What's better? PCI or AGP?

I am looking to buy a graphics card and i just noticed that i also have 3 PCI slots along with the 1 AGP slot that i have. So which one is a better card to buy? A PCI or an AGP? It's not PCI-E but normal PCI. WIll PCI be better/cheaper than AGP?

ANd what are the recommended cards for PCI?

AFAIK, you should definately go for an AGP card. PCI (not PCI-E) haven't really been used for graphics cards for 5+ years now. You might be able to find something, but you'll almost certainly have a far better selection and hence price from AGP cards. Of course, AGP is pretty obscelete these days, thanks to PCI-E.

Sorry if it's a stupid question but i am kind of clueless when it comes to cards.

The AGP card options that i have are FX 5500 and FX 6200 as of now.

AFAIK, you should definately go for an AGP card. PCI (not PCI-E) haven't really been used for graphics cards for 5+ years now. You might be able to find something, but you'll almost certainly have a far better selection and hence price from AGP cards. Of course, AGP is pretty obscelete these days, thanks to PCI-E.

Thanks mate. Yeah i have been searching and calling shops all day but it is really hard finding AGP cards. I have till now managed to find just the FX 5500 and FX 6200. And due to it being so difficult to obtain the 6200 is a bit out of budget right now.

I have seen some threads where people have played with 5500 and had no problem Right now my 2D lags. A bit. So will the 5500 remove that problem?

Ok i need a quick decision here. I think i might go for the 5500. But i want the 6200 but it's double the price of the 5500 but it's also 512 mb instead of 256. So is it worth going for?

Ok i need a quick decision here. I think i might go for the 5500. But i want the 6200 but it's double the price of the 5500 but it's also 512 mb instead of 256. So is it worth going for?

My guess is that the AGP 5500 will work fine in 2d mode, but it will lag in 3d. AGP is definitely preferable to PCI. I have a 256 MB NVidia 6200 AGP card that works well with FM 2009 (mainly in 2d). The 2d engine is not graphics intensive, so you don't really need a video card hog to enjoy matches.

Ok i need a quick decision here. I think i might go for the 5500. But i want the 6200 but it's double the price of the 5500 but it's also 512 mb instead of 256. So is it worth going for?

As others have advised AGP is the better of the two, but both are pretty much obselete.

AGP is better and faster than the normal PCI slot, and mb on graphics cards dont mean much it's more about processor speed and clock speed, it might be a 512mb card but dont hold much though.

AFAIK, you should definately go for an AGP card. PCI (not PCI-E) haven't really been used for graphics cards for 5+ years now. You might be able to find something, but you'll almost certainly have a far better selection and hence price from AGP cards. Of course, AGP is pretty obscelete these days, thanks to PCI-E.

As others have advised AGP is the better of the two, but both are pretty much obselete.

Ok and what would you recommend out of 5500 and 6200? I don't really much care for 3D so as long as 2D as absolutely perfect and 3D works when i rarely use it i would be happy with that card. Will a 256 mb 5500 be good enough?

My guess is that the AGP 5500 will work fine in 2d mode, but it will lag in 3d. AGP is definitely preferable to PCI. I have a 256 MB NVidia 6200 AGP card that works well with FM 2009 (mainly in 2d). The 2d engine is not graphics intensive, so you don't really need a video card hog to enjoy matches.

My 2D lags a bit right now. That's why i want some kind of graphic card. How is the 6200 for 3D? And 2D is perfect on it right?

And is it possible that i can get better 128MB video cards than those of 256 mb? If yes can anyone name some please?

You should try to get a PCI express card if possible. If your motherboard doesn't support it, try getting an AGP 8x card. AGP cards cost literally twice as much as a PCI express card does for the same speed of card. This is one of the better ones available for about $100.

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=40671&vpn=A4650512AGP&manufacture=ATI

Please understand thought that for about $150 you could get a new motherboard, processor, and a PCI express card that would be equally fast, if not faster.

