AGP or PCI?

[Blax Payne]

How do I know if I will need a AGP Card or a PCI Card...which one is the most common?

[Martoch]

Welcome to TechIMO!!!


Need the card for what?
What are your computer specs?
What will you be using your computer for?

Not sure what you're asking for exactly...can ya give us a little more info?

Thanks...

Mike

[Blax Payne]

Gotcha...alright, I was best buy the other day...and i was gonna pick up a GeForce FX 5200...but the guy was all like...there are 2 kinds...FX 5200 AGP or FX5200 PCI...well, so then he said that i would have to know if I had either AGP slots or PCI slots...and now I dont know how to find out which I have, think you can help? My specs are:

2.4 Gig Pentium 4
111 Gig Hard drive
256 Ram
Win XP
GeForce4 MX420

[Blax Payne]

ohhh, and i'm mostly be gaming with the card

You're gonna have to either open the case up and look or know what mobo you have. Is this a branded PC?

Not that you asked, but I wouldn't get the FX5200 regardless of wether it's AGP or PCI.

[Martoch]

You most likely have the AGP version...AGP is the standard for computers today, especially gaming rigs. Is your system a Dell/Gateway type deal or is it custom built?
If it is a pre-built system, what is the make/model?
If it is custom built, what type of motherboard does it have?

[Blax Payne]

Yea, I heard that the 5200 is pretty sucky...why is that? And I have a dell

[Martoch]

Originally posted by Blax Payne
And I have a dell

A Dell what? Come on, you're getting there...

[DanGrease]

Well, if you have an AGP slot in your computer then you should go for an AGP video card, because they are cheaper nowadays comparing to PCI (since doing PCI video cards is more difficult) and also because they perform better. Stay away from Nvidia FX series, they are crap, at least IMO.

By the way Welcome to TechIMO!
dan

[woodbutcher]

If you have a Dell you will have to take a look at the manuals to see if you have an AGP slot available. Dell is known to NOT include an AGP slot on some of there newer systems.
If nothing else you are going to have to pull the cover off to see if you have an AGP slot. It will look like this, (down at the bottom of the linked page).

WB