K6-2 and K6-3 Upgrade Guide

Words of Caution

While the results of our video upgrade are extremely promising for gamers out there looking for more speed, there are problems associated with using a newer AGP graphics card with your older AGP Super7 motherboard.

As the raw power of video cards increase, so does the amount of power they require to function. Quite a bit has changed in video card design from the TNT days, and newer cards such as the GeForce 256 and the GeForce2 require much more power than their predecessors. A common problem arises in many Super7 motherboards when the AGP slot cannot provide the AGP card with sufficient power. This can result in anything from the inability to even display video at boot-up to seemingly random lockups in 3D game play.

It is very hard to know if you motherboard is able to meet the power requirements of today's high power video cards. Chances are that if you have a lower quality motherboard or Super7 motherboard made early on, your motherboard will not be able to supply the AGP card with sufficient power. It is for this reason that we used the Epox MVP3G2, as it was one of the last Super7 boards in mass production and it has no problem dealing with any AGP video cards.

Is there any way to test your system for sufficient power without actually having a card? Not really. The best way to do it is to borrow a GeForce2 or GeForce 256 card from a friend and try it in your system. If you can loop Quake 3 Arena for 30 minutes or so, you should be in the clear. If you don't have access to a friend with a newer video card, it is best to find a retailer who will allow you to return a card if your computer can not handle its power requirements.

The only truly safe current generation video card upgrade that is out there now is 3dfx's Voodoo5 5500. As we noted in the card's review, the 5500 has a plug in the upper rear corner that takes an internal power connector to ensure that the card receives enough power. If you decide to go with the Voodoo5 5500, rest assured that the card will provide you with none of the power issues associated with some of the other cards out there.