An old 2004 Dell Dimension Desktop
Im running a Pentium 4 2.66 GHz Processor with about 1GB of RAM (Thinking about getting more.)

The System runs on PCI outlets for Modems and Graphics Cards. Before hand I had an Intel, standard come in the box issue Graphics card, I recently only updated to an Nvidia GeForce FX 5500 256 MB DDR graphics card

But it still is kinda crappy.

So I am curious as to just how advanced of a Graphics card I can get with out it making my Computer go KABOOM!

Can anyone help me please?

hello pacamania, if you only have PCI slots, it doesnt reallymatter how powerful your graphics card is. when it is limited by the PCI buses 133MB/s transfer rate. (in comparison, AGP8x has 4GB/s, and PCIe 16x has 8GB/s). That is about the best graphics card you can buy for PCI anyway. so your best bet is to upgrade your processor and Memory, or buy/build a new computer.

Mkay Thank you!

anytime. if you have any more questions, just ask

Actually, from the old GFX card, it sounds like the pc actually has AGP, if this is infact true, then it will be possible to purchase an AGP 3850, once it is available, although their availability will probably be questionable once it is finally launched.

In the meantime, to check whether it is infact AGP or PCI that your GFX card is running on, you would probably be best of taking a picture of the connector that connects your GFX card to the motherboard, then posting it on here, that way we will be able to tell for sure which type of connection it uses.

I am 90% sure that it will have AGP, as i have not seen a midrange P4, as your would have been in its time without it. I especially doubt that they would have made one without AGP in 2004.

Please open up your case, and look for a brown AGP slot on your motherboard please.