(AGP) A bus specification by Intel which gives low-cost 3D graphics cards faster access to main memory on personal computers than the usual PCI bus. AGP dynamically allocates the PC' s normal RAM to store the screen image and to support texture mapping, z-buffering and alpha blending. Intel has built AGP into a chipset for its Pentium II microprocessor. AGP cards are slightly longer than a PCI card. AGP operates at 66 MHz, doubled to 133 MHz, compared with PCI' s 33 Mhz. AGP allows for efficient use of frame buffer memory, thereby helping 2D graphics performance as well. AGP provides a coherent memory management design which allows scattered data in system memory to be read in rapid bursts. AGP reduces the overall cost of creating high-end graphics subsystems by using existing system memory. {Specification (http://developer.intel.com/technology/agp/downloads/agp20.htm)}. (2004-07-19)
