# Throwback Build – Swapping out my X800 Pro for a X1950 Pro



## s3thra (Jun 1, 2019)

What originally started off as an “Ultimate” Windows 98 SE build – I.E. all hardware that has driver compatible with Windows 98 SE, has now become a simple nostalgia build from one of my favourite eras of DIY PC building – circa 2003-06. The Windows 98 SE design goal was fun to build around, though it really got to me that I was unable to utilize the second core of my Athlon 64 X2, which seems to affect performance in games like UT2004 tremendously. Not to mention Windows 98’s primitive memory management.

You can see my original intentions for this PC here.

Unfortunately I started building this PC before I had joined the TPU community, so the initial build is largely undocumented. I conceived the idea somewhere around the end of last year though.

Originally I had a Geforce 6600GT to accompany my Socket 939 Athlon 64 X2 3800+. Eventually though, I wanted to squeeze a little bit more out of the GPU side of things, so I upgraded to the X800 Pro.

This was a nice upgrade to the 6600GT, but after a little while though, I realized the X800 Pro was on it’s last legs. It was starting to lock the system up and freeze when under heavy load. Not good. Time to swap it out.

So, after committing to the idea that my X800 Pro beastie must be replaced, rather than putting the 6600GT back inside, I decided to pick up the AGP version of the X1950 Pro on eBay. This is a card that I could only dream of buying back when it came out, but I didn’t have any money at the time to spend on flashy computer components when I was studying.

So it’s nice to finally get my hands on one. Sent all the way from Russia, with love, to Australia, I’ve installed Windows XP on my PC to start playing some games from the final days of the AGP video card era.

*Specs*

ECS NFORCE3-A939 mobo
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Sapphire X1950 Pro 512MB DDR3 AGP
1GB DDR PC3200
Western Digital 640GB 2.5" HDD - WD6400BPVT
Cougar MX330-G TG case
CoolerMaster SickleFlow X 120mm Green LED fans x 3
Thermaltake Contac 9 CPU Cooler
Corsair VS450 PSU

*Pics

X1950 Pro*

 

*X1950 Pro vs X800 Pro*

The X1950 Pro has quite a bit bigger PCB than the X800 Pro. It has dual molex for power too.

*Internals*
 
Mounted inside the case. Off/on.

*Case*

A view from the outside.

_Now, time for some UT2004 and Doom 3..._


----------

