Best AGP (4x) card to sue

[emptyd]

Hey all. I'm looking to pick up a new video card for gaming and am wondering what you all think.

 

I use the same machine for work & for gaming so upgrading the entire machine isn't an option - thus I'm stuck with looking for an AGP (4x) card. No PCI Express for me today

 

I’m currently running an ATI 9800 Pro w/ 256 MB - flashed to a 9800 XT @ XT stock speeds. My machine is a Dell Precision Workstation 530 running two Xeons @ 3.0 GHz – hyperthreaded w/ 400 MHz FSB. I'm kind of disappointed that hl2/css don't take advantage of multiple processors. When I upgraded my machine from 2.0 GHz to 3.0 GHz I saw a big jump in frame rate – telling me that the CPU was the bottle neck, not the GPU.

 

So, what is the fastest AGP card available for my older machine – and will it do any good – or am I already capped out due to processor speed / FSB speed?

[Leveller]

Well with a view to building a whole new system next year, I decided to give my aging AGP rig a bit of a new lease of life a few months ago and picked up a 7800 GS, I've been very, very pleased with it, noticed a big difference between it and my old 6800GT.

From what I've read it's the "last and best" AGP Nvidia card.

[Preacher]

Pretty much the best agp card on the market is the ATI x1600pro 512mb card. It has some slower clock ratings from the manufacturing but the large amount of pipelines and the new pixal shader technology makes it a best buy.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814131430

Edited August 25, 2006 by Preacher

[emptyd]

Any thoughts on how the ATI x1600pro & the nVidia 7800 gx compare performance wise?

 

I've been kind of souered on ATI cards but the 7800 is twice the cost of the x1600.

Edited August 25, 2006 by emptyd

[Cujo]

7800gs or x850xt would be the best buy but i wouldn't bother. your system is quite old and it's really becoming impossible to recommend upgrading to a new agp card. if you do upgrade though i'll make you an offer on the 9800pro.

 

preach, an x1600pro loses badly to a 7800gs, x850xt and even a 6800gt/ultra.

 

if you decide to upgrade don't go with x1600pro as you won't notice a large enough performance jump and you'll end up disappointed.

Edited August 25, 2006 by Cujo

[Z3RO]

im rolling a x800 xt aiw with it runs 500/1000 acording to new egg and it oc quitnicley. to bad my crapy socket a processor bottle necks every thing. im not even going to upgrade it any more until i can get a pcie system in its place. it sucks but ur best bet is to get a new system. but seeing as thts not a option id go with one of the ati cards and wouldnt spend to much money so the one preacher put up sounds like ur best bet. cus the aiw i have is like 300.

[emptyd]

Thanks for the insights. Sounds like the advice boils down to two points:

 

1. Don,t blow too much money 'cause I'm not gonna get too much performance gain.

2. Make sure the card I pick will actually outperform my current 9800pro/xt

 

Thanks again...

[mrX]

To the OP: I'd sue ATI or Nvidia. Either of them has deep pockets.

[emptyd]

To the OP: I'd sue ATI or Nvidia. Either of them has deep pockets.

 

 

Mi misstace - hav two chek thoze keystorks mre carfulee!