GMA 900 Graphics

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 01:03 AM

So,I've got this card,called Intel 82915.The motherboard hasn't got any 16x PCI-E slot and so,I'm doomed...

Is there any way I can add a PCI card without changing my motherboard?Don't ask about my budget..

..Any other thoughts?

Edit:Yeah,it doesn't have an AGP slot too,of course.Hence,I play all my games on this crappy card...

**sapi** · June 17, 2007, 01:16 AM

Not as far as I'm aware

**Doono** · June 17, 2007, 04:06 AM

They do make PCI graphics cardswhich will be better than intergrated graphics but i can assure you that these things wont be playing any new games on anything higher than low at a bad resolution.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...09642&name=PCI

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 04:19 AM

I'm sorry,guys,but I just have the integrated on-board graphics card and nothing fancy,only 'cause my motherboard doesn't support an additional card,neither a pci slot nor an agp slot.My motherboard is,I think...Intel 915 ****..I am unsure about what comes after that.I just know that it doesn't support a graphics card as an adjunct..

With regard to the quote above,I'm a bit confused..

**sapi** · June 17, 2007, 05:18 AM

Pretty much every motherboard has a PCI slot, distinctly different from a PCIE slot as seen on new mobos.

You can get graphics cards for it....but they're not going to be good. At all.

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 05:24 AM

Oh,I thought he meant PCIE before..

Very well then,is it possible to add a pcie slot to my motherboard some way?

Yes,I'm a complete n00b.

**Doono** · June 17, 2007, 09:19 AM

No you cannot add a PCI-e slot because it dosent work like that you have to use a card that will work with the boards structure.

PCI is different to PCI-E, you must have a spare PCI slot at least so look though the link i posted. But seriously post your budget, personally i wouldnt even bother tryign to upgrade it a PCI card will make very little difference. Im surprised people still have PCI only boards my very first computer had an agp slot and that was about 5 or 6 years ago lol.

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 09:31 AM

Well,my board was also supposed to contain a graphics slot but actually it's the only intel model which doesn't have one 'cause I bought the whole PC as one single unit and did not bother myself to assemble it.The company prefers to sell it without a PCIE slot.I wanted to know whether I could use some sort of interface which could enable me to use a PCIE card without actually having a slot for it,like attaching a component so it works for me.My budget is 500 $,so that's not the factor here..

**Erik** · June 17, 2007, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Annaeus

I wanted to know whether I could use some sort of interface which could enable me to use a PCIE card without actually having a slot for it,like attaching a component so it works for me.

You can't.
Anything you plug into a PCI slot will be as fast (or rather as slow) as PCI, so even if it were possible to make a PCI to PCIe or PCI to AGP adapter it would be rather useless.

But as stated before, there are PCI graphics card that you could use.
I've recently read about a new PCI GeForce 8500 card, there is even a thread about that card in this very forum. (just search 8500 or something like that).
It won't deliver great graphics, but most games will be playable on low settings.

My budget is 500 $,so that's not the factor here..

With that budget I recommend buying a new motherboard which does have a PCIe slot and supports your current CPU and RAM. (will cost about $100-$150).
And then buy whatever PCIe graphics card you like.

**Doono** · June 17, 2007, 10:39 AM

If you have $500 just get a new mobo lol, i could get you a setup for that price quite easily. Do you know what ram and processor your systems using at the mo?

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 10:43 AM

I can't get a new motherboard as my current motherboard supports only DDR version of ram and I recently bought 1 GB of it.And,as far as I know,the current motherboards support only DDR2..?:hmmm:

Currently,I have 1.5 GB RAM and 2.8 GHz processor.

**Banned** · June 17, 2007, 10:56 AM

Are the newest motherboards able to support DDR RAM,which already have a support for DDR2?That's the question troubling me,that's it..

**Erik** · June 17, 2007, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Annaeus

Are the newest motherboards able to support DDR RAM,which already have a support for DDR2?That's the question troubling me,that's it..

No, there aren't any motherboards that support both DDR and DDR2.
But you can still buy older models with DDR.

Also make sure it supports your CPU.

**Doono** · June 18, 2007, 02:40 AM

Im pretty sure some asrock mobos support duel setups, im guessing the 2.8ghz cpu is a socket 775 pentium 4 ?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157107

This is a great inbetween board supporting both DDR and DD2, AGP and PCI-E and can take a core 2 duo, so you cna take your time and upgrade the pieces you need for $61.99.
This will only take 2 sticks of either DDR or DDR2 sicne you can't mix RAM, is oen of the DDR sticks a 1 gig stick?

Or you can spend the $500 and buy these components

Mobo $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128042

CPU $139.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115014

RAM $99.99 (has a $25 mail in rebate to lower the cost)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820144062

Graphics card $159.99 (has a $30 mail in rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161060

$498.97 before rebates
$443.97 after rebates

So take your pick

the new system is a much better chocie than upgrading it and it will be a hell of a lot more powerfull but it's your cash.