yet to be determined how the 500W number is derived...

As you can see from the results graph at the top of this page, I only performed two load tests on the power supply. This is because beyond 265W the power supply blew up. I let the magic smoke out.

 

[pauldh]

Ouch, Powmax 500W! I was looking at the 600W in his sig. :roll:

 

[buljash_si_ti]

thanks for the advices, and yeah his psu sucks, but i will give him my psu because I'm getting new Thermaltake psu for the extra 8800gts for my PC.
Tomorow I'm gonna buy him the Sapphire X1950pro, thanks again.

 

[clintwestmetal]

How can people tell when a GPU will get bottlenecked from the CPU? Rather than just randomly guessing.

 

[tenaciousleydead]

when you look at benches youll know. the p4 is old tech.

 

[blade85]

Personally, I would pair a P4 3.0GHz with a X1950 pro

i had my original x1950 pro with a p4, but it was only 2.5 ghz and boy did it get bottlenecked. I barely crossed 6500 in 3dmark05. Then i used the same setup (except mobo) and changed my proc to a e6600...and viola..nice and smooth with 10121 (and yes my gaming was choppy as well with the p4).

so i dunno, unless its HT or something i still think a 3 ghz will bottleneck it. :? :? no?


Unless fast write makes that big a difference. cause my old mobo wouldnt let me use fast write :? :?