OT: PCI vs. AGP graphics card--any advice?

[vbm95u2]

My computer motherboard came with a built-in AGP graphics card. It's a Savage Pro (or something like that) that uses system memory (I can set it to use anywhere from 4-32 megs of system memory). I also have an NVIDIA Geforce 2 PCI card with 32 Megs of Ram. Here's my question: Which card will give me better performance on my computer games? Someone told me that PCI cards have a slower bus than AGP cards. Is this true? I have 256 megs of Ram in my system. If I were to use the AGP card at 32 megs how would this effect my system performance? One final question: if/when I upgrade my video card to a 128 meg card the only way I can do so is to install a PCI video card (I can't find an AGP slot on the motherboard). Would a 128 meg PCI card be preferable to my 32 meg AGP card?

Hope you all can help me out of my computer illiteracy.

vbm95u2

[Easy Mac]

I'd say go with the PCI, especially when you get the 128 mb card, then you can free up the memory for regular use. DId the PCI automatically override the integrated AGP, b/c I am going to have to do this, but I read some computers make you manually scour the computer for a way to turn of the integrated AGP.

[vbm95u2]

It depends on how your system bios is set up, or so I'm told. I spent two days trying to get my PCI card back to work when I accidentally changed my bios to boot up using the AGP card. There is an option in my bios where I can set whether VGA boots up with AGP or PCI. There is also an onboard VGA video buffer option where you can set the amount of memory given the AGP card (4, 8, 16, 32 megs of RAM). If you set that to 0 then this effectively disables the AGP card, or at least it appears to have done so for me.

I did try to run a few of my programs using the AGP card. I noticed a slight improvement of performance on one of my video-intensive games. However, Medal of Honor (which I think runs using Open GL) had all sorts of video difficulties with the S3 savage card. I've been looking on the net and it appears that some of the older S3 cards have some compatibility issues with Open GL. So I intend to stick with the PCI card.

I have an AGP card and a similar PCI card both running very similar machines. I can definitely tell the difference between the two machines when it comes time for running graphically intense games. Hands down the AGP is the better way to go although neither card is built into the motherboard so I am not sure how much of a difference that will make.

(1) 32meg AGP card = (1) 64+meg PCI card

This is according to my own experience and is not meant as factual information so take it FWIW.

[Easy Mac]

so your saying my 8 mb integrated AGP card could easily be replaced by a new PCI card?

[BFleming]

Just a quick side note, not sure if HP is any better now then they used to be, but i remember trying to upgrade the video card on an HP Pavilion maybe a year and a half ago, after spending $30 for live tech support (they ask for a cc number before you speak to anyone), they tech told me there was no bios option, nor any jumper on the motherboard to disable onboard graphics...so basically it cost me $30 for a 5 minute conversation telling me I'm stuck...what great customer service

[MizzouRah]

Originally posted by BFleming
Just a quick side note, not sure if HP is any better now then they used to be, but i remember trying to upgrade the video card on an HP Pavilion maybe a year and a half ago, after spending $30 for live tech support (they ask for a cc number before you speak to anyone), they tech told me there was no bios option, nor any jumper on the motherboard to disable onboard graphics...so basically it cost me $30 for a 5 minute conversation telling me I'm stuck...what great customer service

I had an HP Pavillion and after some playing around got my GeForce 400mx AGP card to work just fine. Go to hp.com and look up your pc or check the discussion boards. My particular model a 6470z had jumper settings. I think they put the most uninformed people to work the pay lines.


Todd

[sabotai]

AGP is much faster than PCI. This is why you can't even get PCI versions of the newer graphics cards.

[Tasan]

Yeah, good luck finding a 128 meg PCI card anymore. They are very difficult to find.

[Bonegavel]

Just for what it is worth, never buy a system with video onboard. I would even go as far to add the same thought to onboard audio, but it all depends on your priorities. The only onboard option i would ever consider is ethernet.

What you can do is test both setups with a frame-rate test using QuakeII or III. This will show you which will work better for games.

[Tasan]

Well, onboard audio has actually gotten real good lately. Check the Soyo Dragon Ultra, its got real nice 6 channel audio. But video is another thing. It usually has to share system memory and is a couple of generations behind the good stuff you buy seperate. NVidia is making motherboards now, but they only put a Geforce 2 MX on their all-in-one boards, and thats getting a little old now.

[Bonegavel]

Onboard video is never a good option, unless you use your system exclusively for email or other video-lite apps.

I understand your opinion about the audio, but onboard anything means that if you want to upgrade (or have to because the onboard chip craps-out) it is much easier to simply swap a card than to go through the rigamorole of disabling the darned thing in the bios and then installing a card. Your average user will have a hard enough time installing a new card let alone trying to figure out how to get into the bios and not screw up the machine by fumbling around in there.

FWIW, some machines make it a bitch to get into system setup and for an inexperienced user this can be more frustrating that having an onboard feature break in the first place. You have to love when the key command to get in flashes by at light speed. And every manufacturer uses a different key combo to get in, with DEL being the most common.