PCI-E

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:31 pm

Ok I pretty much need to get a new video card. Now thing is, I have no idea what a PCI-E looks like or what it plugs into. IE I don't know if my MB actually has PCI-E capabilities. Now the thing is how do I find out ?? Or can a pci-e card fit onto any MB ?? Or should I just get an AGP card ?? I am not going to rebuld the system if it needs a new MB having just brought this one.

Post by **Shonky** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:55 pm

Whats your system specs, if you just bought the mobo, you should have the model no. handy, thats all we need to know whether it supports PCI-E.

As for the size, a PCI-E x1 speed slot is very short, about 40mm at a guess, whereas the PCI-E x16 slot long, roughly about 25mm longer than a standard PCI slot.

Bluesman · Post by **Bluesman** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:01 pm

Nige if you have an MB with AGP the slot is always brown coloured.....PCI-E slot colour varies from board to board but i think they're usually blue or black....the Graphics card slot that is

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:02 pm

...or if you have the mobo manual or even just the box, you really don't need to go far to find out

9ra55h0ppaH · Post by **9ra55h0ppaH** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:40 pm

Bluesman wrote:Nige if you have an MB with AGP the slot is always brown coloured.....PCI-E slot colour varies from board to board but i think they're usually blue or black....the Graphics card slot that is

mine is green...

one thing i can remember about AGP is that they often have a little pin that pulls out on the end of the slot, which is used to hold the AGP card in, does PCie have them?

Righteous · Post by **Righteous** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:42 pm

I have a green AGP port too. BRIGHT green.

Post by **Shonky** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:49 pm

PCI-E x16 slots have the retaining clip as well.

dewy · Post by **dewy** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:20 pm

SHoNKY wrote:PCI-E x16 slots have the retaining clip as well.

Which works a little different to that on an AGP port, but if you can even give us a motherboard model we can help you

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:38 pm

MB is a Gigabyte 865G

GA-81865GME-775

I probably got raped on the MB specs which was why the PC was so cheap.

tehsid · Post by **tehsid** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:44 pm

http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Products/Mo ... uctID=2223
Says its AGPx8
All the info is in there if you need it anyway

Pinger$ · Post by **Pinger$** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:10 pm

About the best AGP card you can get atm is a Gainward 7800GS+. 512MB. as far as i know. about $600
The cooler is farking huge!!!!

Righteous · Post by **Righteous** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:40 am

I've thought long and hard about this myself, I think if you were going to spend 600 bucks on a 7800 GS, why not spend 500 on a 7900gt and the other hundred on a mobo that will support your processor and PCIe, that way you will have a good video card that would be trasnferable over to a new system in the future. Same money, better performance, longer lasting component.

You can get mobos that suupport different generation of processors also, Im sure they arent the best boards but a good temporary solution when you dont want to have to upgrade everything in one hit.

Exar Kun · Post by **Exar Kun** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:35 am

Nige, look for a 6600GT. Should serve you well enough for your needs and can be had for around $100 from the right places.

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:12 pm

Cool thanks EK.
As it was, I had to buy a new microwave. Man it was sad I tell ya.

YnoT · Post by **YnoT** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:57 pm

hmmm i got a PCI-E x1 slot on my motherboard and i just bought the 7600GT a few weeks ago, does that fit in?

i hope it does or else i have to spend more money

YnoT · Post by **YnoT** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:14 pm

ah damnit, just found it i have to buy a new motherboard

wild · Post by **wild** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:07 am

YnoT wrote:hmmm i got a PCI-E x1 slot on my motherboard and i just bought the 7600GT a few weeks ago, does that fit in?

i hope it does or else i have to spend more money

Graphics cards almost always require PCI-E 16x. Though there are a few 1x 7300 cards floating around.