which new agp graphics card ?

[fredthefish]

I am after a new graphics card for my pc but do not now which one to buy my pc is an agp one with only 32mb of memory.
I want the graphics card for playing games like total war i have been looking around at the various card's on offer but do not no which one to get i have about £30 to spend i have been looking on ebay uk as there are plenty of cheap ones on there

 

[SNGX1275]

nvidia 7300GT maybe, it can be found new for $55. If you are going to get used perhaps a 6800XT or something.

 

[raybay]

Lots of good deals on AGP cards these days... nVidia is more popular here, but the ATI cards are very reliable... see www.zipzoomfly.com, www.newegg.com, www.directron.com, www.outpost.com, www.techdepot.com, then get back to us with a couple of models on which you need advice.
There are some excellent reviews on AGP video cards at www.tomshardware.com in the archives.

 

[fredthefish]

I like the look of these cards
GeForce 7800GS £136.00
ebay uk price £94.85
Radeon X1600PRO £91.97
ebay uk price £59.99
GeForce 7600GT £80.52
ebay uk price £40.00
the back of the case for rome tatal war say's you can use these cards
radeon 8500 9000 9500 9600 9700 9800
or geforce 3 and higher so which card should i get?

here are the specs of my current graphics card
Card name: SiS 661FX/GX Mirage Graphics
Manufacturer: SiS
Chip type: SiS 661
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1039&DEV_6330&SUBSYS_0C56105B&REV_00
Display Memory: 32.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Res:
Driver Name: SiSGRV.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.3810 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/25/2007 08:53:38, 3526144 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: sisgrp.sys
Mini VDD Date: 6/25/2007 08:49:08, 321536 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71ED9-2070-11CF-097D-5C2CA1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1039
Device ID: 0x6330
SubSys ID: 0x0C56105B
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_D ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG1_A

 

[SNGX1275]

That 7600GT is a pretty good card.

 

[Killer-Carrot]

If atm you have a 32mb card then my guess is that you also have a weak processor and a small amount of ram. Probably a no-name PSU that doesnt have enough power to power those cards. Also if going for a high-end AGP card your CPU can be a huge bottleneck.
So post your other system details.

 

[fredthefish]

ok here it is
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: AWARD_
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 1248MB RAM
Page File: 478MB used, 1296MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

 

[raybay]

Your processor is fine. I would like to see the definition of a "weak processor". Your memory is adequate at 1 GB. Most power supplies are No Name, and the name means nothing except the seller has money to advertise and market. There are 87 different power supplies that I know of, with "no name," and some such as FSP and Sparkle are sometimes incredible. For sure, you need adequate voltage, and steady delivery under load which can instantly respond to the demands of the video graphics card. You can read excellent reviews on thoroughly tested power supplies at various sites, www.tomshardware.com for one. If you have a stock system such as an HP, you will definitely need a better power supply to handle a good AGP video card above 32 MB.
I second SNGX1275's suggestion of the 7600GT for your configuration.
It appears you have a Foxlighter motherboard, or perhaps an HP machine. The motherboard came out in the fall of 2005, but has been trouble free.
On AGP video cards, you will find them at 512 mb, but you will detect no difference between a 512 and a 256.
If money is an issue, the Sapphire X1650 Pro or X1560 XT can be found for $93 in either the 256 or the 512.
But look for the tested, reviewed performance... which is why the 7600GT is a fine choice, assuming your power supply is decent.
You can also use the power supply calculators such as the http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp for some helpful info.
There is a great deal of helpful info on this forum about power supplies.

 

[fredthefish]

yes my motherboard is a foxconn one its a 661MO3-G with a SIS661FX chipset and hopfully i will will be getting a GeForce 7600gs quite soon

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

You'd most likely need a new PSU, since that PC will most likely have a 300-350W PSU. Confirm this by checking the sticker on it. You could get an X1950PRO if you can afford it, since it's the most powerful AGP card available today. Since you haven't given a budget, that's what I'm suggesting. In any case, get a good-quality PSU from a brand like Fortron FSP, Antec, Thermaltake, Corsair, Enermax and PC Power & Cooling and you'll be fine. Give a specific budget for both items and I'll be able to give better suggestions.

