Decent AGP card for Dimension 8400

[Charlemagne_3]

I recently acquired a dimension 8400, it has decent specs, with a 3.4ghz cpu and 4 gigs of ram. Im looking for AGP cards to buy cheap, and I came across several for around 10 to 15 dollars. Im mainly looking to upgrade from and X300 card, which sucks, and turn the machine into a moderate gaming machine, capable of running older games on max settigns and newer one on absolute low. I came across, a gefore 6800 gt, as well as the ATI 9800 XT cards. The Nvidia card is looking best, and I dont think Im going to find a better one for the price. Anyone have any suggestions? (Besides the usual dont upgrade an old computer garbage)

 

[Helltech]

Don't upgrade your old computer.

Well regardless the best AGP card is the 4670, the 4650 is a lot cheaper, but it is very overpriced. If you are honestly only looking to spend 10-20 dollars, I'd just say shoot for it. The 6800Gt is a lot better then the 9800XT.

 

[mavroxur]

I wouldn't spend much money upgrading the graphics in an old AGP based system. If you just ABSOLUTELY want to keep it, Helltech hit the nail on the head. Ten to twendy dollars isn't bad for a 6800GT at all. Probably wouldn't go any higher than twenty though. It's not a *fast* card but it'll beat the crap out an x300.

 

[joeblogs]

I agrre with Mavroxur.
Get the 6800GT. I have personally had experiance with this card, and found it handles prety well. Nothing compared to a PCIe card but it should help you with your limited budget, and that you only have an agp slot.
Hope it all works out for you
Cheers, Sam

 

[Embra]

See if you can pick up a used 4670 for cheap. There has got to be a bunch of agp's gathering dust somewhere.

 

[mavroxur]

You can score 7800GS's on eBay cheap sometimes if you look hard. I had a 7800GS a few years ago, and for an AGP card, it was pretty descent. $50 or so for one would be a good price.

 

[delluser1]

The D8400 uses PCI Express graphics cards.

 

[mavroxur]

^ Hahaha, it never even dawned on me. The OP asked for an AGP video card so i just made a recommendation, but you are completely correct. You need a PCI-e video card Charlemagne_3.

 

[Charlemagne_3]

No this computer does not have a PCI-express port, it has an AGP port. And it is without a doubt an 8400. Ive never used an AGP card before. Will AGP 4x or 8x work? The port is probably 8x as it came out with PCI-express on different versions.

 

[TheTrueGamer]

Nvidia 6800GT will serve you better.

 

[mavroxur]

Weird. The Dimension 8400 is basically the retail version of the Optiplex 280. I've never seen an AGP in one of those, unless it's not the original motherboard or something. Dell lists the 8400 as having (1) PCIe x16, (1) PCIe x1, and (3) PCI 32-bit.

 

[delluser1]

No this computer does not have a PCI-express port, it has an AGP port. And it is without a doubt an 8400. Ive never used an AGP card before. Will AGP 4x or 8x work? The port is probably 8x as it came out with PCI-express on different versions.

The 925 chipset that the D8400 MB is based on replaced AGP with PCI-E.
The X300 was never offered in AGP format.
You need a PCI-E graphics card.
You can see the difference here
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thg-graphics-card-buyers-guide,915-23.html

 

[Charlemagne_3]

The 925 chipset that the D8400 MB is based on replaced AGP with PCI-E.
The X300 was never offered in AGP format.
You need a PCI-E graphics card.
You can see the difference here
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thg-graphics-card-buyers-guide,915-23.html

Look, I understand that every source says that the computer with a pci-e slot, but I know what an GP slot looks like. Its brown, ans slighly farther in than thepci slots, ans its certainly not as long as a pci-e slot. Also, the device manager says the card is an x300. maybe its after market idk, but its agp.

 

[delluser1]

^ Umm, OK

 

[mavroxur]

I still think it's not the original motherboard myself, if it has an AGP slot. The fact you say it's an X300 confuses me even more. I wish you luck in your journey.

 

[Charlemagne_3]

I still think it's not the original motherboard myself, if it has an AGP slot. The fact you say it's an X300 confuses me even more. I wish you luck in your journey.

Thanks. Im sorry, but its AGP, and the device manager says the card is an X300. Im jsut repeating what the computer told me.

 

[Charlemagne_3]

Best answer selected by Charlemagne_3.

 

[Guest]

yes i have same D8400 and yes i have same x300 on it right in the brown slot, the only thing u must know is that the card is a PCI-e x16 witch if u look on dxdiag u wont find the card type, try using EVEREST home edition program will tell u everything u need to know, even if u bought a AGP hope u can return it and buy a damn PCI-e . I`m also looking to upgrade my graphic card to a NVIDIA with 1G memory(upgrade from 128) with bus width 256-bit (upgrade from 64) direct X 10.1 (upgrade from v9.0) something like that i recomand