Q's re: GPU selection

KaBone

KaBone

Member
I have a Dell Dimension 4600C that already has an nVIDIA GeForce 4 MX 440 64MB card. The computer says it is a AGP 8X card but it's plugged into the PCI bus. I don't think that's possible, but I didn't not look inside the case to be sure. I went to the Dell website for video card upgrades. I was presented with 4 different cards all of which are PCI cards. According to my computer manual, I can upgrade with a PCI or AGP (low profile bracket). I spoke with one of the Dell reps and there is 1 AGP card for my computer. It costs $28 but was sold out. In contrast, the other 4 PCI cards each cost more than $90. Perhaps Dell only recommended available cards and was not trying to fleece me. Thank you for bearing with me so far, I'll get to the point shortly.
I understand that AGP is preferable to PCI and that 256MB is preferable to 128MB and that a recommended card is preferable to just any available option. Unfortunately there is no recommended 256MB AGP card. However I can get 2 out of 3. Which leads me to 3 possible scenarios:
AGP - 128MB - rek'd
AGP - 256MB - option
PCI - 256MB - rek'd
Which one would you choose given only $50 to spend on a card and looking to maximize video performance?

Also, I noticed that an EVGA FX5200 comes in both AGP and PCI. Each card lists identical speed specs. If AGP is better than PCI, how could the 2 speeds be the same?
Which would be better a 256MB PCI or 128MB AGP 8X?
Lastly, between Vision Tek, Asus, EVGA, Jaton, ATI, and PNY, which are the preferred brands?
 
You should open your case and see if you have an AGP slot. It will be the first slot from the top and it will be offset from the rest of the pci slots. The problem with that computer is that I'm almost positive it will only take up to a 128 mb card. I know the 4500 only takes a 128mb card, anything higher and it won't boot. If you have an AGP port you can get any one of these...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...8 1069609639 1419530408 1068309610&name=128MB

I would recommend a different card but since you need low profile, it wouldn't work for you.
 
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3 of Dell recommended PCI cards are 256MB. You don't think that they'd recommend something that wouldn't work? However, the card I'm considering is a 256MB AGP (Asus Radeon HD 3450). Is there any reason to believe that a PCI card would work whereas an AGP would not?

Your recommendation leads me back to one of my original questions,
which is better 256MB PCI or 128MB AGP 8X?
 
PCI is slower. The only thing you can do is buy it and see if it works and return it if it don't.
 
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