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Introduction to the AGP bus
The AGP bus (short for Accelerated Graphics Port) was released in May 1997 for Slot One chipsets, then was later released for Super 7 chips in order to manage graphical data flow, which had grown to large to be handled by a PCI bus. The AGP bus is directly linked to the processor's FSB (Front Side Bus) and uses the same frequency, for increased bandwidth.
The AGP interface was developed specifically to connect with the video card, by opening a direct memory access (DMA) channel to the graphics board, bypassing the input-output controller. Cards which employ this graphics bus theoretically require less on-board memory; because they can directly access graphical data (such as textures) stored in central memory, their cost is hypothetically lower.
Version 1.0 of the AGP bus, which used 3.3 V of power, had a 1X mode that could send 8 bytes every two cycles, and a 2x mode for transferring 8 bytes per cycle.
- Older 2X AGP cards do not use the right voltage to function properly in the newer 1.5V AGP slots. If forced into a 1.5V AGP slot, a non-1.5V compliant video card will damage the motherboard.
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In 1998, AGP version 2.0 added AGP 4X, which could send 16 bytes per cycle. Version 2.0 of AGP was powered by 1.5 V, and AGP 2.0 'universal' connectors which could support either voltage were released.
You can put a standard AGP 4x or 8x card into any AGP Pro slot, but it must have a metalised register tab (the L-shape one). I'm running a 6200 in my AGP Pro50 (4x) slot. I'm certain your 6600GT will work fine in any AGP slot other than AGP 1.0 (2x), but will probably work best in an AGP 8x slot because it's rated at 0.8V and will obviously run. If it's a UNIVERSAL slot, then yes. If it's a 4x-only or 4x/8x, no. The card and slot connectors are mechanically keyed to prevent from plugging stuff together that doesn't work together. Look at the FAQ at www.ati.com for pictures and explanations. Original AGP 3.3V slots, one notch at the front-end (the side that, if a card is installed, you plug in the monitor/vga cable) AGP 1.5V slots (one notch more towards the back -end) Universal AGP slots - support multiple voltages (no notches, so both types of cards fit in it).
AGP version 3.0, released in 2002, doubled the speed of AGP 2.0 with a new AGP 8x mode.
Characteristics of AGP
The AGP 1X port operates at 66 MHz, as opposed to 33 MHz for a PCI bus, giving it a top speed of 264 MB/s (vs. 132 MB/s, shared between all the cards, for PCI). This gives AGP better performance, especially when displaying complicated 3D scenes.
When AGP 4X was released, its speed went up to 1 GB/s. This generation of AGP used 25 W of power. The next generation was named AGP Pro and used 50W.
AGP Pro 8x offers speeds of 2 GB/s.
The transfer speeds for the various AGP standards are:
- AGP 1X: 66.66 MHz x 1(coef.) x 32 bits /8 = 266.67 MB/s
- AGP 2X: 66.66 MHz x 2(coef.) x 32 bits /8 = 533.33 MB/s
- AGP 4X: 66.66 MHz x 4(coef.) x 32 bits /8 = 1.06 GB/s
- AGP 8X: 66.66 MHz x 8(coef.) x 32 bits /8 = 2.11 GB/s
It should be noted that each of these AGP standards is backwards-compatible, meaning that AGP 4X or AGP 2X cards can be inserted into an AGP 8X slot.
AGP Connectors
Recent motherboards are built with a general AGP connector which can be identified by its brown color. There are three types of connectors:
- AGP 1.5 volt connector:
- AGP 3.3 volt connector:
- Universal AGP connector:
Summary
Here is a table summarising the technical specifications for each version and mode of AGP: | AGP | Voltage | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| AGP 1.0 | 3.3 V | 1x, 2x |
| AGP 2.0 | 1.5 V | 1x, 2x, 4x |
| AGP 2.0 universal | 1.5 V, 3.3 V | 1x, 2x, 4x |
| AGP 3.0 | 1.5 V | 4x, 8x |
More information
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AGP or Accelerated Graphics Port was the most popular and common interface for connecting graphics cards on motherboards. It was a high-bandwidth channel and remains on the motherboards for quite a long time. Another interface was PCI but it was a slower channel and not many graphics cards were made for PCI slot in the past.
Generally, AGP came in two variants, first was the AGP 4x which has lower bandwidth and the second one was the AGP 8x which has double the bandwidth of AGP 4x. AGP 4x has a maximum transfer rate of 1066Mb/s whereas AGP 8x has 2133 MB/s. There were also AGP 1x and AGP 2x interfaces but they were very slow and not used that frequently. AGP slot is smaller in size than the PCI and other graphics card interfaces. You won’t see AGP slot in the current generation motherboards because today PCI Express x16 is used for connecting graphics cards which has much higher bandwidth compared to the older AGP graphics card interface.
