Upgrading an AGP card

[aquietwhyme]

Hi all,

I have an old computer that I am hoping to upgrade as much as I can with $70. It's

MB - MSI KT4AV MS-6712
CPU -AMD Athlon XP 2600+ Socket A (462)
RAM - 512MB PC2700 Kingston
HDD - 3x IDE HDD at 7200 RPM
A 300w PSU
ATI Radeon 9000 (RV250) 64MB AGP card

I was thinking of getting 2GB worth of PC2700 RAM to add to the 512 that's already there, and getting a better video card... but I'm pretty lost when it comes to video cards.

Can anybody recommend an AGP video card that would be appropriate given my old system (with it's 300w PSU) and that would be in the ~$30-$40 range?

If so, that'd be greatly appreciated, because I'm lost looking for AGP cards, hah. Thank you.

 

[corroded]

I am assuming it is an XP or Linux box...

Adding RAM will be the best boost, then a better Video, if possible.

 

[4745454b]

Wow, socket A huh?

I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but you really need ram, GPU, and a new PSU as well. The funny thing is although you don't want to buy a new PSU its the only thing that will carry over to a new system. (Meaning its the one thing you should buy.) If your total budget is $70 then you'll have to buy used. I'd highly suggest buying a native AGP card. This means up to an ATI/AMD x8xx or Nvidia 6x00. All the AGP cards after those are really PCIe cards with a bridge chip so they work in AGP slots. Due to the age of your machine it might not handle the bridge chip well.

I have an old x800XT PE laying around if your interested. PM me for details. Might have some ram to.

 

[aquietwhyme]

I am assuming it is an XP or Linux box...

Adding RAM will be the best boost, then a better Video, if possible.

Oh yes, I suppose I should have put the OS there too. It's XP.

 

[aquietwhyme]

Wow, socket A huh?

I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but you really need ram, GPU, and a new PSU as well. The funny thing is although you don't want to buy a new PSU its the only thing that will carry over to a new system. (Meaning its the one thing you should buy.) If your total budget is $70 then you'll have to buy used. I'd highly suggest buying a native AGP card. This means up to an ATI/AMD x8xx or Nvidia 6x00. All the AGP cards after those are really PCIe cards with a bridge chip so they work in AGP slots. Due to the age of your machine it might not handle the bridge chip well.

I have an old x800XT PE laying around if your interested. PM me for details. Might have some ram to.

Yeah, I definately need more RAM and a better GPU; I know a new PSU would help, but I'm waiting until one floats my way used local; I've had good luck in the past with that. I'm really just hoping to make this a dedicated old-game computer so I can keep my games seperate from my work, which is why I don't want to spend much upgrading.

The fact that the newer AGP cards are just bridged PCIe cards is news to me; I'm guessing that my old mobo wouldn't like that very much. I'll look around a bit more (especially at the ATI/AMD x8xx line) and I'll PM you if I come around to that. Thank you for the help.

 

[inanition02]

The bridge chips might not be a big deal - i ran my athlon64 launch system (socket 754 ) for a couple years on an hd3xxx agp card.

 

[bucknutty]

AGP cards are getting hard to find. The good ones are expensive even when purchased used.

This would be good for 40 bucks. It wont really game but it will run aero on vista or win7.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814134076
It would be like 3-4 times as powerful as your ati9000.


Better bet would be around 80 but that kills your Budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125281
This card will run aero and most games at low res low settings. It would be like 10 times as powerful as your ATI 9000.

I have a couple of ati 3850s that have the bridge chip. They run fine even in an old 4x agp slot.

I think your best bet is to save your money and build a new PC. Spending money on AGP is sort of a waist.

 

[aquietwhyme]

I'm going with a ATI Radeon X1650 GT, since I've found one for under $30. Thanks to all for their input; I'll probably be ditching the whole setup next summer anyway for a nice $900 PC, but this will help me keep ole' faithful usable through then.

Now all I have to do is find a good deal on that RAM, hah.

 

[bucknutty]

x1650 gt with ddr3 ram will be a pretty good lift over your current card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146366

45 bucks
2gigs of ram would be perfect for that system, and your only over budget 5 bucks. You should double check motherboard compatibility but it should be fine.

 

[mamailo]

a) Get Ram. Is just to cheap to overlook
b) All the AGP cards need a Power connector witch leadme to :

C) 3 HDD will hog the power from a little 300 PSU. Sell them and buy a new HDD.Even if small for todays standard; it should be bigger that the 3 combined.Also is the other component you may migrate to your next rig.

 

[warjunkie]

honestly bro just buy a whole new setup and save ur money its realy not woeth upgrading that old of a computer the old agp cards are only expensive cause they are rare and hard to come buy , and when buying a used agp card ur probobly buying something some1 beat the hell out of . My recomendation would be to save your penies for the next few months to a year and buy yourself and up to date system and build it yourself from newegg for around 400 to 600 $ you wont regret it and it would top anything you throw in that computer for a little bit more money.