I have an AGP 6600GT and a 7800 that I have no use for since I've upgraded my computer. Whereabouts are ya?

My guess is that the AGP 5500 will work fine in 2d mode, but it will lag in 3d. AGP is definitely preferable to PCI. I have a 256 MB NVidia 6200 AGP card that works well with FM 2009 (mainly in 2d). The 2d engine is not graphics intensive, so you don't really need a video card hog to enjoy matches.

You should try to get a PCI express card if possible. If your motherboard doesn't support it, try getting an AGP 8x card. AGP cards cost literally twice as much as a PCI express card does for the same speed of card. This is one of the better ones available for about $100.

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=40671&vpn=A4650512AGP&manufacture=ATI

Please understand thought that for about $150 you could get a new motherboard, processor, and a PCI express card that would be equally fast, if not faster.

Well that's a bit out of budget right now. See the thing is i have an option to get a new PC or a new Laptop. And since i have university work i need the laptop. So i will end up getting a preety high end laptop but till i get that i need to upgrade my PC and the video card sufficiently to play FM 10 without any lag. And i am getting the 5500 card for around $30. Which is why i am thinking of taking that.

And yes i am going for AGP 8x. 5500 and 6200 are the options i can see right now. What would you recommend?

I have an AGP 6600GT and a 7800 that I have no use for since I've upgraded my computer. Whereabouts are ya?

I am in India. From your username i don't guess your from India?

I am in India. From your username i don't guess your from India?

Sadly, no...Ohio. If you were in the States I could've just sent you one of the cards for free; I'm not doing anything with either of them and I could ship it out incognito from my company's shipping. I think they'd notice a package to India, though.

Sadly, no...Ohio. If you were in the States I could've just sent you one of the cards for free; I'm not doing anything with either of them and I could ship it out incognito from my company's shipping. I think they'd notice a package to India, though.

I would even pay for it. Getting quite desperate for a card now! Yours are AGP? How come you got stuck with 2 of them?

I built my first computer like five years ago with the 6600GT, and then upgraded it two years ago with the 7800.

Have you checked the Anandtech trade boards? There's bound to be a cheap AGP card for sale there, and there might even be one in India. I got my 7800 used from there, in fact, because all the AGP cards available even two years back were completely ridiculous from Newegg or the like.

Does this anandtech ship to india?

There really isnt much difference between and AGP and PCI card.

I have a Nvidia Geforge 6200 card which is 256mb and is still easy to get hold of. In the UK costs about forty pounds.

I'm currently playing FM2010 demo with it and its running very well, it handles the 3d engine perfectly.

There are plenty on Ebay.

There really isnt much difference between and AGP and PCI card.

I have a Nvidia Geforge 6200 card which is 256mb and is still easy to get hold of. In the UK costs about forty pounds.

I'm currently playing FM2010 demo with it and its running very well, it handles the 3d engine perfectly.

There are plenty on Ebay.

There's a HUGE difference between the two; the PCI interface simply can't handle the kind of data transfer that the AGP interface can. All things being equal, the AGP card will always be faster than the equivalent PCI version.

Anandtech isn't really a purchasing site; it's a computer forum with a very active "For Sale/Trade" forum. So whether or not individual members would ship to India would be up to them; I'd imagine someone could work something out, though.

There really isnt much difference between and AGP and PCI card.

I have a Nvidia Geforge 6200 card which is 256mb and is still easy to get hold of. In the UK costs about forty pounds.

I'm currently playing FM2010 demo with it and its running very well, it handles the 3d engine perfectly.

There are plenty on Ebay.

Ah that's what i wanted to hear

Well i might even go for the 6200. But it IS a bit out of my budget right now.

And what are your other system specs? 6200 works everything perfectly?

you can find an AGP ATI HD3850 it will run 3d and 2D fine

Also, you may need to check your power supply to be sure you both have an extra molex connector and have the wattage/amperage to handle a new card. That can sometimes screw people up.