Computer Question (PCI Express??)

[Loochy88]

Im in the market for a new video card for my good ol' machine again. I see something out that i never saw last time i was shopping. There are now graphics cards that boast that they are "PCI Express" or "PCX" cards. What exactly are these? Are they compatible with a regular old PCI slot? Can i get one of these to work on my machine? I have no agp slot... thats my problem. Can I get a pcx card do work on my pci machine or is pcx a new kind of slot?

[Flowbee V6]

you need to install a new pci express slot. Old pci is not interchangable with it

[Loochy88]

well that would mean a new motherboard correct?

guess im getting regular pci again.

[MrCoffee]

you shouldnt get a PCI card. at least AGP

PCI Express is whats on the new motherboards. its just higher bandwidth. it will take over all PCI and AGP by the beginning of next year.
Its really not worth upgrading to just yet. Vid Cards dont even take full advantage of the 'slower' AGP slots. But PCX is serial, so each slot has its own bandwidth, which is good.

[Loochy88]

Originally posted by Loochy88:
I have no agp slot... thats my problem.

[95Batmobile]

I wouldn't do anything.
I don't think you're going to get powerhouse performance from plain PCI, so save your money.

I would guess the rest of your computer is lacking too, if your mobo doesn't even have an AGP slot.

I would just save a little and upgrade the whole thing.. a decent computer can be had for cheap now.

[Loochy88]

Originally posted by 95Batmobile:
I wouldn't do anything.
I don't think you're going to get powerhouse performance from plain PCI, so save your money.

I would guess the rest of your computer is lacking too, if your mobo doesn't even have an AGP slot.

I would just save a little and upgrade the whole thing.. a decent computer can be had for cheap now.

actually the rest of the thing is quite nice. [img]smile.gif[/img]

2.5 ghz pentium 4
60 gig hd
760 meg of ram
nvidia geforce fx 5200 128 mb

it can run anything out there great. maxes out call of duty, need for speed underground, runs fine with farcry, battlefield. doom 3 has no problems running but when things get busy on screen frames drop real bad. i put this whole system together last year for only 600 bucks, im not getting a new one yet. i just want the video card. i know pci wont keep up forever, but maybe just one more.

i was looking at this card
http://www.amamax.com/gefx5712ddr1.html
an FX 5700
its the strongest pci card ive seen with 256 mb. Big question here: what the heck is " Dongle PCI Video Card "

Dongle is the word i dont get. Is this yet another type of slot? Please tell me this one is compatible.

[95Batmobile]

Dongle is the PCI video card's reproductive organ..

No really, I think it's some old *** type of connector.

Like something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5709381009

Just looks like some sort of USB connector, everything I have found on yahoo suggests the same thing...

You can always e-mail the company and ask too.

[Loochy88]

Im not sure i understand. the video card connects to the computer through a usb? and not the pci slot? or it has some sort of usb connection on the back?

Anyway, ive been trying a bunch of things and i finally did the first thing i should have done, i updated my nvidia drivers, doom3 now runs around 40 fps and im a happy man.

ill probably still get a 5700 soon, just not as soon now.

[95Batmobile]

That's what I'm thinking, its some kind of connector like ViVo or s-video..