4x AGP

[kleinwl]

Dell P4 1.7Ghz machine with 9600SE AGP video card.

The motherboard only shows that it supports 4xAGP. Is there anyway to mod it (software/hardware) to take full advantage of the 8x AGP potential of the video card?

Dell 8200 (12/01 Purchase Date)
512MB Ram (SDRAM)
P4 (Wilm) 1.7Ghz
40 GB Hardrive
Dell MotherBoard
12x SONY DVD-RM
9600SE (AGP)

 

[mwmorph]

no unless you can find a different bios form dell that may support it.besides, the performance decrease from 8x to 4xagp is 5-10% max.

 

[Paktu]

It's closer to 1%, especially on a 9600SE which doesn't even come close to needing 8x bandwidth.

 

[TWills]

You would be lucky to get away with just a bios update to make 4x into 8x. You would have to have a mobo that was made just before 8x came out.

 

[BobDaMenkey]

It's not even worth bothering with even if there is such an update for your board. The only way to really do it is to get a new motherboard. Your entire system could use a rework, IMO. 4x AGP isn't going to hold you back near as much as the 1.7ghz processor.

 

[coomar]

there is also a voltage change from 8x to 4x, i don't think its something that can be changed in the bios but there is almost no difference running 4x compared to 8x

 

[Emultra]

It doesn't need 8x.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: coomar
there is also a voltage change from 8x to 4x, i don't think its something that can be changed in the bios but there is almost no difference running 4x compared to 8x

no the voltage change is from 2x to 4x. 4x and 8x are same voltages(1.5 for 4/8x vs 3.3 for 2x)

 

[kleinwl]

Thank you everyone for the information. I'll guess I'm stuck.

I know my system is getting to be a POS
(I am barely making the recommended specs on KOTOR2 and GTA3)

However, money is tight right now so I'm trying how to squeeze every last ounce of sweat from this machine before I religate it to the junk heap (or just folding full time).

I would like to try OCing it, but since it's a Dell (no OC support) and a Wilm P4 I don't expect that option is very practicle.

kleinwl (aka deathbysleep F@H, FAD)

 

[LTC8K6]

Just put a middle range AGP 8X card in like a 9800pro. You will get a big performance boost for not much money.

All AGP 8X cards are backwards compatible to AGP 4X. There is really no performance loss at all.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: coomar
there is also a voltage change from 8x to 4x, i don't think its something that can be changed in the bios but there is almost no difference running 4x compared to 8x

no the voltage change is from 2x to 4x. 4x and 8x are same voltages(1.5 for 4/8x vs 3.3 for 2x)

Wrong. The AGP 8x standard calls for 0.8v, though since they use the 1.5v key, all cards must be tolorant of 1.5v. They don't necesserily have to function, but they must not be destroyed by the voltage. Of course 99.99999% of agp 8x cards are built to properly work with either 0.8v or 1.5v input. And once in a while you'll see an agp 8x card that also has the 3.3v key.

 

[LTC8K6]

There should be no problem at all putting an 8X card into a 4X board.

Just to be clear, the differences are in the signaling voltages, not the supply voltages.

 

[OvErHeAtInG]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Just put a middle range AGP 8X card in like a 9800pro. You will get a big performance boost for not much money.

All AGP 8X cards are backwards compatible to AGP 4X. There is really no performance loss at all.

Hear hear.
I'm running P4 @ 2.85/600 and a 9800 pro and my MB is only AGP 4x. I really don't lose any sleep over it.

Wasn't one of the first 8x cards the 9700 pro? And didn't all the benchmarks at the time indicate that there was NO perf gain by enabling 8x? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Now current high-end systems probably need all that bus speed but who knows.

And yes a BIOS update will certainly not turn a AGP4x slot into an 8x one.

Do what I'm doing and just save all your $$ for a whole new rig.

 

[Valkerie]

8x has capabilities that can offer double the bandwidth speed over the bridge, but not all graphics cards are made to fully take advantage of the technology, or can barely make use of the technology, given it's lack of memory interace and implemented architecture.
i.e. Geforce MX 4000, Radeon 9200/9600se, etc.

It's pointless to find a solution from 4x to 8x on a Dell. If you're trying to do something like a workstation, just get a new rig. Your best option would be to OC the core clock and memory clock.

 

[LTC8K6]

I disagree. An 8pipe 256bit 9800pro will show great gains over his 4pipe 64bit 9600se even with the 1.7 willy.

 

[OvErHeAtInG]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
I disagree. An 8pipe 256bit 9800pro will show great gains over his 4pipe 64bit 9600se even with the 1.7 willy.

ah, true. I thought he said 9800se. 9800 pro is also a really good deal now.

 

[ddogg]

no theres no way...and the performance difference is minimal so dont worry especially since u have a slow card.

 

[kleinwl]

How could a Dell be OCed? The Bios options for Dell's are really limited and PCwiz (same guys that did CPU-Z) says it's a DELL MB... so I can't download some ASUS bios.

I'm not really in a position to save money right now for a new computer (just got married/bought a house/etc). My best bet it to be able to upgrade sometime in 2006.

The machines at work (for email/etc) are already faster than this poor machine.

If you guys have any suggestions on how to OC this Dell I would be happy to try it out.

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: kleinwl
Dell P4 1.7Ghz machine with 9600SE AGP video card.

The motherboard only shows that it supports 4xAGP. Is there anyway to mod it (software/hardware) to take full advantage of the 8x AGP potential of the video card?

Dell 8200 (12/01 Purchase Date)
512MB Ram (SDRAM)
P4 (Wilm) 1.7Ghz
40 GB Hardrive
Dell MotherBoard
12x SONY DVD-RM
9600SE (AGP)

No way in hell you have SDram, those dell models back then had RDram...

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: coomar
there is also a voltage change from 8x to 4x, i don't think its something that can be changed in the bios but there is almost no difference running 4x compared to 8x

no the voltage change is from 2x to 4x. 4x and 8x are same voltages(1.5 for 4/8x vs 3.3 for 2x)

Wrong. The AGP 8x standard calls for 0.8v, though since they use the 1.5v key, all cards must be tolorant of 1.5v. They don't necesserily have to function, but they must not be destroyed by the voltage. Of course 99.99999% of agp 8x cards are built to properly work with either 0.8v or 1.5v input. And once in a while you'll see an agp 8x card that also has the 3.3v key.

Like the Radeon 9800PRo and lower...