How do I find out what is the highest PCI video card my mobo can handle?

Video cards aren't like CPUs where sysbos can only handle up to a certain speed. First check what AGP multipliers your board supports, most of the boards out today are 4x, but there are a few with up to 6x. If there isn't this revolutionary new discovery in video cards, like a new slot or something, then you won't have a problem with a video card released a couple years from now on a board you have now, only that it won't be running at it's full potential.

My board only has PCI, unfortunately. So there would not be any restriction on the card I buy? I am looking at a Geforce2 64MB. I am not an obcessive gamer, so this card is the best choice for me.


For a place to host your pics, have you tried Picturetrail ?

IRC?

What is IRC?

(ignore my ignorance)

I'd go for a GF3 if I were you, probably not much difference in price, it will also perform better even for the occasional gamer.

IRC(Internet Relay Chat) you need a IRC client to use it, mIRC is a very popular IRC client, just search for it on any search engine or somewhere likie download.com

mirc.com, StormBringer!
I see you haven't been browsing the Site Comments and Suggestions subforum. Right at the top there's 3DSpotlight IRC Channel.
IRC is an internet chat medium, there are servers for you to connect to (like quakenet, StarChat, DALnet...) which all have their own user-created chat rooms where people come to talk to each other. There are instructions in that thread about how to use it. Our channel is on the StarChat line of servers, and is named #3dspotlight. We'd all love to see you in there, of course

The PCI bus is restricted to only the MX line of Geforces. Probably the best one you could get is the Geforce2 MX, the GF4 MX isn't much of a step up from it, as we all know.

GF3 PCI?

I will definately check out the IRC stuff. As for the card I am looking for, I think I can get a decent deal on a gf2mx (approx.$45), so I will probably go with that. Thanks to you all for the help and advice.

Newfie,

I'm pretty happy w/my GF2 MX400. It plays Return to Castle W, Star Trek Bridge Comm, & Jedi KnightII demos real good, for me.

There is the GF4 MX420, but it isn't much better than the GF2.
I recently spoke to PNY & was told to look for a "high performance " PCI vid card w/the next chip release (NV30) around the 4th quarter of this year! :grinthumb

They aren't gonna forget us PCI ppl totally.

HTH,

I missed the part about not having an AGP port, sorry about that

I buy used or beg for a hand-me-down. Anything from a Voodoo2 & up, to the TnT2 & GeForce line would be fine for that old rig. $ave your money for a major upgrade.