 

[fredthefish]

You'd most likely need a new PSU, since that PC will most likely have a 300-350W PSU. Confirm this by checking the sticker on it.

were would i find this

 

[SNGX1275]

Take the left panel of the case off and look at the box in the top left. Most PSUs have a sticker there with total wattage and amperage ratings on the different voltage rails.

Why'd you switch your mind to the 7600GS? I suggested the 7600GT, or if you want the 7800GS, but the 7600GS isn't as good as the 7600GT and the 7800GS.

 

[fredthefish]

I picked the 7600gs because i found it on ebay uk for under £30
and its described as

Sparkle Geforce 7600GS
Was only used for 1 week due to upgrade. So as good as new!
Comes fully boxed - with driver disks - a great card for someone still stuck with an AGP slot!
Mint condition!

so i could not let it go at that price
and the 7600gt one's are around £50
I will have to ask sombody to take the case apart for me to have a look at the psu unit

 

[raybay]

It is on a label on the power supply, and it is required by law. You may have to remove the power supply to find it, but input, output, model number, and manufacturer or distributor all have to be there. You can then do a Google search by model number and learn additional stuff.

 

[fredthefish]

what type of psu should i get there such a wide choice to pick from
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...ProductList&category_oid=-28017&show_all=true

 

[AlbertLionheart]

better buys on ebuyer - PCWorld is expensive and when you start asking questions about the internal components of a PC most of the staff have no idea what you are talking about. Nothing personal, but its true.
Get an ATX PSU with 450 watts and it will cover you - more money buys voltage stability and silence!

 

[raybay]

From the one you can best afford of those 450watts and higher. However Jeantech is not the best brand available in your country. What you see in that PCWorld posting is marketing, without the benefit of knowledge. Some ladies in the back room with skills in website design were likely scheduled to produce that ad as part of their work day. They didn't have to know a thing about power supplies.
You can see lots of excellent reviews of power supplies at many tech sites. For two, try www.tomshardware.com and www.anandtech.com. The Power supplies they review are available in your country.
Some great power supplies with a low profile are: FSP or FSP Group, Sparkle, Cooler Master. Others are any of the ones built or sold by PCPower and Cooling, Antec, Cooler Master, OCZ.
There are 87 brands out there. Many are made in the same Chinese factory and have a label slapped on at distribution time.
Generally, you can assume that any power supply in the bottom third of the price range is suspect, and should be avoided. There are excellent articles on rails, etc. Wattage is the least reliable of all the specifications. Amperage is a better guide. Just remember, they are all putting out the same power at rest. They must meet each of the five specifications to be legal. Where the difference is felt is in their ability to instantly respond to the needs of the motherboard, cpu, hard drive, and the video graphics card. Fans, sound cards, modems, ethernet cards, optical drives, usb and floppies do not make big demands on the power supply.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Coolermaster eXtreme Power 500W PSU ATX 12V V2.01 120mm Fan 20+4pin - £49.99 Inc. VAT
A good-quality and relatively inexpensive PSU. Perfect for your new card.

 

[raybay]

Yes, I agree. An excellent power supply, stable, powerful enough, and the price is right.

 

[fredthefish]

unfortunatly i got outbid on my 7600gs card so i am going to get a series 6 card which one should i go for?
http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6800.html
http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6600.html
http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6200.html
http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_6200.html

 

[raybay]

The nVidia GeForce 6800GS

I strongly suggest you do not buy your video card at eBay. There are way too many bad/defective video graphics cards floating around. Get something with a warranty you can trust. 15 percent need warranty work. Pay for it in advance.

 

[fredthefish]

those 6800gs cards are hard to find in agp i can only find 3 of them

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300142507314

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Asus-Geforce-...oryZ3762QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gainward-BLIS...oryZ3762QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

The 6800GS is a perfect card and is better than the 7600GT because of it's 256-bit interface. A superb choice IMO. Get the Gainward one.

 

[fredthefish]

The 6800GS is a perfect card and is better than the 7600GT because of it's 256-bit interface. A superb choice IMO. Get the Gainward one.

even though it's discribed as "untested"

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

Where does it say that? I never saw it anywhere on the listing page. =S