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Thread ID: 48959	2004-09-06 07:23:00	Please, Please, Please HELP!	starplayer7 (6129)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
269702	2004-09-07 01:36:00	Oh ok... thanks for that. I have given up on the AGP card now, it seems like I will have to wait to a get a whole new pc. Now... for the PCI card then... I looked through those web pages on Pricespy.co.nz and I found this: *Excalibur Radeon 9200SE 128MB DDR* VC00152 $ 161.92 PCI TV-out TwinHead That and: *Gainward Geforce FX-5200 PCI* VC00170 $ 187.42 Gainward Geforce FX-5200 PCI 64MB DDR, VGA+DVI-I+S-Video Out and finally: *Auriga GeForce FX 5200* 64MB DDR PCI, TV-out $ 181.20 Which do you guys think would be the best for me...? Thanks everyone.	starplayer7 (6129)
269703	2004-09-07 01:58:00	The cheapest. *Excalibur Radeon 9200SE 128MB DDR* VC00152 $ 161.92 PCI TV-out TwinHead Be-awere that HP comps normally have no manual way to disable the onboard video,and instead reliy on detecting the new card is a video card and then the theory is the onboard "steps-down" from the role.	metla (154)
269704	2004-09-07 02:17:00	It all seems a bit risky. So how much faster do you think this card will make my games run??? Agp is better right???... are PCI cards considered less powerful/ more older? It doesn't have the feature of AGP 8x Texture acceleration does it? Will this make it worse than an AGP card? Thanks	starplayer7 (6129)
269705	2004-09-07 02:23:00	> It all seems a bit risky. > > So how much faster do you think this card will make > my games run??? > > Agp is better right???... are PCI cards considered > less powerful/ more older? > > It doesn't have the feature of AGP 8x Texture > acceleration does it? Will this make it worse than an > AGP card? > > Thanks Why dont you do some research for yourself on the internet. A simple google search should bring up heaps of reviews for PCI video cards. They all preform much the same due to the PCI bus limiting bandwidth. Its going to preform far worse than AGP, theres a reason we have AGP. We have AGP because PCI isnt capable of providing the required bandwidth for todays modern video cards. PCI video cards are a heap of ****, but anythings better than your onboard video. With the detail settings youve been using in Halo you should notice a huge increase in preformance, but it will still run like **** and look nowhere near as good as it could. I dont know how you can run Halo with such settings, i get pissed off when i cant run games with atleast 2xAA let alone 640x480.	Pete O'Neil (250)
269706	2004-09-07 02:44:00	Thanks . . . I'll do that . When your desperate you will do anything . . . beggers can't be choosers . lol Thanks for all your help . Just one last thing . . . since I have an ONBOARD video card that isn't PCi or AGP, do I basically have nothing, am I trying to run a 3d game with basically NO video card . And how come in my Video BIOS settings I can choose either PCI or ONBOARD . . . . . WHY would this be an option if I don't have a PCI card??? (There is no option for AGP even though that is not there either, same as PCI) DO I have a card I don't know about!!! Hmmmmm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thanks again .	starplayer7 (6129)
269707	2004-09-07 02:54:00	In most cases the onboard video uses the AGP bus. The chip itself is just intergrated into the chipset.	Pete O'Neil (250)
269708	2004-09-07 03:48:00	>>And how come in my Video BIOS settings I can choose either PCI or ONBOARD..... WHY would this be an option if I don't have a PCI card??? Consider yourself fortunate your bios has this option,it at least means you should have no issue getting the comp to use the pci card once you install one. Computers are not created equal im afraid,it pays to actually ask if the comp your intending to purchase can run the software your intending to use. Although i have seen department store salesmen answer that query with an affirmative,insistent that Intel Xtreme 3d Graphics chipset is a multimedia powerhouse. Should have bought a comp from a computer store rather then a fridge salesman.	metla (154)
269709	2004-09-07 04:06:00	>Just one last thing . . . since I have an ONBOARD video card that isn't PCi or AGP, do I basically have nothing, am I trying to run a 3d game with basically NO video card . You don't have a card but you do have a video chipset . >And how come in my Video BIOS settings I can choose either PCI or ONBOARD . . . . . WHY would this be an option if I don't have a PCI card??? Many motherboards, particularly those designed for mass market/budget PCs which is what you've got, come with onboard video, which as mentioned above is basically the video chip hardwired onto the motherboard rather than being part of a separate video card . This makes the PC cheaper, since the vendor is not paying for a separate card and the on-board video costs them very little . The downside, as also been pointed out here, is that such on-board video is always designed for basic tasks only - using standard Windows apps . It is never up to the task of running modern games, even if it does support 3D . Most half-decent motherboards that come with on-board video will come with an empty AGP slot, so that when you're ready you can get a decent card to drop in there to upgrade your graphics . To do so you must first disable the on-board graphics by going into the BIOS and doing so . Your motherboard doesn't have an AGP slot, as you now know . But the BIOS setting you are seeing is doing the same function for PCI . If you put a PCI video card in there you'll need to swap from on-board video to PCI video in BIOS . Frankly, however, I'd say you are much much much much better off saving up for a new PC than investing in a PCI graphics card . Given the PC you've got, the novelty of better graphics you get with a PCI card is likely to wear off as soon as you try to play another demanding game . You could spec up a fairly budget PC that a true gaming geek would laugh at and it would still be better than what you're trying to play with now . If you want to play games, cut your losses now and plan to move to a better PC .	Biggles (121)
269710	2004-09-07 04:27:00	>Although i have seen department store salesmen answer that query with an affirmative,insistent that Intel Xtreme 3d Graphics chipset is a multimedia powerhouse. >Should have bought a comp from a computer store rather then a fridge salesman. Metla's absolutely right on this too. Department store salesmen (rule of thumb, I know there wil be exceptions) usually know diddly about the PCs they sell. You're far better off buying from someone who at least specialises in computer gear. That's no guarantee you won't get bad service/advice, but your chances of getting good advice are exponentially higher than if you buy from a departement store ...	Biggles (121)
269711	2004-09-07 06:49:00	Thanks for all that info guys . I know what you mean about the apartment store salesman's thing . . . they tell you either what you want or just make it up . I know that a brand new PC with an AGP slot and everything would be the best solution, but . . . I don't have the money . So now I have to decide weither to buy a PCI video card (I know now from the BIOS setting that I can change it), or just leave it and avoid those games . I know that buying an average PCI card won't give me the cleanest and crispest graphics, but will it make games like Generals and other high draining games work at an acceptable rate, on the lowest settings with the lowest screen resolution . Because I don't care if it looks quite crappy, as long as it goes the right speed and doesn't lag . ( And of course I can see what is happening on the screen) . On the lowest possible settings,( considering I can already make this work with Halo, with even the crappy ONBOARD thingy I have now, at a resonable standard), do you think it will improve the standard and make Generals and other games work faster and smoother??? AT an acceptable and normal SPEED rate? (Do I need a new Chipset if I got a ATI Radeon PCI card???)	starplayer7 (6129)
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