Upgrading your computers graphics card may seem like an easy process, but you must consider what type of graphics card suits your needs. The various differences between peripheral component interconnect (PCI) and accelerated graphics port (AGP) graphics cards is something to keep in mind.
Comparison
PCI technology was not originally designed specifically for graphics cards. It was designed for multiple devices such as sound cards, modems, TV tuners, USB controllers and network cards. AGP technology was designed to deal with video-related tasks.
In addition to its own memory, an AGP graphics card can use your computer's memory to perform tasks. PCI graphics cards use only the memory that is available on the card itself.
History
PCI cards were first introduced in 1992. AGP cards were first available in 1996, to provide increased data transfer speed for graphics cards.
Speed
PCI cards reach a peak data transfer rate of 132 MB/s, whereas AGP cards can reach speeds up to 533 MB/s. AGP graphics cards do not share bandwidth with other devices on your system, allowing them to perform better. PCI cards were not specifically designed to streamline one task at a time, but AGP cards specifically target and complete graphics-related operations.
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