intocomputing2 Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 (edited) 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 March 20, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 is it a pci or agp video card? If it is an agp video card, you need to make sure you have an agp slot on your motherboard. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 (edited) I believe it's an AGP video card, I searched for an image of it: http://www.xpcgear.com/pcr98esc3.html Edited March 4, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 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). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) 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 March 8, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 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? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sethook Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 What make and model is your PC or motherboard? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) 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 March 8, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JSKY Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 Try here to find your model. AUTO DETECT(VAIO PCs ONLY)Use the first option to auto detect your PC type Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) thanks for the explanations and the link, ok it says it's an PCV-RS411 VAIO Desktop Computer, and it actually had an Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.66 GHz Edited March 8, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 mmm.. in the section of Video & Graphics there is the following information: Intel 845GV Integrated Graphics64MB 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? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 you can use a pci video card. any of these should workhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....42&name=PCI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JSKY Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 here is a link with all your specs. Look HereYou 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 so can I upgrade without having to upgrade the mobo as well? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 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. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 (edited) Would it be ok to install one like this with this desktop computer PSU? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814161184I may do a bit of gaming from time to time, so I would like to pick a good video card, I'm just concerned about the PSU being able to handle a good card Edited March 9, 2008 by intocomputing2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 If it was me, I would not worry about it. It should be fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 How come several 64 MB cards and 128 MB cards are more expensive that the 256 MB card in the link I posted? what detail am I missing here? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 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 GPUhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130289 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 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 GPUhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130289I 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 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 so the vid card in your last link shanenin gets a better performance in spite of being 256MB 64-bit instead of 256MB 128-bit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Definitely Quote Link to post Share on other sites
intocomputing2 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Definitelywow, I thought the bigger the numbers, the better Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t7372.htmlhttp://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=18989http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...25094847AABzjuE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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