If you've been looking to upgrade your computer video card you've probably heard a great deal about PCI Express and SLI. Don't run out and buy a new computer just yet and take that AGP motherboard you just threw away out of the trash. The truth is you can probably make some simple upgrades to your current computer to get a couple more years of gaming out of it. Of course if you have an extremely slow processor and/or less than an 8x AGP motherboard, you will need to do more than upgrade your graphics card. However, in most cases people's computers are only a couple of years old and really have plenty of processing power.
The three things to look at are your memory, motherboard, and video card. To get the most out of the more recent games you want to have at least 1GB of RAM. This is a very simple upgrade and only takes a couple of minutes. For more information on upgrading your memory you can visit my website. Second, check to be sure your AGP slot on your current motherboard is 8x. If your memory and motherboard meet these standards you're in luck. A new video card will probably float you for at least another year, likely two if you get a top of the line card. The thing to remember is that PCI Express is new technology and not nearly as widespread as AGP is. Game companies want to make as much money as possible from each game. For this reason, they will try to make the games play well on the widest array of platforms. When you think about it like this, it is easy to see how AGP will be useful for a while longer. For more information on AGP video cards visit the Video Card review section of my website.
If your motherboard isn't up to par or your processor is outdated it is time for an upgrade. If you are a do-it-yourselfer like I am, you should look into building your own computer. It's not as difficult as you might think and can save you a good deal of money.
Nathan Holsing is the editor of Gaming-Computers.net a website about building and upgrading computers.
All in one printers, also known as multifunction printers (MFPs),... Read More
Looking for a real bargain on laptop batteries? How do... Read More
Computer network installation has become an essential prerequisite for any... Read More
Tools needed:1 - 10cc Injector1 - 4" - 5" of... Read More
Well, we've all seen the advert, but that's not what... Read More
RFID technology is used frequently today and has been around... Read More
Picking your way through the ton of information available on... Read More
Hard drives - Hard drives are a little more complicated.... Read More
Printers are on-line devices initially categorised as being either impact... Read More
All capacitors have a certain amount of resistance to the... Read More
Soon the human brain will be completely interfaced with the... Read More
It's no big secret that printer companies like HP and... Read More
You are working at your computer and trying to print... Read More
Are you captivated by the stunning Case Mods you've seen... Read More
Notebook Computers Are Sexy!Granted, the notebook computer may just be... Read More
As the proud owner of a laptop computer, you'll want... Read More
I came across quite a number of questions about electronic... Read More
The ability to easily move data from PC to PC... Read More
Contrary to popular belief, tape drives are generally robust and... Read More
It appears we need to further streamline health care and... Read More
Many technicians are confused on how to really read a... Read More
A fuse is a very thin wire, which either melts... Read More
When bought personal DVD player, the very next thing to... Read More
Video technology has increased significantly over the past years, and... Read More
Wow- if you do it first time and have some... Read More
Expansion Cards Part 2: AGPThe first in this series of... Read More
From throwing our unnecessary files, to defragmenting, from partitions to... Read More
Compatible Laser Toner CartridgesRecently, there has been a huge legal... Read More
IMO, these sd work 'like a VCR' as far as... Read More
Have you ever felt like throwing the fax machine out... Read More
It appears we need to further streamline health care and... Read More
We all know that computers change more then any other... Read More
Cleaning a laser printer, fax, or copier of laser toner... Read More
You really enjoy those dvd movies and games and the... Read More
Laptop Notebook ? Your Portable OfficeIn much of today's business... Read More
OverviewAs "generic", "remanufactured", and "new compatible" inkjet printer cartridges and... Read More
Printers are on-line devices initially categorised as being either impact... Read More
My mother always told me to dust, but I never... Read More
Nothing is completely safe today. Adobe has recently released a... Read More
Do you feel overwhelmed when buying a computer or a... Read More
A couple of the recent Tech Tips from www.geeks.com have... Read More
Soon the human brain will be completely interfaced with the... Read More
Switch mode power supply contain some large filter capacitors that... Read More
If you've been in the market for a new computer... Read More
The importance of a bar code reader in this day... Read More
When you work in an office, it's important to lock... Read More
Have you noticed that laptop computers are beginning to dictate... Read More
Used laptop computers are everywhere these days. How can you... Read More
The USB standard has become the universal means of connection... Read More
Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's... Read More
Computer Hardware Computer Hardware |