What graphics can I put on a PA-2013

I posted the following on a video group. Someone suggested I post it
on here incase someone can advise me on the capabilities of my
motherboard .......

I have an old PC which my son would like to use for games, but the
video isn't up to it. How can I tell if I can add a video card to it?
Despite being a software techie of many years standing, not being a
games or CAD person I've never bothered to look into graphics.

It has an Sis 6326 (see below) which a google seach tells me is an AGP
video card. If this is correct, presumably I can swap this out for one
with more memory. After a very little research into cards, I was
looking at GeForce4 (64Mb) on eBay, as I don't want to spend much on
adding to an old m/c.

Here's the Belarac analysis of the machine:

Operating System: Windows 98
System Model : (built buy a shop for me)

Processor : 500 megahertz AMD K6-2 w/3DNow
64 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Main Circuit : First International Computer, Inc. PA-2013 PCB 2.X
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 4.51 PG
03/21/00

Memory : 2 x 128 Mb memory in sep slots, with 2 spare

Controllers : floppy, primary & secondary IDE
VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller

Display : SiS 6326 [Display adapter]
Plug and Play Monitor

Multimedia : Creative Gameport Joystick
Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI 128
Sound Blaster AudioPCI 128 Legacy Device
Wave Device for Voice Modem

Any advice welcomed!

Thanks

Pete Jones

I currently have a Geforce4 MX 420 (64 MB, AGP) running in a VA-503A,
which is more or less a Baby-AT sibling of the PA-2013, and it runs with
no problems.

I am pretty sure I have one of the last revisions of the VA-503A, and it
sounds like you have one of the last revisions of the PA-2013. The reason
that I bring this up is that earlier revisions had trouble running some
AGP cards due to voltage requirements.

Our motherboards support AGP 1.0, which means they support AGP 1x/2x with
a voltage of 3.3 V. This is something you will need to watch out for.
Some of the newer AGP 8x cards will support this old AGP standard, but
others will not. Take a look at the manufacturer's website if you are in
doubt. Any graphics card that maxes out at AGP 4x should be OK, though.

For an AMD K6-2 500, I would probably suggest something like a Geforce4 MX
or a Radeon 7500. Actually, even these cards may be overkill, but you can
get them relatively cheaply, so why not?

By the way, one unexpected plus I found with my MX 420 is the DVD
playback. Even with a lowly K6-3 350, I get beautiful full-screen
playback at 1024x768 with PowerDVD 4. ATI cards were always known for
this, and apparently, the Geforce4 MX series has a pretty significant DVD
boost, too.

Hope this helps.

--Alex


Pete wrote:

 > I posted the following on a video group. Someone suggested I post it
 > on here incase someone can advise me on the capabilities of my
 > motherboard .......
 >
 > I have an old PC which my son would like to use for games, but the
 > video isn't up to it. How can I tell if I can add a video card to it?
 > Despite being a software techie of many years standing, not being a
 > games or CAD person I've never bothered to look into graphics.
 >
 > It has an Sis 6326 (see below) which a google seach tells me is an AGP
 > video card. If this is correct, presumably I can swap this out for one
 > with more memory. After a very little research into cards, I was
 > looking at GeForce4 (64Mb) on eBay, as I don't want to spend much on
 > adding to an old m/c.
 >
 > Here's the Belarac analysis of the machine:
 >
 > Operating System: Windows 98
 > System Model : (built buy a shop for me)
 >
 > Processor : 500 megahertz AMD K6-2 w/3DNow
 > 64 kilobyte primary memory cache
 > 1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
 >
 > Main Circuit : First International Computer, Inc. PA-2013 PCB 2.X
 > Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
 > BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 4.51 PG
 > 03/21/00
 >
 > Memory : 2 x 128 Mb memory in sep slots, with 2 spare
 >
 > Controllers : floppy, primary & secondary IDE
 > VIA Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
 >
 > Display : SiS 6326 [Display adapter]
 > Plug and Play Monitor
 >
 > Multimedia : Creative Gameport Joystick
 > Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI 128
 > Sound Blaster AudioPCI 128 Legacy Device
 > Wave Device for Voice Modem
 >
 > Any advice welcomed!
 >
 > Thanks
 >
 > Pete Jones<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->