Agp?

[spook]

Like G34 I also "need" a new videocard for America's Army and some other games. My question is this. I have a 512MB SDRAM, AMD 1700+ processor on an old motherboard with 2xAGP. Is it wise to buy for instance, an ATI 9600 256MB 8x AGP card with my current 2x AGP motherboard? Will it enhance graphic performance? Or do I really need a new motherboard too?

I'm currently playing with a 32MB ATI Radeon 4x AGP.

Any other suggestions that might help?

[vluc]

new mb's and cpu's are inexpensive, to get the most out you need the best you can afford. Unless your current MB is upgradable...

[JT Johnson]

Spook,

Well you can't take advantage of the 8x option of your card if your mb only supports 2x of course. However, I'm not exactly sure just how much of a performance increase you get out 2x vs 8x, all else being equal. I know the difference on my system between 2x and 4x isn't that much. But I haven't ran a high performance game on my system since Max Payne I was out.

I take it your current MB runs at a 133mhz front side bus speed? If it doesn't by all means replace it.

You could always "borrow" a video card from Best Buy to see what kind of improvement you get from the upgrade and if your game plays decently. Just tell the return person that your motherboard doesn't support 8x!

I've been out the hardware loop for awhile now being more interested in things like SATA, large monitors, and comfortable chairs. I would be about 70 percent confident that a new video card with a clean system without wasted resources should work without a motherboard upgrade. Even if your wrong as vluc says motherboards are cheap.

[spook]

Thanks guys. Problem with a new MB is thta I have one of those small towers from HP. Dunno if just any new MB will fit.

Thanks again. I'll get the 9600256MB