About Video Cards.

[Radek]

So So,

reading the thread, I have concluded that your machine is an archaic one most likely. I mean no offence, So So, but 4 MB video is a real rarity nowadays [img]smile.gif[/img]

First of all, check your motherboard so that you can see what you can plug in into your machine. If I am correct and the machine is old, then you need not have the AGP slot. All contemporary video cards are AGP! Among others, almost all cards with 64 and more MB of video memory are AGP! I am not sure whether you will be able to find some PCI card with 64 or more video memory.

If you do not have the AGP slot then you will need a PCI card. One of the best PCI video is Riva TNT2 Ultra (32 MB video memory, OpenGL). It is fast, reliable and supported by everything but:
- it's only 32 MB, which isn't enoough for contemporary PC games.
- you won't be able to use HW acceleration with W&W. The game will suffer from "greening" if you try.

Notes:

- ISA slots: black, long (16 bit slots) or rather short (8 bit slots).
- PCI slots: always white, not too long.
- AGP slot: only one slot on the motherboard, looks like PCI but it is never white (usually red or brown).
- other slots looking like PCI and not white: do exist but if you have such slots on your motherboard then one of them is AGP for sure [img]smile.gif[/img]

[So So]

Gao.... am totally confused now.

I'm pretty sure my computer is decently archaic. It's a 256 RAM, Intel Celeron Processor. Current Video Card I do believe is a Interl(R) 82815 Graphics Controller. Have no idea if that makes any sense to anyone.

Most of today's games run fine on my computer like Warcraft III and what not. The only problem I have had was trying to install Halo because my computer didn't meet the video card requirements... But basically I just want to keep somewhat up to date with the games these days.

[Bungleau]

Sounds like you may have an on-board video card. For a machine that feels that old, a PCI card is your only option (probably). You can find 64 or 128 MB PCI cards at your local computer store, at least here in the US. You do have to look around, though... there are many more AGP cards than PCI.

In any case, a motherboard with an AGP slot will also work with a PCI vid card... you just have to plug it into a PCI slot.

Don't buy anything less than a 64MB card. And as I think about it, don't buy anything *more* than a 64 MB card. It won't be good for anything beyond this machine.

[Radek]

An AGP video card needs an AGP slot on your motherboard. You cannot put the card into some other slot. Therefore, no AGP slot on the motherboard equals no possibility to use AGP video cards. Period.
As Bungleau has said, most of today video card are AGP. You can be sure that if you enter a shop and say: "I need a video card" then you will be offered only AGP cards.

That's why I have recommended an inspection of your motherboard. Make sure that the motherboard has an AGP slot first and then buy a new video card.
If you find out that you do not have an AGP slot then you will need to specify in the shop that you need a PCI card.

[Bungleau]

SOrry I wasn't too clear, Radek. What I meant to say was that if your MoBo has an AGP slot for video, that MoBo will also accept PCI vid cards... but into a PCI slot (which they all have), and not into the AGP slot. Looking back, it looks like you could misinterpret what I wrote to mean that you could plug a PCI vid card into an AGP slot. That's plain wrong.

There's a whole lot to be said for bringing the PC into the store and saying "I need a new vid card for this machine..."

*yawn* That's what I get at these odd hours...

[Radek]

Oops! I have answered to So So, Bungleau. You were completely clear in your comment [img]smile.gif[/img]

[kev]

My old pc had a similar intel graphics controller. When you put in your new card and install the new driver it may still require you to disable the onboard graphics controller.
If you do have to do this DO NOT disable the display adapter. This will turn off any video display and you will only get a blank screen. The computer will be working fine so you cant do a repair install of windows to fix it, you just wont see what is happening. This has already happened to some fool on this very forum.
Also make sure you only install the latest drivers, they can be found at the manufacturers site on the internet.

[So So]

Hrms.... many thanx to you all.... This cleared up a lot of questions that I had about the whole tech issue with my computer... I really need to start learning about these things...

But I have decided since I'm going to college I might as well just get a new laptop and not worry about my desktop anymore. Out with the old and in with the new.

Though I have to plague you all with another question. What is the difference between all these Pentium 4 and Pentium Centrino and Pentium M???.... Or is getting an AMD processor just better in general?

[ 06-15-2005, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: So So ]

[kev]

I went with AMD. The main reason is the cost factor. I think, for gaming, that AMD gives you more bang for your buck.
Others may disagree.

[Bungleau]

I use AMD in all the machines I've built. These days, there's no difference... other than the money left in your pockets [img]graemlins/twocents.gif[/img]