Getting 2600HDPRO AGP?

brianfast · Dec 25, 2007, 03:57 PM

Hi I am wondering if getting a 2600HD card (AGP) would be a good idea to upgrade from my Nvidia geforce 6600LE. I hear there are/were driver issues? Are they resolved. I would not be using Vista but at some point I will want DX10.

Also since I would be switching graphics card companies, do I need to reinstall windows like on a new mobo?

deadeyeselh · Jan 2, 2008, 12:31 AM

in order to use DX10 you need windows vista, why? because microsoft is full of wankers and want to make more money. and no you dont need to reinstall windows, yeah i think the HD 2600 pro would be a good choice, but if you dont want to get windows vista go with X1650 pro like what i have

Dyre Straits · Jan 2, 2008, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianfast

Hi I am wondering if getting a 2600HD card (AGP) would be a good idea to upgrade from my Nvidia geforce 6600LE. I hear there are/were driver issues? Are they resolved. I would not be using Vista but at some point I will want DX10.

Also since I would be switching graphics card companies, do I need to reinstall windows like on a new mobo?

As was pointed out, you will need to have Vista in order to use DX 10. So, since you're planning to stick with XP, I'd be more inclined to suggest you look for an X1950 Pro. It has much more bandwidth and power than does the card you're interested in. I know because I have both the X1950 Pro and a HD2600 XT. In XP the x1950 pro runs rings around the other card.

Good luck, however, on whichever you choose.

deadeyeselh · Jan 3, 2008, 05:33 PM

yeah the 1950 pro would be a great choice for XP, well its the best choice for windows XP, and besides the HD 2600 pro is not really a gaming card, its more for multimedia, the card i have even beats it in most benchmark tests, using windows XP you wouldn't get the new features out of 2600, so go with dyre straits and get the X1950 pro

brianfast · Jan 6, 2008, 11:31 PM

Anyone know about the drivers? And again, I will want to "upgrade" to vista later. I though that was implied.

Dyre Straits · Jan 7, 2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianfast

Anyone know about the drivers? And again, I will want to "upgrade" to vista later. I though that was implied.

What you said was this: "I would not be using Vista but at some point I will want DX10."

And, as was pointed out, you cannot have DX10 without using Vista. So, the responses are based on a possible misconception that you could have DX10 without using Vista. (There ARE reports circulating that the limitations are being removed either by 'wrappers' or other means and [maybe] DX 10 will someday be workable on XP. That remains to be seen, however.)

But, per your post, there is no implication at all that you had planned to upgrade at some point to Vista. At least not based on what you actually wrote.

Now, based on the clarification that you DO plan to upgrade to Vista at some point, if you're wanting to ease into this upgrade, you'd be better off putting the money into a 3870 rather than any 2xxx series card. The price differences are so minimal it would be a waste to put the money into anything under a 3870 or comparable video card. Your immediate performance of the card will be greatly diminished due to your current setup. But, as you upgrade your system, the performance will be more appreciated.

Also, I'd be reluctant to actually suggest/advise that you even invest in an AGP card at all if you're planning an upgrade within the next few months. You really need to go to PCIe to get the better performance and driver support needed for it.

If you can give us a blueprint on what your plans are, perhaps a better recommendation can be given.

CDsDontBurn · Jan 7, 2008, 03:20 PM

i agree with the above. go for the x1950pro/xt if you plan on sticking to AGP.

if you plan on upgrading your whole system, save the cash on the AGP card and go full on out w/pci-e

brianfast · Jan 10, 2008, 11:37 PM

It was implied, this is a graphics forum. I assume most people know Vista is the only os that officially supports DX10. And it seems like no one knows the answer to "does it even have working drivers". What a driver forum.

Dyre Straits · Jan 11, 2008, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianfast

It was implied, this is a graphics forum. I assume most people know Vista is the only os that officially supports DX10. And it seems like no one knows the answer to "does it even have working drivers". What a driver forum.

Maybe in your own mind it was implied, but, what you actually wrote does NOT imply anything of the sort. "I will not be using Vista" is very, very clear. Maybe what you meant was, "I will not be using Vista immediately, but will at some point be upgrading to it in order to use DirectX 10." That would have been very, very clear and absent of any implications whatsoever.

And, since we do deal with drivers here, there is a lot of hullabaloo about the possibility of using DX10 under XP at some point. With that in mind, it's quite possible that you may have been implying that you would be wanting to use DX10 under XP with a DX10 capable video card. That's not a too far-fetched implication to make from your statement. You'd be in a lot of other good company if that's your intention.

However, all we can go by is what you actually wrote; not what you were thinking while you were typing.

Now, you asked specifically if the 2600 PRO AGP card would be a good investment at this time with the idea in mind that you will be upgrading....in some fashion....which we still don't have a clue as to how you actually wish to be upgrading.

But, based on what we do know at this point, no, the 2600 Pro AGP card is not the best investment...nor a good one...at this time. The HD2600 XT 'might' be as it has much faster VRAM installed. (DDR3 on the XT vs. DDR2 on the Pro.)

ATI/AMD is still trying to sort out the driver-related problems with AGP cards. Some people have had good luck with the latest 7.12s. But, there isn't a universal correction of this problem as yet. Omegadrivers based on XP 7.12s use an older file that does make it more compatible with AGP cards. So, if you do get an ATI/AMD AGP card, you would want to check out the Omegadrivers.

I still say, however, that, based on cost vs. performance, if you're planning any serious upgrading over the next few months, the money should go into a solid PCI Express system rather than AGP.

Dec 25, 2007, 03:57 PM	#1
brianfast DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	Getting 2600HDPRO AGP? Hi I am wondering if getting a 2600HD card (AGP) would be a good idea to upgrade from my Nvidia geforce 6600LE. I hear there are/were driver issues? Are they resolved. I would not be using Vista but at some point I will want DX10. Also since I would be switching graphics card companies, do I need to reinstall windows like on a new mobo?

Jan 7, 2008, 03:20 PM	#7
CDsDontBurn 127.0.0.1 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 21,842 Rep Power: 133 System Specs	i agree with the above. go for the x1950pro/xt if you plan on sticking to AGP. if you plan on upgrading your whole system, save the cash on the AGP card and go full on out w/pci-e __________________ CD's Corner // Her first day // A year later // RX-8 Club 3Dmark06 - 4176 // 3Dmark05 - 7459 // 3Dmark03 - 14289 // PCmark05 - 4453 // PCmark04 - 6297

Jan 2, 2008, 12:31 AM	#2
deadeyeselh DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Canada Posts: 33 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	in order to use DX10 you need windows vista, why? because microsoft is full of wankers and want to make more money. and no you dont need to reinstall windows, yeah i think the HD 2600 pro would be a good choice, but if you dont want to get windows vista go with X1650 pro like what i have

Jan 3, 2008, 05:33 PM	#4
deadeyeselh DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Canada Posts: 33 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	yeah the 1950 pro would be a great choice for XP, well its the best choice for windows XP, and besides the HD 2600 pro is not really a gaming card, its more for multimedia, the card i have even beats it in most benchmark tests, using windows XP you wouldn't get the new features out of 2600, so go with dyre straits and get the X1950 pro

Jan 6, 2008, 11:31 PM	#5
brianfast DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	Anyone know about the drivers? And again, I will want to "upgrade" to vista later. I though that was implied.

Jan 10, 2008, 11:37 PM	#8
brianfast DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	It was implied, this is a graphics forum. I assume most people know Vista is the only os that officially supports DX10. And it seems like no one knows the answer to "does it even have working drivers". What a driver forum.