The short answer to that one is no, a PCI card is not comparable to an AGP
card. Someone else will do doubt add a more technical explanation - my
understanding is that AGP, or Accelerated Graphics Port', is the new
standard for running graphics hardware, and that no more hardware is being
developed for PCI based cards.

I was asked recently by a customer to get him a reasonable GFX card, so that
his son could run Grand Theft Auto 3, but because his old HP Pavilion lacked
an AGP slot, it was difficult to find a card for him - most of my suppliers
have stopped handling PCI GFX cards.

I finally found him a card but it wasn't up to much.

Take your mobo back and get one with an AGP slot.  Note that the early AGP
slots were 1x speed, then they went to 2x, then 4x and now the latest are
8x.

8x will obviously cover a lot of future use, but most of the mainstream high
quality GFX cards are
still 4x.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys Inc.
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Hazelton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 9:55 AM
Subject: [PCBUILD] PCI vs. AGP


> This is a question you probably hear a lot. I recently bought a new kit PC
and I unwittlingly got a motherboard without an AGP slot.  A good graphics
card is of significant importance to me ('good' meaning able to handle most
current games).  Is a PCI card comparable to the AGP equivalent?  Or should
I return this one and get an AGP compatible motherboard?  Thanks for the
help.
>
> Tom Hazelton

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