How to find out if I need PCI or AGP ?

[sourbeaver]

Err .. wanna buy a dual-monitor card, but I don't know if I need AGP or PCI .. how do I find out ?

[Jim Easton]

Open your case and look at the video card you have, then take it out. If the slot the card was in looks just like the other slots, it is PCI. If it is different from the others, it is AGP. Odds are you have AGP.

note - this assumes your MB is more than a few months old and does not have PCI Express.

[bort411]

[ QUOTE ]
Err .. wanna buy a dual-monitor card, but I don't know if I need AGP or PCI .. how do I find out ?

[/ QUOTE ]

You could also check the specifications from the manufacturer. You probably have an AGP slot; if you do I'd go with that.

[Blarg]

You can also just add a PCI card in, and leave your old AGP card where it is, if that's what you have. You don't have to have only one video card in a system.

[fluxrad]

If you find a motherboard that has two AGP slots, please call me.

In other words, your second video card needs to be PCI.

[thesharpie]

If you're using Windows (how could you be using anything else? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif) you can find out in your device manager without ever having to touch a screwdriver. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[AncientPC]

If your computer was built / bought post-2000 then you're most likely using an AGP card, or at least have one (if you're using onboard video).

The question is, do you want to replace your existing video card or add a second card in addition to it? If you want to add an additional card, go with PCI. If you want to replace your existing card since it's outdated anyway, go with AGP.

[Terry]

PCI slots are white. You probably have three or more of them, all in a row. AGP slots are black. If you have one, you have only one, and it is right next to the row of PCI slots.

Even if Windows System Information tells you you have AGP video, you must look inside the computer. Some systems have the card onboard (built-in) and do not have an AGP slot in which to put a card.

[Sheriff Fatman]

[ QUOTE ]
AGP slots are black. If you have one, you have only one, and it is right next to the row of PCI slots.

Even if Windows System Information tells you you have AGP video, you must look inside the computer. Some systems have the card onboard (built-in) and do not have an AGP slot in which to put a card.

[/ QUOTE ]

If its an older system, like mine was, the AGP slot might be brown coloured which I think means its AGP4x and not AGP8x which is the later standard.

If I'm wrong on this can someone please correct me (and then shoot me!)

Sheriff

[bdk3clash]

"Even if Windows System Information tells you you have AGP video, you must look inside the computer. Some systems have the card onboard (built-in) and do not have an AGP slot in which to put a card."

This was the case for my machine. I have a low-end Dell that I purchased about 1.5 years ago and it has onboard video but no AGP slot, so when I recently bought a video card I had to get a PCI one.

[Terry]

[ QUOTE ]
the AGP slot might be brown

[/ QUOTE ]

Brown is right -- my mistake.