In older motherboards, you may be able to find AGP slot and if you wish to upgrade the graphics of your older PC then you will need an AGP Graphics Card for it. AGP graphics cards are nearly extinct in production but you can still find some good AGP Graphics Card in the market or online for your older PC or server. To help you out on this, here I am providing you the list of best available AGP graphics cards that you can buy online.
Check out:Best PCI Graphics Cards for Older PCs
Best AGP Video Cards for Older Motherboards
Here are some of the best available AGP video cards for use in AGP slot motherboards. These AGP graphics cards are compatible with both AGP 4x and AGP 8x interface.
Dell Nvidia GeForce4 MX 420 AGP Video Card
This is a very basic and older AGP VGA video card that is based on the Nvidia GeForce4 MX 420 chipset. This is the Genuine Dell Nvidia GeForce4 MX 420 video card and it comes with 64MB memory and VGA & S-Video output. It is a low profile graphics card having is AGP 4x type.
It is passively cooled by a smaller heatsink located on the GPU. The maximum resolution supported by this card is 2048 x 1536 pixels at 75 MHz refresh rate. This card can really prove useful for users who have older computers with AGP slots and need to replace the integrated graphics.
| Dell Nvidia GeForce4 MX 420 AGP Specifications | |
| GPU | GeForce4 MX 420 |
| Memory | 64 MB |
| Interface | AGP 4x |
| DirectX | 7 |
| Output Ports | VGA, S-Video |
EVGA Geforce FX 5200 128MB DDR AGP Video Card
Geforce FX 5200 was a very popular entry-level GeForce FX or GeForce 5 series graphics card back in older days. Here we have EVGA Geforce FX 5200 AGP Video Card that comes with 128MB DDR video memory which is more than enough for general tasks. It is also a low profile video card that has got VGA and S-Video display ports.
This is a great card to replace your older PC display or to make it work again. The card is passively cooled with a black heatsink that covers half of the card. This is a DirectX 9 video card and it works with Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7. You might be able to play some of the older games on this card.
| EVGA Geforce FX 5200 128MB DDR AGP Specifications | |
| GPU | Geforce FX 5200 |
| Memory | 128 MB DDR |
| Interface | AGP 4x/8x |
| DirectX | 9 |
| Output Ports | VGA, S-Video |
EVGA GeForce 6200 512 MB DDR2 AGP 8X Video Card
This is one of the most powerful AGP graphics cards in the list here. Here we have EVGA GeForce 6200 AGP 8X video card that comes with 512 MB DDR2 memory. It is an entry-level or budget Geforce 6 series graphics card and was quite popular back in the older days.
This is not a low profile video card and is passively cooled by a small black heatsink. The card has got one VGA and one DVI port at the back for setting up dual monitors. This card can be used for light gaming, running dual monitors, onboard video replacement and standard tasks. This is a DirectX 9 card and supports AGP 8X. It is compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 operating system. You may get this graphics card under 50 dollars and do check out the link below for its current status. Highly Recommended by me.
| EVGA GeForce 6200 512MB DDR2 Specifications | |
| GPU | GeForce 6200 |
| Memory | 512 MB DDR2 |
| Interface | AGP 8x |
| DirectX | 9 |
| Output Ports | VGA, DVI, S-Video |
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VisionTek Radeon 3450 512MB DDR2 AGP 8X Graphics Card
This is the most powerful AGP video card in this list. Here we have VisionTek Radeon 3450 AGP video card that comes with 512MB DDR2 memory. This is a full-sized DirectX 10.1 graphics card that comes with an active cooling solution consisting of heatsink and fan (HSF). Radeon 3450 has got 40 stream processors and supports Shader Model 4.1.
This is an AGP 8X card and comes with both VGA and DVI ports. The card has good HD capabilities and can support dual monitors. You can play some of the older games on this video card. This card should be a great companion for your older PC having an AGP slot. The card does require additional power from the PSU through a 4-pin Molex connector. It supports Windows XP / Vista /7 operating systems.
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| VisionTek Radeon 3450 512MB DDR2 AGP Specifications | |
| GPU | Radeon 3450 |
| Memory | 512 MB DDR2 |
| Interface | AGP 8X |
| DirectX | 10.1 |
| Output Ports | VGA, DVI |
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Final Words
Well, here I have listed down the best AGP video cards that you can still buy today. You can put them on your AGP motherboard and make your older PC display work again. If you have queries regarding them, then you can ask me by leaving a comment below