On a Budget

[slickshoez]

Hi there, just finished up my first PC build. I realized my first mistake was buying a motherboard without a pci-e slot, so now I'm stuck with AGP untill further notice. I'm looking for something that will give me the best performance for online gaming, and im looking at the RADEON X1600 PRO 512 mb, but I havn't looked at much else. Also, how much performance am I losing by not having pci-e? Any help is much appreciated.

 

[PC eye]

The main difference between an AGP and a PCI-Express type card is the 16x/8x support over the old 8x/4x. That improves 3D rendering as well as seeing faster vpu processing. For an AGP card at this time you can find good deals on 256mb ATI models that will meet your basic needs until you decide to upgrade the board there. Then you have to buy another card! Solution spend on new board while deciding on the X1600 Pro or other model. Why spend on an AGP when Socket 939 board with PCI-E are falling in price?

 

[Iluvpenguins]

Doesn't the XT come in an agp version?

 

[PC eye]

The cards like the X1600XT Pro and others are AGP models. For a look over of a good number of AGP models at newegg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...305520549+106790809&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48

Those at the link there are the higher end AGP models down to some of the mid range cards. The model mentioned earlier wasn't intended as a specific but reference number for PCI-E models in the newer line of Radeon models.