MSI 6712 8X AGP?

[times_champion]

I have an MSI 6712 mobo, which I am using with an athlon 2600+ processor, 512mb RAM and a Radeon 9500 card (non-pro). Basically i have to run the radeon on 4X AGP otherwise it freezes and craches constantly, this is because I think the AGP slot on the 6712 is 4X only, but please correct me if Im wrong. I am upgrading soon and was considering buying a 9800 pro, but every discription i have seen says its an 8X AGP card, does this mean it wont work with my mobo? Also, is it true the 6712 only supports processors up to 2.8GHZ? I ask because I am also planning on gettin a 3200+ Athlon in the next few months.

Basically, what I am asking is whether the 9800 pro will work with my mobo, or do you think it is better to buy a 9600 XT which works in 4X mode to be safe, or get a completely new mobo to fit my needs, if so what would you recommend?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[fishybawb]

All 8x AGP cards should be backwards compatible, but I've come across a few apparent exceptions in the past. A 3200+ runs at 2.2GHz, not 2.8GHz, but the best CPU that you'll be able to use in that board is an XP 3000+ (Barton core) since the maximum FSB is 166Mhz:

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...UID=362&kind=1

[times_champion]

So would a 3000+ be a sizeable improvement on the 2600+ I've already got? Basically if I can upgrade without changing my mobo I will. If I upgrade to the below config by christmas, will it sort me out for the next gen of games for the next year or two?

MSI 6712 mobo
Athlon XP 3000+
1GB RAM
Rdeon 9800 pro at 4X AGP

Cheers for your help

[fishybawb]

2600+ to 3000+ wouldn't be a worthwhile upgrade IMO. The system you mention there should be fine for a good while yet at reasonable resolutions/detail levels in newer games. One upgrade that people frequently miss is the hard disk - if you're running a 5400rpm model, upgrading to 7200rpm (8MB cache is good) will boost loading times and leave you with a snappy feeling system

[times_champion]

Thanks fishybawb, so basically I just need to get the radeon card and memory upgrade (and look at hard drive) and my existing processor should be OK for modern games like Doom 3 + half_life 2 etc at 1028 x 768 resolution? I dont tend to use any higher than that because the interface seems too fiddly.

[fishybawb]

Yes, your 2600+ will be fine for gaming - if you're desperate for a bit more performance, you could always take a look at overclocking it. 512MB of RAM would be sufficient really, but more won't hurt. The graphics card is going to make the biggest difference for gaming, and the 9800 Pro is a fine choice

[times_champion]

Thanks for all your help mate

[times_champion]

Just a quickie - As Im not getting a new processor, I may consider getting an audigy soundcard to use with my 5.1 speakers - my current mobo only has a realtek 97 onboard sound card. Would I run into any problems with this with my mobo - do you think its worth doing if I can get an audigy for under £100?

Thanks agin

[zybch]

The audigy 2 cards are fantastic and can take a large load off your CPU compared to the on-board sound devices. The audigy2 NZs are the best bang for buck right bow, but a plain onyl audigy will probably not sound any 'worse', remember that games still don't seem to make good use of the features on most add-in sound cards so an audigy 1 will be fine.