Okay I didn't exactly have much room to write my question in the subject header...

Basically I have a
667 mhz p3 w/
384 megs of pc 100 SDRAM and an
Integrated intel 810e graphics card (or "solution" ) which if I remember correctly has 16 megs of video ram.

What I want to do is install a PCI video card (unfortunately my box does not have an AGP port) Perhaps an ATI Radeon All In Wonder 32 meg card.

What I want to know is whether or not I'm making a mistake? Would my PCI graphics Card actually perform worse than the one that came integrated with my mobo? I realize that AGP is the future... But is PCI so limited that an intergrated graphics card may actually perform better than a good quality PCI graphics card?

Thank you in advance anyone who answers this question.




<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by bleudyvil on 06/27/01 12:01 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

I'm not sure about your exact one, but IME the onboard video that came with my computer sucked compared to the PCI Voodoo3-2000/16mb I bought a couple years ago. My Voodoo had 16mb of memory, but I'm sure there are PCI's out there that have that or more, thereby already at least equaling your current onboard video.

AGP *is* where graphics cards are going, since that's what the port's designed for, but PCI is by no means a crippled third-place contendor. If you can only go for PCI, go ahead and do it, you'll probably be very happy. Unless of course you tear out your motherboard and install a new one....

m19

IMO the pci card would outperform your onboard one by a lot. SOME onboard arnt THAT bad, the 810 boards arnt too good though

Next time you wave - use all your fingers

An All-in-Wonder would definitely outperform your integrated video. The only real difference between PCI and AGP (besides the bus speed) is that AGP can use the system memory.

------------------------------
Apple? Macintosh? What are these strange words you speak?

Okay thanks Ya'll the reason why I raised this question was because when I was researching graphics cards I read somewhere that AGP cards (and ostensibly On board graphics cards) are able to access and use system memory.... while pci cards cannot.

Perhaps I should mention that I am a wee of a gamer....
not much Half Life mods, Unreal, perhaps if I have the time and money WWII online and Operation Flashpoint.... *kaff* *kaff*

I intend on getting at the very least a 32 megabyte video/graphics card but I wish to know at 32 megs of video ram... will the PCI cards inablity to access system memory become an issue?

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by bleudyvil on 06/27/01 12:44 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Depends how long you keep the card, know your probably ok, in a year or so you might have problems. But good luck finding a 64MB PCI card.

I AM Canadian.

They MAKE 64 megabyte PCI graphics cards?

Seriously now... they make those?
Didn't know...

Well I plan on buildning a new comp from scratch (with a few recycled parts....) in the near future a year or two... I'm just trying to making my current box as l33t (as they say) as possible before I even consider moving on...

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by bleudyvil on 06/27/01 01:36 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

Installed a Radeon PCI on a Dell 800e (Intel 810 not 810e) for a friend. Now he can play games at 800x600x32 with the Radeon with better framerates than he could at 640x480x24 with onboard graphics. 1024x768x32 was still too slow.

At 800x600x32 the Radeon PCI just about matched my Geforce256 SDR (when not overclocked). At higher res the Radeon PCI was no match. The Radeon PCI scored about 3600 in 3DMark2000 (default benchmark). It did not complete 3DMark2001 with default settings. (I think a driver update is needed and texture compression will help).

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 06/27/01 01:41 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

I'll sell you a Radeon PCI for $70 if you want it. It has TV-out by either S-video or Composite (if your interested in using it). Retail box.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine

I thought you had a Radeon LE you also have a Radeon PCI?

Yes, I also have a GeForce 2 MX, a GTS, around 18 computers for sale right now, 5 cars and a van. You are probably the only one in the forum that doesn't know that I am an assembler/supplier for a local store.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine