graphics card for pentium3

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 04:43:42 +0400, "DAKU" <hmkhalid.TakeThisOut@emirates.net.ae>
wrote:

 >I've got a Pentium 3 800Mhz, 30GB, 512MB RAM. VGA is on-board intel's
 >motherboard (4mb) I was thinking of installing a graphics card in the AGP, I
 >liked an nvidia geforce series, 128mb ram, 57US$ Will it make a lot of
 >difference to my system, or will my processor speed prvent me from playing
 >new games properly?
 >Also, what should I look for in buying a graphics card?
 >
 >Thanks
 >

It will make a huge difference in playing newer games, and yet, your CPU
is still going to result in a severe performance bottleneck.

So, it might be around 4-8X faster, but still only 1/2 as fast as a more
modern system, even slower compared to a current high-end system.

If you just want the cheapest upgrade that'll provide the most benefit,
the video card is the best upgrade for your system. Consider anything
Geforce 3 or newer as that will ensure hardware T&L, reducing the workload
on your slower CPU. Keep in mind that a Geforce4MX is not really "newer"
to the extent that the technology is based on Geforce2. Right now the
best value for you, considering the diminishing returns of a faster card
bottlenecked by the system, would be along the lines of a Geforce 4
TI4200, FX5600, or Radeon 9600, with 128MB memory.

Don't know which card you were referring to for $57, but don't get the
FX5200, it has poor performance relative to the price, can't really be
considered a gaming card but rather the eventual low-end basic video card
in nidia's product line. If you wanted to spend a little more for the
video card then it'd also be of more use later if you eventually upgraded
or replaced [the rest of] the system.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: graphics card for pentium3 

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 01:56:37 +0100, Roy Coorne <roy.coorne.RemoveThis@gmx.net> wrote:

 >DAKU wrote:
  >> I've got a Pentium 3 800Mhz, 30GB, 512MB RAM. VGA is on-board intel's
  >> motherboard (4mb) I was thinking of installing a graphics card in the AGP, I
  >> liked an nvidia geforce series, 128mb ram, 57US$ Will it make a lot of
  >> difference to my system, or will my processor speed prvent me from playing
  >> new games properly?
  >> Also, what should I look for in buying a graphics card?
 >
 >
 >I am curious which answers you will get as I have a similar system
 >
 >- Celeron 800@1066, 20GB, 512MB RAM CL2, Hercules Geforce II MX 32MB
 >
 >and consider to upgrade the graphics card...
 >
 >Roy

Your system would benefit from same cards I recommended in the previous
post, but you may need to consider your motherboard chipset, if it's
properly overclocking to the extent that it's keeping the AGP bus in spec
at 66MHz or if it's still applying the 2/3 of FSB, AGP divider, which
would mean it's running at 88MHz AGP. Some video cards don't like AGP
rates approaching 90MHz... nVidia cards seem slightly less tolerant of
higher AGP bus speed, but sometimes turning off SBA (side band adressing)
can help, or dropping down to 2X AGP rate.

Some boards, notibly the BX chipset always, and the Via Apollo Pro (694x)
sometimes, can have a problem. If it's the 694X one thing that can help
IF the overclocking is done via bios setting, is to manually set the FSB
rate with a switch, jumper, or failing either of those alternatives then
you might isolate the CPU's BSEL1 pin. Basically the issue would be that
whatever speed ratio the AGP bus starts at, is the ratio it keeps... that
if a CPU with 133MHz default FSB were plugged into same board the AGP rate
could be right, but plugging in a 100MHz (default) FSB CPU then o'c to
133MHz in the bios menu may not change the AGP rate to the 1/2 ratio that
results in AGP freq. of 66MHz.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: graphics card for pentium3