Korean Job Discussion Forums

Beageal · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:25 am Post subject: Motherboards Int.

I bought a pretty good used computer not too long ago, for a pretty good price. Last week I went to Yongsan to by an all-new kick-asser of a video card. I bought the GeForce 7800 GTX. Brand new, top-of-the-line thing here.

This is the first time I've ever upgraded a graphics card, so despite the research I did do beforehand, I went in just ignorant enough to walk out with a 570,000 won something that won't fit my motherboard. I've got AGP slots, it needs some form of PCI.

AGP isn't completely out-of-date, but this particular card doesn't have an AGP model. And there aren't any competitors of equal quality at all, that deal in AGP (yet).

But I kinda doubt they'll give me a full refund with a promise that I'll come back whenever ATI releases their next AGP-compatible card. I actually have no idea what the typical Yongsan computer shop's attitude towards exchange/refund is (I do still have the reciept, of course).

But here are my options as I see them:

1) Try to get the computer store to let me trade down to a year-old AGP card, refunding the rest of the money (which would be in the 200,000 range, maybe more). A not-as-good card would be okay, but it isn't really what I want.

2) Upgrade the motherboard I've got. Lots of potential problems in there, though. I've never done such a thing, I don't know how tough it is to install, or how easy it is to screw it all up. I've got an idea of how expensive it is -- I think I could get a decent motherboard/processor combo for less than 500,000 won. Then I'd need to get all-new RAM (and just a month ago I spent 100,000 on RAM for THIS computer, naturally). Then, when I (presumably) leave Korea in about 14 months, I'll take the various compenent parts out of the tower and bring them with me.

I'm leaning towards #2, but I wonder if there'll be any issues with using a designed-for-use-in-Korea motherboard in Canada. Are there power issues, or anything like that I should know about? If I buy a new power box in Canada, will it clash with any of my various Korean parts?

Or am I being an ass about all this? Is there actually a good, fairly new video card out there that should be compatible with my AGP slot, one that'll run Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 and F.E.A.R. and all that at great quality and will have another couple of years before it's completely obsolete?

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Defintiely option 2.
No there won't be any compatiblity issues between Canada and Korea. At least not where the board is concerned. That's a power supply issue.

As you have noticed video cards a way more expensive than motherboards these days- if you've got the kickass video card then get a compatible board, don't go back down to AGP and leave your wonderful new video card on the shelf growing obsolute with every day that passes.

Beageal · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:47 am Post subject:

Oh, believe me, I wouldn't be leaving this card on the shelf. The only way option 1 is an option is if the store at Yongsan flat-out won't do any kind of exchange or refund for me. It would be sitting growing obsolete in the PCI-enabled motherboard of whatever knowledgeable shopper picks it up after the store takes it back from me. As much as I'd love to get all that extra gear and give this GeForce guy a go, another 500,000 won plus whatever else I'll discover I need to spend really is a big chunk of money, after spending the 570,000 on the card, 100,000 on RAM a month ago (which I won't be able to use), not to mention what I spent about six months ago on the computer itself, for which the existing motherboard and video card (a not-all-that-bad Radeon 9200) would have made up the bulk of the cost.

A certain part of me yearns for the awe-inspiring pretties of the PCI card I've got sitting right here next to me in its shiny green box, but another part yearns to not drop any more money on this damn computer so soon.

And yet a third part of me just wishes there were some recent AGP cards for me to trade it in for. Ultimately, that's my ideal: that there's a decent AGP card I can get, and that the Yongsan shop will allow me to trade this card in and refund the difference.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Well, you asked about AGP compatible video cards for Doom3 HL2 etc. I'm currently running an ATI 9500 pro and it runs those just fine, but A)you won't find a 9500 pro as the profit margin for ATI on them was just too slim (so they released the inferior 9600; I don't know anything about the 9550 that's sometimes kicking around), and B) that card's a few years old now.
So it's accepted that nVidia have clawed their way back into top dog position with their latest PCI card, but for AGP,the only AGP card you should be considering is some form of ATI 9800.

Beageal · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:43 am Post subject:

The 9800? Isn't that already a couple of years old (IGN's review of the 9800 is from October 2003)? I don't doubt that it's good (I consider my 9200 to be doing me okay -- but now I can afford more than just "okay"), but ATI's already knee-deep into their X000 level, somewhere in the X800's, I believe. I've read a bit here and there about the X850 having an AGP version -- why would that one not be a good choice over the 9800, bearing in mind that I've got up to 570,000 credit to burn?

Of course, all this is moot if the Yongsan shop won't trade. I've got the business card here; I think I'll give them a call tomorrow afternoon. I just hope the woman who sold it to me -- the one who spoke perfect English -- will be there.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Du'oh!
You're right!
I had completely forgotten that the X line also has AGP as well as PCI compatible cards.

jazblanc77 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004

Check out the P5ND2-SLI Deluxe which will definitely maximise the performance of your GeForce 7800 card. This will run you as low as 172,000, depending on what kind of setup you want to run. Check it out on danawa

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

You may need a new CPU with a new mainboard as well.

The 6800Ultra is av. in AGP and will do all you need. The 7800 is amazing, but it's over the top in reality.

What size monitor do you have? A 17" will do 1280x1024 max, so why get a card made for 1600x1200? The 6800 will do 1280x1024 with 2xAA and 8xAF well. A 19"? Still, it will do 1600x1200 with noAA and 4xAF for even Doom3. At 1600x1200 who needs AA anyways.

The #2 option will be more expensive for little gain. #1 is more realistic unless you really do want to get a new MB, CPU, RAM and (unless you currently have SATA) a new HDD.