New graphics card with AGP 4X?

[c23charles]

I've looked everywhere, but can't find any benchmarks for newer graphics cards running AGP 4X. I'm curious where diminishing returns will be experienced. I'm looking at FX5600, FX5900, 9800pro, and 9600pro. Here's my deck right now:

AMD 1800+ XP :lol:
Gigabyte 7VRXP (KT333) AGP 4X
512M PC2100 RAM
64M MX440

Any help as well as news about PCI xpress would be great...

[Jim]

Welcome to the BE c23charles :welcome:
Interesting thought, I guess a suite of benchies with the bios at 4X and 8X would be the place to start. :)
I'll try and get a quick comparison up tonight.

[Jim]

OK, ran a few benchies at 8X and 4X :)

System Configuration
Abit AN7 nForce2 Ultar400
AMD Mobile XP2500 CPU
Thermalright SP97 Heatsink
Thermaltake 90MM TT-9025A-2B Fan
BFG FX5900 Video Card @ 470/980
Western Digital 36GB Raptor on Sata 1
2X256 OCZ 3700 Gold v1
Enermax EG465P-VE 431 watt PSU
Windows XP Pro SP1
Nvidia Forceware Drivers Version: 56.72
Benchmark settings as follows:
12.5 X 200 = 2505MHz CPU
DDR set 3:3 for 400MHz speed @ 2.95 volts
Cas Latency 2.0
Precharge 2.0
Ras to cas 3.0
Active Delay 11.0


AGP 8X

3DMark 2001 = 17306
AquaMark = 43883
Commanche 4 = 57.67
GunMetal = 32.33
X2 The Threat = 107.37

AGP 4X


3DMark 2001 = 17127
AquaMark = 43831
Commanche 4 = 57.57
GunMetal = 32.15
X2 The Threat = 106.52

Definately a negligable difference. You'd probably see a better increase from the new motherboard chipset that supports AGP 8X.

[c23charles]

Well, I certainly didn't expect results like that. So, the bottom line is, I should get most of the performance out of most video cards out right now, even though I'm running a 4X board. Perhaps the 5950 would show more of a difference, but I'm not spending that kind of money here.

Here's the bottom line thusfar:

ATI 9800pro for $200 (just went on sale today), or
nVd FX5900se for $220.

I have heard that AMD works better with nVidia, but I know several people that have tricked-out AMD boards, with ATI cards and their graphics are killer. Since most hardware benchmarks look better with the 5900, I'm leaning towards that one.

Thanks for the quick benchies, Jimmy !!

[c23charles]

Well, I just bought my very first really nice video card: ATI 9800pro!! I decided to go with the 9800pro because I have already owned an nVidia card and wanted to test drive the competition!!

I am please with it so far. It was easy to install, and the renders nicely my new game Splinter Cell Pandora tomorrow, and Halo. I have a feeling NWN takes a bit of mainboard processor power, since the zoomed out wandering around with lots of creatures was still a little choppy (especially considering I still have a 1800+ in here). My 512M of PC2100 RAM probably isn't helping that either...

For the first time, when I turn VSYNC OFF in HALO, I'm noticing a strange horizontal line that travels throught the screen really quickly, every 15 seconds or so... It's barely perceivable, but there nonetheless. Maybe someone here knows what that might be caused by? Halo looks so SWEET in DirectX 9. I can't believe my eyes, and with nice frame rates now, it's super cool!! Best upgrade I've ever done...

The techie at CompUSA said I could put to an AMD 3500+ in my board (KT333 chipset). Is that true? The gigabyte website says no higher than a 2600+ I think!! I wouldn't even know how to set the switches for that... If that's true, then can I put better than PC2700 memory in there as well? Should I update my BIOS (Qflash, etc.) considering my board is a 1.5 years old?

Any comments are great. Thanks again, Jimmy.

[Ghost_one]

What 3dmark03 score do you have c23charles????

[c23charles]

I don't have 3D mark... and I'm away from my computer until June 13th. Is 3Dmark free?

[Sir_Killalot]

For the first time, when I turn VSYNC OFF in HALO, I'm noticing a strange horizontal line that travels throught the screen really quickly, every 15 seconds or so... It's barely perceivable, but there nonetheless. Maybe someone here knows what that might be caused by? Halo looks so SWEET in DirectX 9. I can't believe my eyes, and with nice frame rates now, it's super cool!! Best upgrade I've ever done...


That's because now your fps have gone higher than your monitors refresh rate ;) . Therefor, the card will have rendered a new frame and uploads it to the monitor buffer while the monitor isn't done refreshing yet. You'll see 2 frame at once, sort of. Raise the monitors refresh rate if it's below 75-85Hz and turn Vsync back on when gaming, when benchmarking turn it off, otherwise no matter how fast the card is, it won't go higher than your refresh rate.

3DMark is available as a free download, but will have certain tests disabled (like the image quality tests in 3DMark2001, dunno about 3DMark2003)