Upgrading my Nvidia FX 5500 AGP

[Halloween]

Hello, I just bought Prey the game a few days ago and I installed it and went into the game and then the tears shed. It was horrible the graphics sucked I could'nt move and it made it impossible to play even with everything turned off and the lowest resolution selected. I have a Apollo Geforce FX 5500 AGP, 512 RAM, and a Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHZ not HT. My motherboard is at this link http://www.giga-byte.com/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=1769&ModelName=GA-8I848P-G I need a AGP card that will play Prey on max settings and for around 100 to 130 greens.

Thanks,

Cody

[werty316]

Well the FX 5500 is very, very old video card and you can't play new games with old hardware. Its always good to read a game's requirements ;)

The 6600GT is your only bet for $100-130 but even with a 6600GT I doubt you will be able to play it with max settings.

[Kougar]

Sorry to say you are asking for the impossible, Halloween. The most powerful AGP cards left would be the x850XT PE or the nVidia 7800GS, however neither will probably get you to max settings at a 1280by1024 resolution. And even if they could, your only bet for finding one of these cards that cheap would be used or as a refurb from some place, if even at all. You're going to have to get a PCIe capable system one way or another if that is your goal, sorry. :(

[werty316]

I guess users don't realize PC aren't the same as consoles. With PCs you need to do some upgrades to play newer games with max detail unlike consoles where you buy it once and thats it.

[Halloween]

I was thinking of the ATI x1600 Pro heres the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131430

And I really dont need max settings but high enough so it looks good and I would probly play at 1024x768.

[Kougar]

I was thinking of the ATI x1600 Pro heres the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131430

And I really dont need max settings but high enough so it looks good and I would probly play at 1024x768.

The card you have there is okay, but you will be borderline at 1024by768 with some eye candy going. Please read this review... and keep in mind the x1600 card you are thinking of buying would be doing well to be matching the 6600GT's scores. http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=29 (http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=29)

Here's a better review of the exact specific card you linked to: http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=903 (http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=903) Really the 512mb of RAM is a waste to pay for, as the card cannot make use of it. ;)

After a little more digging... if you can't wait until you are able to upgrade to a PCIe rig, then a AGP 7600GS might be the card for you. You can find them for less than the price of a AGP x1600Pro. 7600GS Review (http://sg.vr-zone.com/?i=3694&s=1)

[Halloween]

In that review it showed the 6800 being better what card was that and would the 6800 be better then the 7600gs?

[Kougar]

The 7600GT is better than a 6800GT, however those were with PCIe cards. The AGP versions would only run slower...

The point it moot though because you can no longer buy a 6800GT or 6800GS for the AGP platform unless you pay $215 minimum. At that point you would be better off buying a PCIe motherboard and getting a 7600GT for more performance. You will not find one cheaper than this http://labs.anandtech.com/alllinks.php?pfilter=4418 (http://labs.anandtech.com/alllinks.php?pfilter=4418)

[Halloween]

How about http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150157 is that better then the 7600gs?

[GIBSON]

How about http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150157 is that better then the 7600gs?
I'm not 100% sure but I don't think it is.

[Kougar]

The 6800XT is a strange card... according to the very rare reviews I have seen on it (here's one (http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/286/1/)) it performs between a 6600GT and a vanilla 6800 roughly, but can OC.

The 7600GS has more hardware under the hood and will also OC if you are into that sort of thing.... the 7600GS should easily beat a 6800XT. ;)

[werty316]

I read around that you can unlock the exta pipes and vertex shaders but if you are not into that sort of thing the 7600GS>6800XT.

[Halloween]

Well thanks so much for your guys help I really appreciate it. Do any of you have a good link to buy the 7600GS for a low price.


Thanks

[werty316]

Where do you live?

[Halloween]

I would prefer buying it from the web.

Edit: Do you have MSN messenger?

[werty316]

If you are in Canada NCIX.com is great. Newegg.com is good if you live in the US.

[Halloween]

I live in the USA but cougar said I can get it less for the x1600 witch was 135$ USD.

[werty316]

7600GS
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/DeepSearch.hmx?scriteria=7600gs&ALL=y&TP=8
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?DEPA=0&type=&Description=7600gs&Submit=ENE&Ntk=all&N=0&minPrice=&maxPrice=&Go.x=0&Go.y=0

[Halloween]

Nvidia 7600GS AGP

[werty316]

I can't seem to find any cheap 7600GS AGP under $135. $140 is the cheapest I could really find for AGP.

[Kougar]

Here's one for $146 shipped, but after a $20 MIR http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130036 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130036)

Infact, here is one for $140 shipped with no rebates needed. Specs are the same but you lose the lifetime warranty http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=327703 (http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=327703)

[ToXic_WaSTe]

I was thinking of the ATI x1600 Pro heres the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131430

And I really dont need max settings but high enough so it looks good and I would probly play at 1024x768.

Hey, dont know if it too late but, I made some benchmarks where i ran my Raedon 9800 pro vs. a x1600 pro AGP i just won. And as far as i can see its better to use the money to upgrade to PCI-E sometime... If you have the money for new rig:P

But here are the tests i made

3dmark03
9800 pro = 5868
X1600 pro = 6484

3dmark05 (GPU only)
9800 pro = 2789
X1600 pro = 3779

3dmark06
9800 pro = 761 ( no sm 3)
X1600 pro = 1717

Just a quick comparison, hope it helps. I would go with saving up for a new rig, but thas just me :mrgreen:

[Halloween]

Well see I really don't have any money right now so my max would probly be around 120ish and I dont have money to upgrade at this point.

[ToXic_WaSTe]

Well see I really don't have any money right now so my max would probly be around 120ish and I dont have money to upgrade at this point.

