Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

I know very little about hardware and I was wondering if someone could tell me about what AGP is all about. I have a x4 slot and want to know whether x8s will work in it. Also, what does x4/x8 mean?
If you can help me with this, please could you also tell me a good suitable card that I can get for less than £50. Thank you so much for any help you can give me, as I'm so stupid.

Thanks
Moffat

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Hi guymof,
Nope........... a 8X card will not work in a 4X slot. sorry.. You run the rick of burning out the slot.. your card..or both.
RGPHNX

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Incorrect. An AGP8X card will work fine in an AGP4X slot.

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Ok, thanks for your help, but could anyone else give me an opinion as I have two different views on the matter!
Thanks
guymof

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Well, let's look at the page for ATI's 9600 Pro chipset which utilises the AGP8X bus.
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon96...pro/specs.html

And then the 9800 chipset.
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon98...pro/specs.html

Both happy to run in an AGP4X slot (see requirements - Intel® Pentium® 4, AMD® Athlon® or higher with AGP 8X (0.8v), 4X (1.5V) or Universal AGP 3.0 bus configuration (8X/4X)).

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Ok, thanks, can you recommend me a graphics card which I can get for about £50? I would prefer an Nvidia card.
Thanks for any help
guymof

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

check out www.overclockers.co.uk for a selection of decenty cheap graphics cards.. nvidia or ati..

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

On www.misco.co.uk for around £50 you could get this FX5700LE 128MB.

Is it for gaming? if yes, wouldnt recommend buying a less performing card than a 6600GT 128MB (£97).

In my opinion the Radeon X700 256MB (£68) has best value for performance. I would go for this unless I would find a better deal somewhere else.

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

Thanks Belama, do you think that the x700 would be good enough to run battlefield 2 etc? I don't want to spend too much
Thanks
guymof

Re: Graphics help: AGP x4 and x8 compatibility
 

If you want to have your system capable enough to play the latest and greatest (and upcoming) games I wouldn't settle for less thana 6600GT.

The display card is the most important component for games performance, and skimping on it can only end up with a system which will leave you disappointed. Lesser cards will cetainly RUN the games, but if you find yourself having to cut back on image quality just about from the get-go, then it's a real piss-off! In all seriousness, cutting corners elsewhere inyour life to scrape up the extra quids is something you won't regret, if it's at all possible.