AGP, PCI, PCI express?

chris8105 · 11-04-2006, 06:03 AM

I am going to get a video card, but I have no idea if I have the AGP or PCI slots. Can someone explain to me how I can tell the difference? http://www.emachines.com/support/pro...es&model=T3882 That is the link to the computer I have now if that helps any. Thanks

jjsevdt · 11-04-2006, 06:12 AM

according to the website you provided it's using integrated video processing which uses your systems memory and processor. Now and days it's very uncommon for a mother board not to have AGP.

You're not currently using the slot right now, but I'd be suprised if you didn't have at least that. Which, if you open your computer should be the brown connector above the PCI slots which are positioned towards the rear of the computer to allow access to the rear by connected cards.

PCI express (PCI-E) is relative new and for the higher end of computing. BAsed upon the specifications of your computer I highly doubt it has a PCI-E slot.

PC eye · 11-04-2006, 06:30 AM

If you look at the rear of the case where the small slots are located you would see the vga plug going to an expansion card there if one was installed. The link there shows that the system uses onboard video by default. The user guide that comes with the system can also be looked over at http://downloads.emachines.com/userg..._HW_ref_en.pdf

You would have to go with a PCI model there since every reference points to the "integrated" onboard video. No information is available on how many pci slots or other information seems to be available.

fade2green514 · 11-04-2006, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjsevdt

Now and days it's very uncommon for a mother board not to have AGP.

then my comp is uncommon lol... i dont have an AGP slot.
AGP is phased out by video card companies, but they are still designing motherboards with AGP... so basically in a year or two all AGP cards wont play video games on highest settings...

basically they wont be able to handle DX10 graphics well at all...

chris8105 · 11-04-2006, 06:51 AM

OK, looks like I will be going with PCI. Now which middle of the road video card would I want to go with. I wouldnt want to bottleneck my computer, not that I know what that means. The only thing different on it than the factory specs is that it has 512 ram.

**Cromewell** · 11-04-2006, 07:59 AM

The hardware guide has a visible AGP slot in PDF page 178 but mentions nothing about it, only PCI.

11-04-2006, 06:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
chris8105 Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 34	AGP, PCI, PCI express? I am going to get a video card, but I have no idea if I have the AGP or PCI slots. Can someone explain to me how I can tell the difference? http://www.emachines.com/support/pro...es&model=T3882 That is the link to the computer I have now if that helps any. Thanks

11-04-2006, 06:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
jjsevdt Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: San Antonio, TX Age: 25 Posts: 1,087	according to the website you provided it's using integrated video processing which uses your systems memory and processor. Now and days it's very uncommon for a mother board not to have AGP. You're not currently using the slot right now, but I'd be suprised if you didn't have at least that. Which, if you open your computer should be the brown connector above the PCI slots which are positioned towards the rear of the computer to allow access to the rear by connected cards. PCI express (PCI-E) is relative new and for the higher end of computing. BAsed upon the specifications of your computer I highly doubt it has a PCI-E slot. __________________ C2D E6420 @ 2.13GHz on AsRock Penryn1600SLI-110dB 4GB DDR2 800 1 - 750GB \| 1 - 120GB \| 1 - 60GB HDD PNY nVidia 9600GT Vista Ultimate 64bit All Powered by: RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 530W PSU PSN: JjSeVdT Steam: JjSeVdT

11-04-2006, 07:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 25 Posts: 10,425	The hardware guide has a visible AGP slot in PDF page 178 but mentions nothing about it, only PCI. __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here. www.userfriendly.org

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11-04-2006, 06:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,483	If you look at the rear of the case where the small slots are located you would see the vga plug going to an expansion card there if one was installed. The link there shows that the system uses onboard video by default. The user guide that comes with the system can also be looked over at http://downloads.emachines.com/userg..._HW_ref_en.pdf You would have to go with a PCI model there since every reference points to the "integrated" onboard video. No information is available on how many pci slots or other information seems to be available.

11-04-2006, 06:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
chris8105 Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 34	OK, looks like I will be going with PCI. Now which middle of the road video card would I want to go with. I wouldnt want to bottleneck my computer, not that I know what that means. The only thing different on it than the factory specs is that it has 512 ram.