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With the introduction of two new AMD value parts in the sub-$100 (actually, sub-$75USD) PCIe space, it got me curious about the sub-$100USD AGP space. However, pretty much all I'm seeing in that space are HD3650 and leftover HD2400PRO cards.
Why am I looking in this space?
There are still some relatively decent AGP-based systems (running a variety of operating systems) that, with a decent AGP upgrade, can keep right on truckin; even more telling, some of these can't swallow 8x-only AGP cards (I recently ran into several ex-corporate P4 barebones based around the odd-sod Intel 845E AGPset; like the more commonplace 865PE and 875P, it supports DDR memory up to 400 MHz, every Northwood Intel made for S478, and card-based AGP, unlike the 865PE and 875P, however, it only has two DIMM slots and only supports 4x AGP). For this reason, certain AGP cards (such as my own X1650PRO) can't be passed down to these systems, as they don't support 4x AGP slots.
Here are the two cards under consideration (both from HIS)
HIS HD3650 AGP: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161237
HIS HD2600XT AGP: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161208
Both support 4X AGP, and neither is even $100 (including shipping); for some reason, the older 2600XT is the more expensive. However, which is the better performer in a 4x AGP Northwood (or other AGP single-core) PC?
Why am I looking in this space?
There are still some relatively decent AGP-based systems (running a variety of operating systems) that, with a decent AGP upgrade, can keep right on truckin; even more telling, some of these can't swallow 8x-only AGP cards (I recently ran into several ex-corporate P4 barebones based around the odd-sod Intel 845E AGPset; like the more commonplace 865PE and 875P, it supports DDR memory up to 400 MHz, every Northwood Intel made for S478, and card-based AGP, unlike the 865PE and 875P, however, it only has two DIMM slots and only supports 4x AGP). For this reason, certain AGP cards (such as my own X1650PRO) can't be passed down to these systems, as they don't support 4x AGP slots.
Here are the two cards under consideration (both from HIS)
HIS HD3650 AGP: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161237
HIS HD2600XT AGP: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161208
Both support 4X AGP, and neither is even $100 (including shipping); for some reason, the older 2600XT is the more expensive. However, which is the better performer in a 4x AGP Northwood (or other AGP single-core) PC?