stupid question about PCI, AGP, etc

slotguy · 04-20-2008, 04:21 AM

i'm confused..

PCI slots are usually white
AGP are brown

but my dell has a spot for a card that's black.. AGP cards don't fit, and it's different than the PCI.... so what is it?

i need a new video card.. but since AGP isn't possible, and PCI isn't that great for the most part.. i'd like to use that black one.

so besides AGP and PCI.. what else is there?

WhiteFireDragon · 04-20-2008, 05:07 AM

colors dont matter. different mobos will have different colors. other than AGP and PCI, there is PCI-express in speeds of 1x, 4x, and 16x. all the newer video cards use PCI-e 16x and some expansion cards use PCI-e 1x

voyagerfan99 · 04-20-2008, 05:10 AM

Though how old are we talking? I remember the large black slots in my old Gateway 2000 where like the modem and sound card (of the time) went.

StrangleHold · 04-20-2008, 05:41 AM

PCIe X16

**The_Other_One** · 04-20-2008, 06:04 AM

Yeah, I was about to mention ISA... I know some old Dell's had some proprietary slots in them. But, from what you're saying, it's probably PCI-Express as StrangleHold showed in a pic.

slotguy · 04-21-2008, 12:22 AM

thanks guys.. pretty positive it's the pci-express. i'm going shopping..

elitehacker · 04-21-2008, 03:10 AM

The difference between ISA and PCI-E slots is that the ISA slots are more bulky and bigger, a reflection of older technology. If you look carefully the pins on the PCI-E slot is smaller.

04-20-2008, 04:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
slotguy Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 42	stupid question about PCI, AGP, etc i'm confused.. PCI slots are usually white AGP are brown but my dell has a spot for a card that's black.. AGP cards don't fit, and it's different than the PCI.... so what is it? i need a new video card.. but since AGP isn't possible, and PCI isn't that great for the most part.. i'd like to use that black one. so besides AGP and PCI.. what else is there?

04-20-2008, 05:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
voyagerfan99 Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,037	Though how old are we talking? I remember the large black slots in my old Gateway 2000 where like the modem and sound card (of the time) went. __________________ Drum Major - Windham High School Marching Band Mach Speed MSNV-939 nForce Socket 939 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (OC'd to 2.20 Ghz) Power Up Black ATX Mid-T Case w/450w & Clear Side 3 GB DDR RAM 450 GB Storage (80-ATA, 120-ATA, 250-SATA) Visiontek Radeon x1650 Pro 512MB 22" Viewsonic LCD w/ iPod Dock + 17" Dell CRT Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard Computer Pics

04-20-2008, 05:41 AM	#4 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 7,155	PCIe X16 __________________ The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. George S. Patton, Jr.

04-20-2008, 06:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	Yeah, I was about to mention ISA... I know some old Dell's had some proprietary slots in them. But, from what you're saying, it's probably PCI-Express as StrangleHold showed in a pic. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

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04-20-2008, 05:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
WhiteFireDragon Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 639	colors dont matter. different mobos will have different colors. other than AGP and PCI, there is PCI-express in speeds of 1x, 4x, and 16x. all the newer video cards use PCI-e 16x and some expansion cards use PCI-e 1x

04-21-2008, 12:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
slotguy Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 42	thanks guys.. pretty positive it's the pci-express. i'm going shopping..

04-21-2008, 03:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
elitehacker Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 19 Posts: 2,403	The difference between ISA and PCI-E slots is that the ISA slots are more bulky and bigger, a reflection of older technology. If you look carefully the pins on the PCI-E slot is smaller.

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