(update) Possible Video Card Upgrade?


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I got my hands on a ATI Radeon 9800 SE DDR 128MB Video Card, and although it's not top notch in comparison to most current video cards in the market nowdays I want to try and see if it's possible to upgrade an old PC with it. However, I'd like to know if it's actually possible for this mobo to configure the card, and also if the power supply will be able to handle it, since I've heard that many times when you try to upgrade the vid card you end up upgrading the PSU as well, in either case, how can I go about this to see if the desktop computer will be able to accept/handle this vid card at all?

Edited by intocomputing2
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The big question, does your computer have an agp slot? if you look inside the case, it will look diffferent then your pci slots(usually a darker color and on top).

I opened the case and checked, but I'm afraid that this desktop computer doesn't have an AGP slot. Does this mean I can't upgrade?

Edit:

I could try purchasing another video card (that is if it's possible to upgrade without spending the equivalent for a new PC)

Edited by intocomputing2
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It's strange I also didn't find a notoriusly big video card inside (like you usually see in magazines and internet articles about upgrading) instead the port for the monitor was a small connection that was apparently built right in the motherboard. I'm not sure if the computer could be considered old or not it has a 2.50 GHz processor. Is there any freeware program that I can donwload in order to check the hardware specs for this desktop computer? something that tells me perhaps what brand and what type of hardware is inside, Berlac Advisor perhaps?

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What make and model is your PC or motherboard?

It's a desktop PC Sony Vaio, we got it around 4 & 1/2 years ago, I'm not sure how to check the model of the motherboard since I don't have the manuals whit me, that's why I was asking if there was any sort of freeware that could tell me the specs of the computer.

Edited by intocomputing2
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as sethook stated, with the model of the computer or motherboard, we could help you look. Their is a good chance the computer does not have an agp slot. If that is the case, your only option to upgrade is to find a video card that uses a pci slot, those tend to be a more expensive. As to the vga(monitor) port built directly onto the motherboard, that is more common then having a dedicated video card(costs less money). When you here the term "onboard graphics card", that is what they are referring to.

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mmm.. in the section of Video & Graphics there is the following information:

Intel 845GV Integrated Graphics

64MB max. Dynamically Shared Graphics Memory

Does that mean that 64MB is the only amount possible related to graphics in this computer?, and since it doesn't have an AGP slot that I won't be able to upgrade the graphics card unless I upgrade the mobo as well?

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here is a link with all your specs.

Look Here

You should have three PCI slots. One should be used by the Modem.

Yes it looks like only 64bits. But XP will also use system ram for graphics. Shanenin left some good choices.

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so can I upgrade without having to upgrade the mobo as well?

yes. all(practically) motherboards have pci slots. You are limited to the cards you can use, but any of the ones I showed you in the link above will work with your motherboard.

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I am also fuzzy in this area. I am not sure why their are such huge price differences for some cards which seem to have similar specs. The amount of memory on the card is only one factor to determine performance. The other bigger factor in the performance of the card is the GPU the card uses. I do know the card you mentioned is not DirectX 9 capable. You would get better performance from the following nvidia card. It is DirectX 9 capable and has a better GPU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130289

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I am also fuzzy in this area. I am not sure why their are such huge price differences for some cards which seem to have similar specs. The amount of memory on the card is only one factor to determine performance. The other bigger factor in the performance of the card is the GPU the card uses. I do know the card you mentioned is not direct x 9 capable. You would get better performance from the following nvidia card. It is direct x 9 capable and has a better GPU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130289

I didn't know that, guess one like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814143032 wouldn't be a good option to consider either

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