Last I heard AGP was still top dog, but I admit I haven’t bought a graphics card in a while.

I think that the cheap sound cards use the CPU anyway, like WinModems do/did. Please correct me if I’m wrong, I can’t find the (or any) resource to state the same thing right now.

I never have used the on board graphics; but they’re almost standard now, for the Marketing Department to have one more “feature” to throw at us consumers, and sucker the uninitiated into thinking they’re saving money.

I never intended anyone to actually use the on board graphics, I avoid it like the plague, I simply thought it deserved mentioning.

Just another note, isn’t AGP a thing of the past now? I thought everything was becoming PCI-Express (for graphics) or regular ol’ PCI (for everything else).

Onboard components do simplify the buying process. And it there’s less problems from conflicts and confusion over which port you should plug your headphones in.

Unfortunately, onboard cards steal resources from the CPU, usually some RAM (especially in the case of graphics cards) and don’t provide any flexibility. I’d be prepared to go with onboard sound and network, to start at least, but never onboard graphics. And considering you can pick up a sound or network card for about £10, it’s not exactly saving you the earth.

Also, let’s not forget that most pre-built machines come with the cheapest components they can find. So getting a decent motherboard with decent components may be unlikely.

Purists, and audiophiles, are the ones who can usually tell the difference, not beginners.

On board is simplification, get the easy stuff, Ethernet, Sound, possibly Graphics (depending on the computer’s use) can greately simplify the end-users…well, use.

Just my two cents…