AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port

HIS Technology, January 1, 2008

The Accelerated Graphics Port (also called Advanced Graphics Port, often shortened to AGP) is a high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a graphics card to a computer's motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics. Since 2004, AGP is being progressively phased out in favor of PCI Express. However, as of mid 2008 new AGP cards and motherboards are still available for purchase, though OEM driver support is minimal.

Intel released the first version of AGP; appropriately titled "AGP specification 1.0," in 1997.[7] It included both the 1x and 2x speeds.[4] Specification 2.0 documented AGP 4X and 3.0 documented 8X.[8][9] Available versions include:

AGP 1x
A 32-bit channel operating at 66 MHz resulting in a maximum data rate of 266 megabytes per second (MB/s), doubled from the 133 MB/s transfer rate of PCI bus 33 MHz / 32-bit; 3.3 V signaling.
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AGP 2x
A 32-bit channel operating at 66 MHz double pumped to an effective 133 MHz resulting in a maximum data rate of 533 MB/s; signaling voltages the same as AGP 1x;

AGP 4x
A 32-bit channel operating at 66 MHz quad pumped to an effective 266 MHz resulting in a maximum data rate of 1066 MB/s (1 GB/s); 1.5 V signaling;

AGP 8x
A 32-bit channel operating at 66 MHz, strobing eight times per clock, delivering an effective 533 MHz resulting in a maximum data rate of 2133 MB/s (2 GB/s); 0.8 V signaling.