AGP8x or RDRAM?????

[evwlvn]

I am still continuing to research but have hit an impasse. I am building a system for gaming and want the best within reason. For instance I want a 2.4 GHz processor instead of 2.8. I do not want to really skimp on anything else. I don?t want to drain my checkbook for like 5% increase or anything unless I will use it more significantly later. I am agonizing over a motherboard with good RDRAM, or with 8x AGP and DDR. Price is not the concern for me. I want stability and performance. I do not see myself as overclocking in the future. I want to be able to have a system that will play high-end games well like 2 yrs from now with just a small upgrade. Can you guys help?

 

[SinfulWeeper]

Ahh.... I think either will work fine 2 years from now. I still have old computers ranging from 486's to a Duron 800MHz. They still run all programs fine.... well, I can not load WinXP on the 486's... but all they do is route anyway.

Make a 2.4GHz computer and I expect you will see about 3-4 years of useful life. Same goes for the AMD route...
Personally I am waiting for Intel to support 8X AGP before I upgrade. After all, my Duron 800 still handles all my programs very quickly.

 

[CrazySaint]

Simply put, PC1066 RDRAM will offer a small performance boost over PC2700 DDR. AGP8X offers NO performance boost over AGP4X.

 

[Rick67]

Go with the new Gigabyte GA-8IHXP2 with PC1066 RDRAM if price isn't an issue.

 

[Kylere]

Crazy Saint said, "Simply put, PC1066 RDRAM will offer a small performance boost over PC2700 DDR. AGP8X offers NO performance boost over AGP4X. "

Not to open a can of worms here, but that is simply not the whole truth, nor even true on any level. Currently only 2 Video Cards Support 8X (one being the over reviewed ATI9700) the next gen Geforce (the N30) will also support 8X. The other half of the coin is that no apps/games currently available make much use of it, but next years Xmas season garbage will.

 

[KGB1]

but that is simply not the whole truth, nor even true on any level. Currently only 2 Video Cards Support 8X (one being the over reviewed ATI9700) the next gen Geforce (the N30) will also

You really jumped the gun there my friend. Well welcome to Anandtech btw.
I can't believe you guys totally shunned the SiS Sabre 400 graphics cards. The first TRUE AGP 3.0 compliant graphics cards.


Intel has probably decided to end its Rambus chipsets for desktop motherboards. Also Intel will NOT recognize AGP 3.0 until next year (testing reasons, Now you see why Intel motherboards are stable and intel never rushes INTO anything like what VIA and SiS did with AGP 3.0) AGP 3.0 is not on my Christmas list. More like 3GiO, the "next big thing" to graphics which intel will come out with.

But if its Rambus Ram with REAL support for PC1066 and AGP 8X, look for a SiS 658 chipset. Good luck.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Kylere

Crazy Saint said, "Simply put, PC1066 RDRAM will offer a small performance boost over PC2700 DDR. AGP8X offers NO performance boost over AGP4X. "

Not to open a can of worms here, but that is simply not the whole truth, nor even true on any level. Currently only 2 Video Cards Support 8X (one being the over reviewed ATI9700) the next gen Geforce (the N30) will also support 8X. The other half of the coin is that no apps/games currently available make much use of it, but next years Xmas season garbage will.

Yep you opened the can alright. I'm going to disagree. AGP 8x is really overrated. Sure it's a bit faster but here's the cold hard truth: If you have to pull textures over the AGP bus it's going to be too slow no matter 2x 4x or 8x. If you don't have enough memory on the vid card and you start texture thrashing you're done for. 8x ain't going to save your framerate. 4x is fast enough for vertex data (which is more data than most realize).

As for RDRAM...man 1066 in a dual channel setup can't be beat. Costs a lot sure but I'd take that over AGP 8x any day.... You ARE breaking your own rule with 1066 though. That extra performance is going to cost you dearly so I guess "none of the above" would be the answer to your original question.