8X AGP in a 4X AGP Slot...will it work??

Discussion in 'Video Cards, Displays and TV Tuners' started by Bearen36, Feb 3, 2006.

  1. Bearen36

    Bearen36 Geek Trainee

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    I have an XFX 6600GT 8X AGP card that I would like to test in another motherboard, and right now all I have is a PCChips M811LU MB that I can use to put it in.

    Will the 8X card work in a 4X slot? A friend tells me it should, but it will only work at the 4X level. I'm thinking it won't work at all, I had a similar experieince when I first upgraded to 8X and the ASUS board I had at the time would not allow it.

    This is just a test to see if the video card is still viable, I replaced it out of my main PC when it was causing me to reboot on certain games.
     
  2. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    It depends on the AGP version as well as the speed:
    AGP 2 = 2x 4x
    AGP 3 = 4x 8x

    So if it's AGP 3 then you're fine, otherwise don't do it.

    (If I'm wrong about the AGP version thing please correct me)
     
  3. Bearen36

    Bearen36 Geek Trainee

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    The AGP version of the card, or the motherboard??
     
  4. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Both matter but in this case it's the motherboard, that 6600GT is AGP 3 (8x) so it's the motherboard that matters.
     
  5. Big B

    Big B HWF Godfather

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    That's correct.
     
  6. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    There's also violtage differences between the connectors.

    AGP 1.0 = 3.3v
    AGP 2.0 = 3.3V or 1.5V
    AGP Pro = 3.3V or 1.5V
    AGP 3.0 = 1.5V

    Here's a good description found through a google search.
     
  7. Matt

    Matt Oblivion Junky

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    I have a friend who's bought a Gainward 6600 256 AGP and he's got a AGP 1 slot. It works in his pc but only at 1X which does not make any sense.

    He asked me to try it in my pc last night and i have AGP 3 so it should have worked very well. However i was not impressed. It couldnt even run UT2004 at full eye candy. That is a bit sad seing that my fx 5700le 256 runs it at half of the max setings.

    So to answer your question i say that it WILL WORK but not very well at all. I can back this up again cuz my old pc worked with my 5700 even though it only had AGP 2.
     
  8. pelvis_3

    pelvis_3 HWF Member For Life

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    That being said, depending on what CPU you are running, your video card could be bottle-necking your CPU and that's a possibility on why it's running poorly.
    Also, the 6600 on it's own isn't an extremely powerful card so you can't expect to run games on max settings on all games.
     
  9. ynwa

    ynwa Geek Trainee

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    I had an 8x AGP card in a 4x slot for ages, no problems at all
     
  10. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    If the 4x slot was AGP 3 then yes it would be fine.

    EDIT: Nice rig you're running there ynwa!
     
  11. JAY

    JAY sCoRpiOn

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    it will most probably work in a AGP 4x slot..the main theory is that the AGP 8x card will automatically downsize to the 4x speed..so yah it will work coz i did test a few cards on my 4x mobo..pliz reply to give some feedback..

    cheeers
     
  12. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Yeah it will work if that 4x slot is of the AGP 3 standard, if it's a 4x slot of the AGP 2 standard then it won't
     
  13. bluesman

    bluesman Geek Trainee

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    how can you tell what version it is in your mobo
     
  14. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Depends what motherboard model you've got.
     

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