Will changing cards even help?

[shatty]

Hello, I have an hp a810n desktop from the stone age.

Original specs:

Athlon 64 3300+ 2.4 GHz
SiS 760/964 Motherboard
Memory Installed 512 MB
Hard drive 160 GB 7200 rpm
Video graphics Integrated 128 MB allocated video memory
Expansion slots
PCI: Three (two available)
AGP: One (available)

I've upgraded it's RAM to 2GB, and the video card to a GeForce 8400 GS. This was okay for old counterstrike but I am hungry for more games! It doesn't do too hot on the games I like to play such as Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, and Oblivion. It is "playable" with the resolution low and graphics turned down but I want to do better. Since I have no PCI-e port, would an AGP video card outperform most PCI video cards? I'm interested in playing my games with at least 1024x768 with the graphics up above nothing. I'm sick of 640x480 with no shadows or anti alliasing and still not getting great performance.
I've read good things about the AGP Radeon Sapphire HD 3850, is this an ideal card for my system? Or should i get a better PCI card? Thank you for your help!

 

[MagicPants]

Resolution and features like anti-aliasing, don't use much bandwidth as they happen almost exclusively on the card.

Sending more detailed model information and using higher detailed textures will use more bus bandwidth.

If your mobo has an AGP slot for graphics, it is almost certainly the fastest slot for that, otherwise they wouldn't include it.

But you're a little out of date, I'd start thinking about a whole system upgrade. Don't forget about your Power supply! a better card will suck down more juice.

 

[Wamphryi]

There is not a better PCI card. AGP out performs PCI and PCI E out performs AGP. You may get what you want out of the 3850 at the resolution you propose but not much more imo. Your PC is just to old to keep up with modern gaming requirements.

 

[ko888]

Asus K8S-LA (Salmon-GL6E) - Install only 1.5V AGP cards on this motherboard!

The AGP slot on that motherboard will give you eight times more bandwidth than a PCI slot can provide.

Pay attention to the power supply requirements for the graphics card that you choose.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&Subcategory=48&Description=&Type=&N=100007709+600007850&IsNodeId=1&IsPowerSearch=1&srchInDesc=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&OEMMark=0&OEMMark=N&OEMMark=1&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9639