X-bit labs

Majority of Enthusiasts Reject PCI Express-AGP Platforms, Says X-bit Poll.

Category: Other

by Anton Shilov

[ 12/28/2004 | 12:50 PM ]

While a substantial part of enthusiasts would like to have a platform that would sport both PCI Express and AGP busses, the majority of computer users would still prefer to have a PCI Express-only platform, either an ordinary one, or .

Recently released results of an X-bit Poll states that around 40% of users would consider a platform with PCI Express x16 and AGP 8x busses in order to keep their AGP graphics cards after upgrading their mainboards. A little bit lower amount of surveyed – approximately 38% - said they saw no reasons to upgrade the platform while keeping their old graphics cards. Roughly 22% expressed interest in a platform that supports two PCI Express slots.

X-bit labs believes the results reflect that the majority – 60% – of respondents prefer to upgrade the platforms along with the graphics cards. Still, 40% of readers would like to hold their graphics cards for a while after upgrading the platforms, which means that chipset designer VIA’s plans to bring a core-logic that would sport both AGP and PCI Express interconnections are realistic. It is especially noteworthy that 22% of potential customers bid on chipsets that sport two PCI Express slots, a technology that is required to run a high-end oriented Multi-GPU setup, such as a couple of NVIDIA GeForce 6-based graphics cards in the so-called SLI mode.

X-bit labs readers are technically savvy and typically make balanced purchase decisions based on in-depth investigation of technology and observing various benchmarks. Global audience that includes computer buyers that usually buy computers made by companies like Dell or HP, or upgrade computers less often, would put less emphasize on PCI Express-AGP and dual-PCI Express platforms.

The X-bit labs poll has surveyed about 3.3 thousand of respondents among technology enthusiasts in mid-December, 2004.