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[Frankiek]

As mentioned in other posts I still have an old Dell Optiplex GX260 that I use to keep my old work files from 94 up to 2011 plus a few legacy programs and hardware (anybody remembers what a Jaz-drive is?).  Naturally our favorite sim from IL-2 Sturmovik to IL-2 1946 4.10.1 is there. As it would be a huge amount of work to go through all files and programmes to make them compatible with newer version of windows and new hardware I kept Windows XP sp3 updated up to end of support.  In time I have maintained and upgraded my system that  is now equipped with a more powerful PSU (550 W), Pentium 4 3.06Ghz, 2 Gb RAM (the max for XP), Sound Blaster Audigy, RD/W Samsung CD-DVD combo, 3.5 Floppy disk (super important), and two IDE/PATA HD for some 200 Gb (It is incredible how small were the files 25-30 years ago floppies capacity is 1.44Mb).

Here is my question my current GPU is an ATI Radeon Sapphire 9600 XT, 256Mb, AGP 4X. Considering that  I don't want to change the motherboard (then better to buy a used legacy PC) I would like to have your opinion on which AGP graphic card I could use to improve a bit the performance.

Thank you     

[SAS~Storebror]

Quite obviously you'd opt for an ATI HD 3850 AGP - the fastest AGP card that ever existed.
Make sure you grab the AGP version. The card itself, internally, is PCI-E, but there is an AGP version of it (with an AGP-PCI-E bridge builtin).
Aftermarket (ebay etc.) calls roughly $100 for a card in good shape.
Oh... eh... you need a supplementary 6-pin power supply cord from your PSU to the card. Make sure your PSU provides such cable.

What to expect? Well... the HD 3850 is about 10x faster than your 9600 XT, therefore: Fasten your seatbelt


Mike

[Kelso]

One of the most efficient AGP cards from Nvidia is the GeForce 7800 GS 256 Mb. There was also a 512 Mb version, but they are rare. Requires Molex as an additional power supply - check if you have such a free plug at your place. They can be hard to buy now, because they are starting to become collector's artifacts.

[SAS~Storebror]

Efficient at it's time - maybe.
The ATI HD 3850 beats the Geforce 7800 GS by factor two, at the same TDP (75W) for both.
Simply because the ATI is two years younger, hence the process is 55nm vs. 110nm and all speeds / clock rates are about twice as fast, sometimes much faster.
Nothing to argue against a 7800 GS for those who have it, but if you have to buy a new card, go for the fastest.
Especially now that they all cost about 100 bucks, regardless which one you pick.


Mike

[Frankiek]

Thank you for the advice as my current card is a sapphire 9600 xt i was oriented in continue with ATI and i had already prospected the hd 3850 they are not cheap to buy. I also wouldn't like to add extra power even though my psu is 550 W

[SAS~Storebror]

The Power difference between your 9600 XT and the HD 3850 is 50W.
It's not that much of needing a stronger PSU than checking whether or not it provides the required power connector for the GPU.

But there are other options in case you are worried about your PSU too much:
ATI Radeon HD 4670
Just slightly slower than the HD 3850 (and sometimes, depending on CPU and mothermoard, just as fast), but in return you get up to 1GB RAM and a lower TDP (about 50 Watts).
If you're not sure about the power connector, watch out for cards that have a standard HDD power connector instead of the 6/8-pin molex one. Your PSU will have a HDD power connector to share for sure, otherwise a Y-adapter does the trick too.


Mike

[genXgamer]

That's a vintage PC Frankiek!

Just to correct you, 2 GB isn't the maximum RAM for Windows XP.
You can have 4 GB, not all is usable though.

[Frankiek]

It is true but Microsoft support is very clear on that above 2 GB  effect is doubtful and in any case even if 3gb are recognised win XP 32 system files will never use the additional amount. if you have win xp server 64  then is a different story. On this PC I am not running anything newer than 2008-2009. For more modern programmes I have two laptops win 10

[genXgamer]

Sounds very similar to me, I have two Windows XP PCs (offline only) and two Windows 10 laptops.

[Frankiek]

I checked and I have 2 HDD power connectors available and two others types that I don't know I  am attaching a pick

[Frankiek]

I just received the bad news that my motherboard fried one additional GPU that I have been testing an ATI HD2400 pro AGP 8x. I don't understand how this can happen the pc shut down normally and it was working and upon restart black screen the GPU was fried. I couldn't find much here the best I could find at a reasonable price is HD4650 so if anyone has a seller for the HD 3850 or 4670 please let me know

[SAS~Storebror]

Don't know what you call a reasonable price, but I don't think it can get any better than this: https://www.ebay.it/itm/314601071574?hash=item493faf63d6:g:gasAAOSwhotkZ5IN

As for the fried GPU: Your motherboard support 4x AGP @1.5V which is compatible with later 8x AGP cards. Even though these would run @0.8V in AGP 8x mode, they automatically detect the different voltage and mode and will simply operate in 4x mode @1.5V then.
Things would only be different if your mobo was 2x AGP (3.3V), but since it's 3x AGP 1.5V, everything should be just fine.
Specs and everything about the card offered here: http://www.hisdigital.com/de/product2-448.shtml
The HIS iceQ card is one of those operating with an additional HDD PSU connector, see this pic:


Therefore if your PSU really has a free HDD power connector available (your image only shows a SATA (black) and an FDD (white) connector), then you are good to go.


Mike