Member Avatar for Bhstickman

I'll start with my specs:
AMD Athlon XP 3100+ 2.2 ghz rated at 3.1 ghz
1 gb of PC2700 Ram
ATI Radeon 9200SE

With newer games becoming available on the market, they require better and better computers. My video card is pretty much extinct, as it does not support DX 9, Pixel Shader 2.0, and overall is a very slow card. I would really like to upgrade my computer in order to play newer games such as Oblivion, F.E.A.R., GRAW, etc., however my current video card is a piece of crap. I was considering purchasing the XFX 6800 XT 256 mb ddr3 AGP video card for $146.99 at newegg.com. However, AGP is a dying (if not dead already) format, and I was wondering if I should just upgrade my entire motherboard in order to support PCI Express. I really do not want to spend more than $180 for a new video card and power supply, however I would like a few opinions as to what to do. Should i stick with a 6800 agp card, or should I upgrade to a PCI express motherboard and purchase a 6800 for that. I really only need 2 years out of this upgrade that I should be making soon, as I will most likely purchase a PS3 once the price drops. Whatever the case, I would just like a few opionions and a price range for what i could expect to pay for a new motherboard and video card.
Thanks

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Short answer: for a 1–2 year stopgap on a tight budget, upgrade the video card and the power supply. For a real, future-proof move you’ll need to replace the motherboard — and that usually forces a CPU and RAM change too, which is significantly more expensive than just a GPU swap.

’s Radeon 9200SE is a DX8-era part (no DX9 / PS2.0), so a DX9-capable card is the minimum to run titles like Oblivion or FEAR at playable settings. (techpowerup.com)

If sticking with the current Socket A platform: pick the fastest AGP DX9 card that fits the budget and pair it with a quality 350–400W PSU (the GeForce 6-series class commonly lists ~350W as the recommended minimum). That will get Oblivion-level performance in many cases, but the old Athlon XP CPU will bottleneck in CPU-heavy scenes — Oblivion’s recommended GPUs were in the GeForce 6800 / ATI X800 class. (forums.anandtech.com)

If the goal is to move to PCI Express and “future-proof” the system: PCIe replaced AGP as the graphics standard, but Socket A boards don’t accept current PCIe CPUs — switching to PCIe almost always means a new motherboard plus a compatible CPU and different RAM (AM2/Socket changes around 2006). That raises the total cost well above what a single midrange card + PSU will. (en.wikipedia.org)

Quick checklist (practical): confirm AGP slot voltage/compatibility before buying an AGP card; buy a reputable-brand PSU with a spare Molex/PCIe power connector and good +12V rail; uninstall old video drivers before installing the new card; if choosing the PCIe route, budget for motherboard + CPU + RAM, or consider buying a used newer system instead. For the 1–2 year window and ~$180 constraint mentioned earlier, the GPU+PSU route is the pragmatic choice; for multi-year usefulness, save for a platform upgrade.

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Member Avatar for goldeagle2005

If you can, I'd suggest you get a new board and a PCI-E card. If you're on a budget, see that you get the best card you can afford. That oughta last you for 2 years.

Member Avatar for Bhstickman

Well how much can I expect to pay for a PCI-E motherboard? Ive seen 6800 gt's on newegg.com for like $70, but how much will the motherboard set me back? I will also need to purchase a new power supply for around $30, because I only have a 250w right now.

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