8x AGP card for an ASRock K7S8XE mobo

[bcass]

This mobo only supports 1.5V AGP cards. I am thinking of buy this: http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=55275

The spec on the ATI site states:

"AGP 2X (3.3V), 4X (1.5V), 8X (0.8v) or Universal AGP 3.0 bus configuration (2X/4X/8X) or PCI bus"

The K7S8XE manual states that the mobo will only support 1.5V cards. If I use the RADEON 9200SE will it force it to run at 4X @ 1.5V or will it run at 8X @ 0.8V?

Does the mobo manual mean that it will support 1.5V only (and therefore run only @ 4X with the Radeon 9200SE), or does it mean that it will support a max of 1.5V (and will therefore run @ 8X @ 0.8V using the Radeon 9200SE)?

If not, then can anyone recommend an AGP card that does 8X @ 1.5V?

I really have no idea what to get. I only use my PC for work and for emulation.

Thanks in advance for any info.

[mid]

If you only use your PC for work and emulation, why the heck do you absolutely 100% have to have AGP 8X or your money back? The difference isn't even that big at the best of times; if you're not throwing seventeen tonnes of texturemaps at the thing you're not going to tell either way.

[bcass]

If you only use your PC for work and emulation, why the heck do you absolutely 100% have to have AGP 8X or your money back? The difference isn't even that big at the best of times; if you're not throwing seventeen tonnes of texturemaps at the thing you're not going to tell either way.

Sure, but if I am paying for a card that supports 8X (like the one I posted a link to), then I'd like to know that that is what I'm getting.

[mid]

Fair enough, I'd just caution that (a) there isn't much, if any, practical difference in the apps you'll be using, and (b) you're not really 'wasting money' because every modern card supports 8x, so there isn't a price premium there.

I'm not aware of any cards running at such a low voltage, though; certainly not ones that wouldn't be beaten by any half decent card running at 4x.

[Hohum]

If your motherboard only supports 1.5v, then it is an AGP 4x slot that you have. The card will run fine as it is backwards compatible with AGP 4x, besides which there is practically no difference performance wise between 4x and 8x. AGP 8x does indeed use 0.8v, but these voltage values mentioned aren't what powers the card - they are signalling voltages.

[bcass]

Thanks for the replies. My mobo definitely supports 8X, it is stated in the manual. I just wondered if anyone knew of any 8x agp cards that ran at 1.5v. If they aren't common, then I will go for the Radeon. It may well turn out that my mobo will detect it as 8x, its just that it isn't cleari in the manual if it will or not.

[Willei]

I've used my K7S8X with a Geforce Ti4200, FX5800, and now a 6600. All of these are AGP 8X, and I've never had a problem. The board does have perfomance and stability problems with with the Radeon 9800 series, I read these are mostly ironed out now with recent bios updates. Either way, the card you linked shouldn't have any problems at all.

[Valken]

I've just been checking the voltages on various bits of my system using a tool that came with it and it says that the AGP voltage I'm using is 1.5V and it's definitely running in AGP 8x with my 6800GT so you should be fine.

[bcass]

Thanks for the advice. I opted for the 9800SE and it seems to work fine in 8X mode.

[Valken]

Glad to hear you got it sorted.