So Pci E X16 is twice as fast as the current agp 8x

[D@nny]

Ok, if that is the reason why people perfer PCI why doesn't the people that make agp cards make an agp x16. I mean intel isn't going to stop making mobos because the amds are cheaper and more powerful. Why are they not going to make agp cards anymore I never got this and when was this announced. Why can't they make better agp cards like pci is doing? And right now is their really a big diffrence in performance between PCI x16 and agp cards. Besides the cost

 

[DonNagual]

It's all a matter of bandwidth. PCIe slots have more bandwidth than AGP slots. In otherwords, the slot allows information to be passed at a higher speed between the graphics card and the other parts of your computer.

But in reality, most cards don't even use the full bandwidth provided by AGP. This is why a PCIe card and an AGP card don't really perform all that differently. A PCIe version of the 6600GT (for example) and the AGP 6600GT perform about the same. The card doesn't use the full potential of the AGP slot (i.e., it is not in any way limited by the lower bandwidth of the AGP slot), and it doesn't come close to using the full bandwidth of the PCIe slot.

But PCIe is the way of the future. Since it does allow for higher bandwidth, the card makers are focusing new technology on PCIe. To be honest, I haven't done the research, but it is possible that the newest cards (X1900XT for example) may even require a bandwidth that AGP can't provide.

 

[notcorn]

As well as increased bandwidth Pci Express is also capable of supplying more power to cards reducing the need for an auxiliary power supply. AGP can supply 25 Watts at most but Pci express can deliver up to 75.

 

[Rik]

If i remember correctly, agp bandwidth is 66mhz and pci-e is 1.4ghz.

Pci-e also uses less tracks on the mobo and therefore manufacturing costs will be lower, and hopefully the prices will go down for us.

On a pci-e promo vid it also said that there is a lower component count so that cards should become cheaper, but it was probably hype.