64bit/128bit difference

"Lior Bobrov" <a@bcd.com> wrote in message
news:uSVSI4L2GHA.2196@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> 1. PowerColor Radeon 9600PRO EZ , 256MB , 128bit bus interface , AGP
> 4x / 8x
>
> 2. Pine XFX GeForce 6200 , 256MB , 64bit bus interface , AGP 8x
>
> First , can I use the 2nd card (with AGP 8x) , even though my motherboard
> supports only max. of AGP 4x ?

Not sure, but probably.

> Second , should I feel any difference in Windows Vista applications (or
> Vista environment itself) , if I buy 64bit card or 128bit ? (I am not
> playing games.)

Performance could go either way, its not that important. Personally I'd go
for the Radeon, ATI's Vista drivers are much further along than nVidia's
(I've had to revert to the XP drivers on my GeForce 5200).

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove 'nospam.' to reply by e-mail*

"Lior Bobrov" wrote:

> Hi ,
>
> I want to buy one of the following Graphic cards :
>
> 1. PowerColor Radeon 9600PRO EZ , 256MB , 128bit bus interface , AGP
> 4x / 8x
>
> 2. Pine XFX GeForce 6200 , 256MB , 64bit bus interface , AGP 8x
>
> First , can I use the 2nd card (with AGP 8x) , even though my motherboard
> supports only max. of AGP 4x ?
>
> Second , should I feel any difference in Windows Vista applications (or
> Vista environment itself) , if I buy 64bit card or 128bit ? (I am not
> playing games.)
>
> Thanks in advance ,
> Lior .
>
>
> Just to second the above reply, I too have had to use the XP drivers for my NVIDIA 5200 (GeForce GO). Along with that, I've had other issues to as far as display goes. I use a ThinkPad G41, and the 'Presentation Director' (which allows me to switch video modes, and use a projector/external monitor, among other things), doesn't work - I get a missing OEMDSPIF.DLL error.
At home, I have the ATI x1900 running - and on Vista Ultimate, it is
completely smooth-sailing with the provided ATI drivers for Vista.

Hi ,

I want to buy one of the following Graphic cards :

1. PowerColor Radeon 9600PRO EZ , 256MB , 128bit bus interface , AGP
4x / 8x

2. Pine XFX GeForce 6200 , 256MB , 64bit bus interface , AGP 8x

First , can I use the 2nd card (with AGP 8x) , even though my motherboard
supports only max. of AGP 4x ?

Second , should I feel any difference in Windows Vista applications (or
Vista environment itself) , if I buy 64bit card or 128bit ? (I am not
playing games.)

Thanks in advance ,
Lior .

"Lior Bobrov" <a@bcd.com> wrote in message
news:uSVSI4L2GHA.2196@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Hi ,
>
> I want to buy one of the following Graphic cards :
>
> 1. PowerColor Radeon 9600PRO EZ , 256MB , 128bit bus interface , AGP
> 4x / 8x
>
> 2. Pine XFX GeForce 6200 , 256MB , 64bit bus interface , AGP 8x
>
> First , can I use the 2nd card (with AGP 8x) , even though my motherboard
> supports only max. of AGP 4x ?
>
> Second , should I feel any difference in Windows Vista applications (or
> Vista environment itself) , if I buy 64bit card or 128bit ? (I am not
> playing games.)
>
> Thanks in advance ,
> Lior .
>
>


You can use the AGP 8x card in a 4x slot, it will simply run at 4x.

You may see a slight difference in performance since Vista is making use of
DirectX for the Aero desktop. (Shaders, and such) and the more data the
card can push per tick, usually, the better the performance when running
DirectX applications (Aero is a DX application).

However, since it's not really pushing the number of pixels for the desktop
that it does for a game it may be unperceivable, the difference.

Mic

Even tho others have said you can use an 8x in a 4x slot. It may not be
that simple, there have been three major updates to the AGP interface
not to mention the original slot.

AGP 1.0 supported speeds 1x and 2x
AGP 2.0 supported speeds 2x and 4x
AGP 3.0 supported speeds 4x and 8x
AGP PRO supported speeds 4x and 8x with additional power connection

As you can see with the shortened list, there are actually three
different possibilities for your AGP slot. If I was in your shoes I
would check with the mother board manufacture or hardware vendor to see
what revision of AGP you have on the board before deciding.

As far as memory bits, yes you can see a huge difference. Doubling up
the bits on the memory interface my nVidia 6600 to an 6800 card, I saw a
huge jump in load times with AERO enabled.

-Luke

A little trivia about AGP: AGP 3.0 white papers indicate that you can
put two AGP 8x slots to work in conjunction with each other on the same
mother board (predecessor to current SLI on PCI-E).


Lior Bobrov wrote:
> Hi ,
>
> I want to buy one of the following Graphic cards :
>
> 1. PowerColor Radeon 9600PRO EZ , 256MB , 128bit bus interface , AGP
> 4x / 8x
>
> 2. Pine XFX GeForce 6200 , 256MB , 64bit bus interface , AGP 8x
>
> First , can I use the 2nd card (with AGP 8x) , even though my motherboard
> supports only max. of AGP 4x ?
>
> Second , should I feel any difference in Windows Vista applications (or
> Vista environment itself) , if I buy 64bit card or 128bit ? (I am not
> playing games.)
>
> Thanks in advance ,
> Lior .
>
>