AGP Card 2x/4x compatibility?

[Pluto]

Can someone clarify this whole AGP 2x/4x situation for me.... I didn't realize that there was a large change in standards of AGP slots... The new motherboard I'm looking at (Asus P4PE) specifies 1 x AGP 4X (1.5V only).

I thought all AGP slots were backwards/forwards compatible?

I have an ATI All-In-Wonder 128 which is only 2x that I want to use with that board but it sounds like I can't. I have used that card in other AGP 4x supporting motherboards though, including its current home in an ECS K7S5A, and in an Asus CUSL2-C. I don't understand why all of a sudden backwards compatiblity is being removed? Am I missing something here ... ? Thanks.

 

[TheWart]

from my reading of the specs at the Asus sight, I took it to mean only 1.5v AGP cards, the version isnt important as long as they arnt 3.3v...now iirc, the only agp cards that are 3.3v are the voodoo 4/5 series...can someone clarify whether this is true?

Anyway, I would be VERY suprised if ASUS alienates all those people who still have 2x cards....btw, that looks like a NICE mobo

 

[Pluto]

Unless of course Intel has removed 2x agp support from the chipset, then it wouldn't be up to Asus.

I didn't realize there was such a thing as 3.3/1.5v AGP cards, how can I find out which one my ATI All In Wonder 128 is? the ATI website doesn't say one way or another.

 

[boomerang]

After much research, I finally found the definitive answer on how to determine if your card is 1.5 or 3.3V. Found this site about a month back. Hope it helps you.

 

[Trashman]

Pluto, looks like your out of luck with that card and that board........ATI AGP-Chart, according to ATI, the only cards that support both 1.5V and 3.3V are from the Rage128Pro chip on up, anything below that such as your Rage128 and down does not support both.
And yeah, can't blame ASUS this is Intel's doing with the newer chipsets, sux but what ya going to do.
Here's another way to check any other video card to see if it supports 1.5V.........LINK.

 

[Pluto]

Thanks Trashman, I actually just found that page 2 min before your post. That is unfortunate.

Now I'm wondering if there are any half decent P4 DDR/533FSB boards available that are 3.3V AGP compatible...
The Asus P4B533 845E board also says 1.5V only. P4S8X (sis based) however doesn't specify, it just says 8x AGP. The previous gen sis board P4S533 just says AGP 4x

 

[GregANDTCH]

Are all the newer AGP cards with the extra "cut-out" good for 3.3 or 1.5 volts?
If they made a 1.5 volt "only" card with the cut-out, I suppose a person could install it in an older MB & fry the card in the process.

 

[Pluto]

Greg, I think all the newer 4x 1.5V compatible cards are backwards compatible with 2x slots, which is why they have the two grooves.