AGP and PCI E

Joes2Silly · Post by **Joes2Silly** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:02 pm

what exactly is the difference between a video card that is PCI-E and one that is AGP? How can you tell the difference between their sockets?

Post by **Skyone** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:22 pm

The Orange slot is AGP x4/x8 and the one next to it, (beigeish/whiteish) is the PCI Express x16. PCI Express x1 is a small slot, that no graphics cards (that I know) use. Anyways, PCI graphics cards go slower than PCI-Express and AGP, but there has been controversy on whether AGP or PCI-E is better. Try Googleing it.

sam · Post by **sam** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:36 pm

I have a AGP card, it works great, but I think they are phasing agp out sooner or later.

Post by **Skyone** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:41 pm

Ya, it's definitely getting weaker.

cowsgoquack101 · Post by **cowsgoquack101** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:53 pm

PCI-E: Used for SLI graphics boards, higher end components.
APG: Older technology, but faster than PCI, most older cards today use them.

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:31 pm

to clarify even more, PCIE is not the same as PCI. it stands for "PCI Express", and is the fist update to the format that expansion cards use in many, many years.

PCI was too slow for graphics cards, so AGP was invented to allow a faster communication with the motherbard for graphics cards only. PCIE is designed as a multifunction interface, much like PCI is, where you can plug in sound cards, modems, etc. etc. It comes in different speeds(1x - 16x), much like AGP(1x-8x), except, interestingly enough, you can tell what speed it is by the size of the slot. the faster it is, the longer the slot is.

PCIE slots are set back about 5mm more than a normal PCI slot, this is a good way to tell the difference if you have both on your motherboard. they are also thinner, and appear 'upside down'. they are usually located farthest from the edge of the board, where the AGP slot has been traditionally located.

Graphics cards are being developed for PCIE because at 16x, it is faster than AGP, and as we all know, faster is better. Keep in mind that AGP 8x is actually faster than some of the slower PCIE speeds (not sure exactly which ones)

i should also mention that ATM, there is very little preformace diffference between the two, there are other bottlenecks in systems that affect speed. most newer cards, however, only come in PCIE versions, which means that PCIE cards are usually better.

and if you didnt buy your comptuer in 2005/2006, you dont have a PCIE slot. and if its a dell, you just dont.

Post by **Skyone** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:37 pm

timmeh87 wrote:and if its a dell, you just dont.

*snickers*

Stoopid dell.

Extreme_Jesus · Post by **Extreme_Jesus** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:56 pm

i dispise my dell machine...

Its like its got a mind of its own, it spazzes out and sulks occasionally

When you give it too much to do, or it gets bored it goes BSOD on you wiht Bugcode_USB_Driver

Good thing i have a custom AMD 64 rig upstairs....that doesnt have the internet....

Its an officially pointless machine, funded by parentals to be a "gaming machine" so i wouldnt clog up the family one with games, but they refuse to give me internet acces in my room so i hardly ever use it other than as a glorified stereo

Post by **gannon** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:09 pm

/me got a nice 256MB Radeon X700 Pro PCIEx16 card about a month ago...still need about $70 to get a pc that can use it though