Author Topic: ATI Rage Pro LT AGP: Can I upgrade It? (Read 555 times)

Stiletto · « **on:** November 07, 2001, 05:43:00 PM »

This question is from one of my squaddies:

My computer has an "ATI Rage Pro LT AGP" video card. I want to upgrade. Here's the problem: When recently adding ram I noticed that my "AGP" video card is on the motherboard. I have no AGP slot. Can I upgrade Vid cards? If so, how?

Thanks for any help -

Stiletto

Furious · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2001, 05:55:00 PM »

You will need to get a PCI video card.

F.

Staga · « **Reply #2 on:** November 08, 2001, 07:29:00 AM »

Small warning: PCI videocards are much slower than AGP cards and they cost more than Rip's new BMW.

What kind of processor do you have ?
If it's still fast enough you could buy a new motherboard with AGP-slot and install your old hardware in it with new AGP-vidcard.
If it's slower than 400-500MHz you should check prices for AMD Duron/cheap motherboard/GeForce2MX400(Maybe GF2GTS/Pro).

Just my opinions

Stiletto · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2001, 11:03:00 AM »

Thanks for the replies!

He's got a Compaq, and I've heard that that's a limiting factor.

Stil

Raubvogel · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2001, 11:39:00 AM »

Rip that motherboard out and it's no longer a Compaq

bloom25 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2001, 12:51:00 PM »

This is why friends don't let friends buy a Compaq.

I've seen this, and unfortunately not just Compaq does this *cough* Gateway *cough*. It makes it awefully hard to work on the system.

You CAN get better PCI video cards than that ATI, but honestly they are going to be expensive and not up to par with AGP cards. I do believe ATI makes a PCI version of it's initial Radeon series cards, which would be a lot faster (depending on the CPU he's got.) It might be worth checking into...

Skuzzy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2001, 02:57:00 PM »

Put Hewlett-Packard in that group too. At the CON, two gentlemen brought in a couple of bardn spaking new HP systems in. One of the guys decided the built-in video was not good enough, so he goes and buys a new GF card.
Well,..pull the cover off and guess what? The solder holes for the AGP socket are on the motherboard, but no AGP socket installed.
I could not beleive it. The guy had to go and get a PCI video card. If you like yourself, you will not ever buy an OEM computer. They all appear to be building boxes for the Widows Office group and could care less about the gaming market.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2001, 03:20:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Stiletto:
This question is from one of my squaddies:

My computer has an "ATI Rage Pro LT AGP" video card. I want to upgrade. Here's the problem: When recently adding ram I noticed that my "AGP" video card is on the motherboard. I have no AGP slot. Can I upgrade Vid cards? If so, how?

Thanks for any help -

Stiletto

Stiletto,
I have a Compaq, probably very similar to your squad mate's. I probably know your suqad mate, and you know me from Air Warrior. Your squad mate can put a Voodoo 4 4500 PCI 32MB card in it, and it will work. I got a pretty decent increase in FPS. What I did was go from a 380K6-2 to a 550K6-2, and went up to 384MB of RAM, and added the video card. Cost was under $150. It will do fine, if you simply cannot afford to build a new computer. If you need help, PM me and we'll get something going.

By the way, you can also add video memory to some Compaq boxes with ATI graphics. It may indeed be that the ATI with 16MB of memory at 2X AGP will outperform a 32MB PCI card, for 1/3 the cost, but I don't know.

The problem with the Compaq is that you cannot change the motherboard in most of them, since the case will often only accept a proprietary motherboard, and not a standard form factor like a baby AT or an ATX. Worse yet, the Compaq motherboards stink, with little or no cache, and a crappy bios you cannot work with.

The lesson I learned from all of that was what I already knew, NEVER buy, always BUILD. YES, you can. It ain't all that hard. I'll be building mine from now on.

Renegade Savage

Lephturn · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2001, 11:49:00 AM »

There are a couple of other options.

1. Buy from a gaming friendly system builder. Somebody like Alienware or Falcon.

2. Buy from a local shop you trust, and pick the parts yourself and have them assemble and warrantee it. This can be tough to find, and won't be the cheapest, but it will work.

3. Buy from the only big systems builder I've used that gives you the option to use good components. Dell. For non-technical folks in my faminly and group of friends, I will spec the machine out for them on Dell's web site (choosing a good AGP video card and other good stuff) and have them order it. For folks that really aren't technical, this is a really good option. Dell's prices are reasonable, they support it all, and they let you select good parts for gaming in the models designed for that market. If you must buy from a large systems vendor, they are the one to buy from. Just make sure you get somebody who knows to help you select the video, audio, memory, and storage options that will best fit your needs and budget.