AGP Recommendation Needed

Hi all. My current computer is woefully out-of-date but replacement is not financially possible. A better AGP video card may be an option. My current card (which replaced the onboard video) is an ATI 9200 with 128 mb. What would be the best currently available AGP card for the Trainz environment?

I have 1gb of ram in 4 256mb modules so would need to replace 2 modules to increase capacity. I hesitate doing that.

Jim

Gadzooks, where is JohnWhelan when you need him?:hehe:

Provided your power supply and ventilation are up to it, try looking for an nVidia 7600GT or 7900GT. I know for sure the 7600GT was available in AGP (I got one, very pleased with it) and AFAIK it still is. I seem to remember someone here saying recently that the 7900GT is also available in AGP. Check any online retailer for info, you don't need to end up buying from them of course.

This page on Tom's Hardware Guide has a very useful list of video boards in descending order of how powerful they are.

FWIW I found that upgrading from an ATI 9800 to an nVidia 7600GT video board gave a drastic improvement with Trainz but upgrading the ram from 1GB to 3GB had hardly any effect. Your mileage may vary.

John

jfweaver said:

Hi all. My current computer is woefully out-of-date but replacement is not financially possible. A better AGP video card may be an option. My current card (which replaced the onboard video) is an ATI 9200 with 128 mb. What would be the best currently available AGP card for the Trainz environment?

I have 1gb of ram in 4 256mb modules so would need to replace 2 modules to increase capacity. I hesitate doing that.

Jim

Click to expand...

ATI 3850

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161225

Go to Crucial.com and scan your machine. If you can replace two modules with 2 1 gig modules that will bring you up to 2.5 gigs which is the optimum value when running Trainz under XP. If you buy from Newegg.com with the rest that should save shipping.

The 3850 draws 235 watts under load so a power supply of 450 watts would be recommended. Newegg.com have some for under $50. If its a longer term replacement then
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151040 500 watts high efficiency or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371006

it's only 430 watts but its an Antec and they rate things conservatively. Having said that apparently SeaSonic make Antec earthworks these days.

I'd go ATI since you have ATI in there already and it saves messing with the drivers.

Replacing a power supply should be fairly simple but you may wish to get an anti static wrist strap at the same time if you don't have one.

Cheerio John

Thank you gentlemen. I will check all that out.

Jim