geekhack
geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: roadblock2thesun on Sun, 10 October 2010, 21:35:16
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I have a pc that I use to run netflix on my tv. My video card fried itself the other day with a thermal exception. The processor itself is not fast enough to render video effectively. So I have two options
(1) Replace the video card. But it is AGP, so when I decide to upgrade the mobo/processor, I cant take the video card
(2) Replace the whole shebang.. new motherboard, processor, ram, etc...
Money is tight so I am thinking about replacing just the graphics card, but I have a problem spending the money on a dead end... Wanted to get your opinions... any and all are welcome
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pick up a used one on ebay for like 30 bucks
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If you've been using it for ages and that's all you use it for, then go with AGP.
If you want to do more with the machine and you're happy to wait and save the money, then go with overhaul.
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I'd say that if the system otherwise still meets your needs, then by all means go ahead and replace the graphics card.
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buy a used agp. try to find one without a cooling fan so there is no humming from the fan.
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Get one cheap and then when you have money, upgrade...
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I won an AGP card (XFX 6800 Ultra) in a competition and built a new system around it. Now that was a tough decision. (It was a few years ago though.) I'm still using it for my non-gaming stuff, it's nice and quiet and reliable. And it can do games, just not as well as my new system.
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I have an old '65 Mustang, and it threw a rod. Should I replace the engine or just get a new car?
(true story)
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I have an old '65 Mustang, and it threw a rod. Should I replace the engine or just get a new car?
(true story)
No agp motherboard is a mustang, more like a gremlin. If a gremlin threw a rod it'd be totaled. I'd say it's time for an upgrade. There are too many games and apps that just won't let you play if you have an agp video card. That is a 6 series and below nvidia card usually.
You could probably put together a cheap system that would be more modern, and use your hard drive, memory, case, power supply, and cd-rom, and whatever other accessories you have, if not your processor with something like a 4coredual-sata2 Asrock board. It wouldn't be that much better than what just died as far as specs, but at least it would give you a pci-e slot and sata ports you can buy parts to upgrade to later to a more modern system. That'd save you some money at least. I love 4coredual-sata2 boards cause they're great stepper up motherboards. You can use your old memory and drive with this board till you get some more modern parts. As 775 c2d's and even quads come down in price you can get a pretty nice machine cheap. You can even get another cheap agp card to plug into it for a while, but at least you'd have the basis for a system to upgrade to newer parts. You could put together a 775 system that would bring you if not completely up to date, at least on the tail end of the curve for probably less than $100 assuming most of your older parts are compatible with the case and power supply and such.
Motherboard $30
http://cgi.ebay.com/ASRock-4CoreDual-VSTA-Socket-775-Motherboard-w-AGP-8x-/220679377292?pt=Motherboards&hash=item336184118c
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ASRock-4CoreDual-VSTA-Socket-775-Motherboard-w-AGP-8x-/220679377292?pt=Motherboards&hash=item336184118c)
Socket 775 p4. $14
http://cgi.ebay.com/INTEL-PENTIUM-4-CPU-2-8GHz-1M-800-SL7KJ-Socket-775-P4-/380272401846?pt=CPUs&hash=item588a005db6 (http://cgi.ebay.com/INTEL-PENTIUM-4-CPU-2-8GHz-1M-800-SL7KJ-Socket-775-P4-/380272401846?pt=CPUs&hash=item588a005db6)
7600gt would let you play most games. $35
http://cgi.ebay.com/BFG-GeForce-7600GT-256MB-DDR3-PCI-e-Video-Card-Mint-/290480234233?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item43a1f89ef9 (http://cgi.ebay.com/BFG-GeForce-7600GT-256MB-DDR3-PCI-e-Video-Card-Mint-/290480234233?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item43a1f89ef9)
You'd just need to get a cheap hs then.
Of course if it's just a net/email pc then just replace the card with any old agp that's less than $30 that's obviously the cheapest way and least amount of work.
Here's a 7600gt agp card, but they're more expensive actually. The lowest one is around $60.
http://cgi.ebay.com/XFX-GeForce-7600-GT-AGP-8x-Video-Card-/120631718241?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item1c1635f161 (http://cgi.ebay.com/XFX-GeForce-7600-GT-AGP-8x-Video-Card-/120631718241?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item1c1635f161)
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The best AGP cards remaining are the ATI 3850, 4650, and 4670. Might want to look at those, if your gonna stick to AGP. Despite both series having their pros and cons in their AGP format.
If your gonna be gaming at higher res and or more modern games you will definitely feel the strain of AGP. Even though most video cards hardly saturate even PCIe 1.0 limits, PCIe is still miles ahead of AGP but if you don't have a need to upgrade doesn't hurt to wait. There's some interesting new equipment coming out in the next few months and in 2011.
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I'm surprised a certain person hasn't suggested using a PCI graphics card. It is certainly an option if you have a spare slot and just want the machine up and running.
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Wow - haven't seen a pci gpu in a looong time.
BUT the question isn't as easy as yes or no - it all depends on what you want to get for what your budget limits are and whether that will meet your needs. What are you looking to spend to get that functionality? If the rest of the setup is appropriate for what you need then pick up a used AGP card for 50-100 bucks and don't sweat it. Depending on brand and model you can definitely get something that can hold its own for a bit . I saw a Sapphire HD3850 AGP go for $55 last week.
I myself have put together a "legacy rig" (as it was deemed on OCN when I asked about AGP cards for the ASUS p4p800edlx). I want to go high-end if I do the new tech so I can do what I did with the Vaio for the last decade and replace bits as they need upgrading; that only works if you start with a bit of head room, so rather than spend $350-400 on low end new and always feel one step behind, I spent it on peak EOL stuff (which will serve the same purpose but keep me from chasing the tech every year with a whole new low end setup. And I can feel like I'm at the TOP of old generation - heheh)
Right now the 1.7Ghz P4 Vaio with 512MB RAM can handle everything I do with it but it can't take the video HD Revolution so I got a spiffy new midtower and some pretty UV lights and then scrounged ebay for the ASUS board, 4GB of OCZ Platinum, 3.2 GHz Northie (and a 3.2 Pressie also), 750 watt PSU and an HIS HD 3850 with IceQ3 and a brand new 640GB WD BLUE Sata HDD from Amazon which should all serve me very well until I can afford to do the next iteration the way I want to even though I likely won't need to.
So, yes, AGP has no future really, but the question is do you need it to have one? I would suggest doing this: Compare what you will get from what you would spend (min and max) on an AGP card to what you would spend (min and max) and what you would get from a new setup and see if the ratio pays off better one way or the other. That will give you a better idea of where the best value is for what you need and want.
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What AGP card was originally used to begin with?
If it's a GeForce 6 Series or so, then I can't offer anything that would be an upgrade.
If it's older than that...I've got an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB sitting around, boxed-up and unused. The system I was intending to use it with got a 6800 Ultra instead. Perhaps you'd be interested? (I don't know if it's R350 or R360, though.)