Then go with the 6600, its a good card. But after that start saving up;-) AGP is too old by now. I was actually suprised to see the x1600 running so slow compared to a 3 year old GPU. Of course there are the new features the card carries, but no real prformance boost. :(

[Kougar]

Toxic, the graphics card he has is outgunned by a 9800 anything. Heck, even my old 9600XT is a few paces ahead of it, and my 9600XT is soundly beaten by a 9800Pro.

Halloween, if you can't do $140 shipped for that MSI 7600GS, then in my personal opinion, it is not worth buying anything cheaper and you should instead start saving for a new PCIe rig.

A 6600GT will give you some performance, but really the 7600GS goes much farther for your dollar... The choice is always yours though ;) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814108148 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814108148)

[ToXic_WaSTe]

Halloween, if you can't do $140 shipped for that MSI 7600GS, then in my personal opinion, it is not worth buying anything cheaper and you should instead start saving for a new PCIe rig.

Agree :wink:

The normal life span of a computer is 3 years without major upgrades. And it sounds as though your rig is slowly turning into soil :roll:

Keep the money and start saving up.
or choose a lesser video card, but dont count on running PREY or COD2 at 1280x1024 even without eye candy

[Halloween]

Toxic said go with the 6600 is that a good card and will it run most games on high to med settings on 1024x768?

[ToXic_WaSTe]

Toxic said go with the 6600 is that a good card and will it run most games on high to med settings on 1024x768?

The 6600 is a good card compared to the rest of the AGP cards out there in the same price range. The price is right if you dont have a lot of money, but if you want to play everything med to high i dont think it can cut it. But that depends on which games you want to play... I dont think it can handle PREY at Med to High... :(

Or you could go with the 6800 but its all up to how much you want to pay.

My x1600 is running 40FPS in NFS most wanted driving 240 mps with 2x AA and car reflections on, Where i think my raedon 9800 pulls 30 with 2xAA and no reflections. This is all 1280x1024, havnt checked out COD2 with the x1600 but my 9800 cant run it, maybe at 640x 420 it can. Ill try to find COD2 but I dont think i can :D My desk is more messy then scott's ;-)

[Halloween]

What about the Radeon X800 XL AGP

[Kougar]

I already linked to the "6600GT". It will not perform as well as the 7600GS, and is comparable to the x1600Pro in performance terms. It wins some benchmarks and loses in others to it. Do not expect any "high" settings on any new game with any sort of AGP card...

Edit: A x800 XL will outperform a 6600GT, although not by a huge margin. If you search Bjorn3D you will find reviews with both of these graphics cards, along with many others. ;)

[Halloween]

Well what about some ATI cards Ill I heard was Nvida in this topic.

[werty316]

Toxic maybe its wise not to throw video cards in the mix since he won't get high detail with the 6600GT.

Maybe you are better off saving and doing a full upgrade. Any AGP card in not gonna last very long even at 1024x768.

[ToXic_WaSTe]

Toxic maybe its wise not to throw video cards in the mix since he won't get high detail with the 6600GT.


Just telling him how much of a prformance boost i get with the x1600 compared to a 9800, and i know the 6600 doesnt get him far, but if that is his budget then thats the card he should buy.


Maybe you are better off saving and doing a full upgrade. Any AGP card in not gonna last very long even at 1024x768.

So instead of just confirming what we have already said while dissing me, how about just agreeing with me... Or havnt you read all the posts in this thread yet :twisted:

[werty316]

If you buys a $100-150 video card he will be surprised on how much performance will still be slow.

To get performance you have to spend a decent amount of money.

[darkorb]

from a fx5500 to a 6600gt is a big jump.

[werty316]

from a fx5500 to a 6600gt is a big jump.
It is a alright jump but that jump won't last long.

Prey and a 6600GT 1024x768, High Quality
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6154118/p-4.html

[GIBSON]

It is a alright jump but that jump won't last long.

Prey and a 6600GT 1024x768, High Quality
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6154118/p-4.html
And if i'm not mistaken that's even a PCI-e version, the AGP one will be a tad slower

[ToXic_WaSTe]

It is a alright jump but that jump won't last long.

If he wants something that lasts he'll need to upgrade to PCI-e.
Otherwise the 6600 is a good AGP card.

What other Hardware do you have in your rig?

[Halloween]

Socket 478 Pentium 4 2.4GHz 512 ram(dont know what kind it is) 40 gig hard drive. It works for now plays all my games except Prey.

[werty316]

New games these days rely heavily on a fast graphics card so you know.

[Tubifo]

Great information

[Assassin]

Go with the agp xt. It will beat the 7600gs because it has the nv40 core. This means it really has 16 pp and however many vs. They are just masked by nvidia, they were too lazy to cut the pps and such for it so really its a 6800gt core :mrgreen: . You can use riva tuner to easily unlock and oc that beast. It will run circles around the 7600 :grin:

[Halloween]

What to you mean the xt agp the XFX 6800XT? Here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150157

[Gray]

[quote]I guess users don't realize PC aren't the same as consoles. With PCs you need to do some upgrades to play newer games with max detail unlike consoles where you buy it once and thats it.[quote]

ya you gotta pay to play.

But I will never go back to consoles. Like when I was a kid. PC gaming is where it's @! :)

[Xero (1)ne]

you can actually stretch the life of hardware quite a bit
look wuht i have, and i get it a little better everyday
true, overclocking can only go so far, but thats wuht insane cooling is for :D
also tweaked drivers help out a lot too:wink:

[werty316]

If you want max detail at high resolutions then buying new hardware is required. Trust me when I say this that when play games at 1280x1024, any resolution lower than that is unbearable.