I am thinking of upgrading my Geforce 5500 fx to a better graphics card, but all i can find are PCI express graphics cards. Can PCI express work in PCI slots?

I have a hp home edition.

No. In spite of the similar names, PCIe (express) is a totally different slot than a PCI slot.

However, the 5500 fx is an AGP card so you should be able to replace yours with a new AGP - and even though PCIe is the current technology, there are still many good AGP cards available to choose from.

There are a couple concerns. (1) More powerful graphics cards love power - you MUST ensure your power supply is able to support a more powerful card. Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom. I recommend you set Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Then look for brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room.

(2) If you currently have less than 1Gb of RAM, I would suggest you upgrade your RAM first - that generally gives you the best bang for money. If you have 1Gb already, then an upgraded graphics card is the way to go.

Check out Tom's Hardware Best Gaming Graphics Card for the Money: Nov 2007 - scroll down a bit on page 6 for the start of the AGP cards.

Hi xxwolfxx

Welcome to WTT Forums

If you are still looking for information related to your question.... the answer is...No.

PCIe is most rapidly being incorporated for Graphics Adapters, though the architecture is likely to be adapted for other uses as well in the not too distant future.

Computer MotherBoards that are PCIe compliant have separate module slots for PCIe.
They are "offset" and generally a different color than slots for PCI Cards

You'll generally see from 3-5 PCI slots in parallel arrangement (usually colors a cream-white)
If the MotherBoard can accomodate a higher functioning Graphic adapter like AGP or PCIe, the slot will be offset from the row of PCI slots. Usually Brown color for (1) AGP and Usually Blue color for (1 or 2) PCIe card slots.
(consult your MotherBoard Manual for what your Board accommodates.

AGP and PCIe are not compatible and do not exist on the same MotherBoard.

PCI slots continue to be used for:
--lower-end Graphics Cards
--Sound Cards
--Network Interface Cards
--Dial-up Modems
--PCI IDE expansion cards
--PCI USB expansion cards

Best Regards

Well, there you have it folks!
Digerati has come through with a better answer and done so faster, while I have been typing.
Nice Work, Digerati!

This post has been edited by Doug: Nov 9 2007, 05:53 PM

Well, just lucky. BTW, there were a few "crossover" motherboards made that have both PCIe and AGP - but not many, and they were not around for very long.