On 23 Jan 2005 14:45:31 -0800, "(E-Mail Removed)"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I have a two year old Dell 8200, basically has the i850(not sure if it
>is an E or not) chipset on it, with a 82801A south bridge.
>
>I really don't follow much in the hardware world anymore so I get to
>ask dumb questions.
>
>I was hoping to increase the graphic power of this box, it currently
>has an older AGP 4x card in it.
>
>Can this motherboard support AGP 8x? I really don't know much about
>AGP. It just looks like all the cards out there on the market now are
>8x cards. Can you run 8x cards at 4x?
>
>What, on the motherboard now days has the AGP controller on it? Is it
>the main chipset(i.e. my i850) I know I can't change that, just more
>interested. Been many a year since I actually read up on everything and
>felt I knew alot about them(i.e. Socket 7 days was the last thing I new
>alot about
Take a look here:
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/mature/ - PDF
available if you want it... and here for more current chipsets:
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/linecard.htm. Neither the 850 or 850E
show AGP 8X support but....
I doubt the 8x is going to make much difference over 4x for most graphics
apps anyway. What will make a difference is a more modern graphics card
with a more powerful GPU with possibly more on-board memory; AFAIK based on
the backwards compatibility of AGP 8x/4x and statements at video card mfrs'
sites, any 8x card should work in a 4x system so you just have to decide
how much to spend and how far up the curve you want to go. For mid-range,
the nVidia 6600GT looks good to me and is available in AGP 8x(4x) form;
lower down the scale, AGP 6600(non-GT) cards have just started showing up
in retail. Obviously, be careful not to buy a PCI Express version.
Personally I've got my eye on a XFX 6600GT/128MB, which has dual DVI (plus
two included AGP adaptors) and has just been reduced in price from $225. to
$205. at NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...150-080&depa=0
--
Rgds, George Macdonald
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