Is a PCI video card ok?

[thebach]

I have a 32 meg ATI All IN Wonder card that I use for capturing video, and it works great. The problem is it's not enough for playing the newer games if I want them to look good. The ATI card is AGP, so if I get a better video card I can only go PCI since I want to keep the ATI card for capturing. If my choice was to upgrade the ATI card to a ATI 7500 AGP All In Wonder card with 64 meg of ram or leaving in my ATI 32 meg card and upgrading to a PCI video card say from Nvidia, which is the better choice? Thanks!

 

[dakota81]

I would upgrade to the AIW 7500, you really can't keep an agp video card in just for capturing.

Plus with the limitations in the pci bus, you're probably going to get worse gaming performance switching to even the best of the pci nVidia cards, you'd be taking a step backwards.

The other option is ATI offers a standalone tv-wonder pci card that will do the capturing, thus freeing you to purchase whatever video card you want. The choice obviously is up to you.

 

[silvertechs]

I Concur with dakota, AGP stand for advance graphics port The sole idea behind it is deicated as the main slot for the graphics card. If you are fortunate enough to have an AGP slot (many folks aren't)then don't waste it by buying PCI cards which will run terriably slow and won't be an upgrade, it would be a downgrade.

ATI makes a new version of all in wonder card with 128MB of video memory and would then be a real upgrade, and a huge improvement to any of the newer games you might like to play.

 

[pmonett]

I definitely agree with all above remarks. I you want gaming performance, you HAVE to have a good card in the AGP slot.
Relegate video capture to a PCI slot with a dedicated card. It will still work and you'll have the choice of nVidia, ATI, or other to populate your AGP slot . . and empty your wallet ;-)