Take the plunge and get 6600GT?

[Darkfalz]

Currently running 5700 (nice overclock, pushing 5700U performance).

Wondering if I should get a 6600GT now prices have come down again, or maybe wait for an AGP version of 7600GT.

I think 6600GT will be a big enough improvement for me and to play what I play (mostly the Source engine games, and Doom again might be nice) as well as COD2 and Quake 4 perhaps (tried the demos on my current card, ran like crap).

I would really love transparency AA though...

Thinking perhaps in a year or so getting a whole new system and going 7 series then (or 8 series if it's out by then). But I think 6600GT would tide me over until then.

[Darkoz]

the 6600GT certainly would be a large improvement over the 5700, and the 6600GT can be had for a cheap price now.
What sort of budget are you looking at, if you can stretch it, maybe consider a 7800GS?

[Superfly]

the 78GS is total crap TBH, I had one and returned it.

if your not going PCIe for a year or two then a 66GT or 68GS would be your best bet.

[Darkfalz]

Yeah, that's also the thing. My system is "old" with IDE drives and AGP and things like that.

By the way, are they making CRTs with DVI connectors yet? Is the picture any better?

[mark501]

For me the 6600gt was a very good a upgrade from a 9600xt (which is similar to 5700U performance). It runs Source, D3 and Q4 at good frame-rates.

So I think if 1024x768 is enough then a 6600gt will do nicely.

[Darkfalz]

My monitor is 17" flat CRT and 1024x768 85Hz is the best resolution for it.

[Superfly]

66GT it is then - enjoy the new card

[Darkfalz]

Just one thing, do you think the 6600GT draws much more power than a 5700?

My power supply is a 400 Watt, even though I doubt it could do that. It's a rather cheap L & C brand (LC-B400ATX) that I put in there after my last one died (which was only 250 Watt).

Would a single 6600GT AGP stress it that much do you think? I really don't have money for a new power supply as well right now.

[Redeemed]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150096

^^^256MB 6600GT @ about $180...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010380048+1067910550+1068309610 +1068409614+1069609639&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48

^^^Whole bunch of 6600GTs w/128MB GDDR3 @ about $130...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010380048+1067918817+1069609639&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48

^^^List of 6800GS for about $210 a piece. Now, if you were going after the 256MB 6600GT, then spend some more $$$ and get the 6800GS as it would be A LOT faster than the 6600GT and EXTREMELY FASTER than your 5700. My bro is running the eVGA CO version, and I went ahead and unlocked the pipes for him- runs great. Just like my 6800GT does just without the OC. ;) So I strongly recommend the 6800GS if you can at all afford it.

[Ka0s]

So what kind of board are you running that runs the 6800GS/GT good? i hear it has problems with nforce3 boards?

[Darkfalz]

I am back with the 6600GT. After running the CS Stress Test it's a lot slower than reviews I've seen on the internet. I'm getting about 90 FPS, I've seen reviews of 6600GT with 130 FPS!

Something's wrong... :(

Maybe try a different driver? I am using 78.05

Edit: Now I've benched Doom 3. 63 FPS only, reviews say 80+ FPS.

Edit 2: Okay it appears I am CPU limited at 3.0 GHz. These reviews were usually 3.4 or so, I didn't think it would make such a difference. I know my CPU is 3 years old but it's still nearly as fast as the modern ones.

I benchmarked the HL2 stress test at 640x480 and got the same score as 1024x768, and then at 1024x768 with 4xAA and 8xAF and scored 83, only a tiny bit slower.

My Doom 3 4xAA 8xAF benchmarks match what I've seen in reviews.

So I guess this is a good thing, I can turn 4xAA and 8xAF on in most games with no performance hit compared to what I'd get without. The AA really does look heaps better.

Got a problem with Quake 3 though, when I enable AF it makes the textures look quite bad, ugly and obvious mipmapping levels. Maybe this was a driver bug I read about a while and it's been fixed... I will have to find out.

[Darkfalz]

I'm more CPU limited than I thought. Oh wells, my dream of every Source game running in constant 85 FPS is shattered. Will just have to live with 50-85 and looking marvellous. :D

[a12ctic]

I love my 6600GT, its a great overclocker as well ;), btw in doom 3 i benchmark at 89 fps on 1024x768 (with a timedemo) and 83 in quake 4, so i think you might want to update those drivers or soemthing.... My specs are in my sig, slightly beter than yours but if your 20fps behind me, and the doom 3 linux port isnt quite as efficient or so ive heard... maby you have vsync on?

[Darkfalz]

Mine maxed out at 1.04 memory, but I just set it at 1.00. Not going to bother overclocking the core.

I got a nice improvement with 81.98 but I didn't try Doom 3 again yet.

[Redeemed]

So what kind of board are you running that runs the 6800GS/GT good? i hear it has problems with nforce3 boards?

The 6800GS is in my bro's rig which is using some "Biostar" board- and yes it IS using the nForce3 MCP. And it runs FANTASTIC. I even unlocked the "masked units" and it still runs great.

My 6800GT is running in my K8V SE Dlx which using the VIA K8T800 chipset. No compatibility problems there either. I'm betting that whole thing about the nForce3 and the GF6 cards not working was some sort of a driver bug. Infact, I asked about it a while ago and somebody pointed me to a thread where they had resolved the issue. Not sure if that was at this forum though. Anyways, it works, and that is what matters so far as I'm concerned.

The 6600GT is a sweet card, but to meet the constant 85fps you probably would have been better off with the 6800GS. Then again, the frames you're getting aren't even half bad. I wouldn't be complaining at all. Anything above 60fps and your eyes (more than likely) wont detect the increase in fps. A friend of mine is running nothing but 6600GTs for his gaming rigs and he loves 'em. Slap an NV Silencer on that thing and it'd probably oc like crazy as well. You should enjoy that card, and I doubt that you'll be dissappointed once you really start messing with it. ;)

[Ka0s]

Redeemed i would VERY much appreciate if you could find that article...i have been having major problems deciding which card to get since of the problems i have heard with the 6800's...although it relieves me a little to think that SOMONE's 6800GS worked in a nforce3 board...could you give me a little more detail to what your brother is running overall? psu, etc? driver version?


I have also heard problems with the 6600GT with the nforce3 boards so the risk seems to be the same, although the 6600GT has *less* problems. I am sure it is a driver issue as from what i have read from the hundreds of pages, some driver versions worked better than others. I have already upgraded my BIOS to the latest on my gigabyte board as well as the drivers. I am just going to hope for the best when i get my new antec PSU and this GS.

Only other card ive considered looking at was the ATI X800GTO But it is from sapphire, and the sapphire card i had for the X1600 had major bugs..and that is why i sent it back to get a different card. I am having trouble choosing a card in the 150-200$ range that is AGP and isnt going to make me RMA it :X. So far the GS is what i have decided even though there are hundreds of pages of problems (although i see little mention of the GS in general, mostly 6800 standard and the GT's)

[Redeemed]

Okay, here is my bro's mobo:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138240

Here is his ram, he has two of these sticks:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220045

Here is his PSU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817153031

Here is his 6800GS:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130264

I tried downloading the latest Forceware drivers and they said they couldn't detect any nVidia video card. So, I used the drivers on the CD and it worked fine. My brother is also using the latest Biostar BIOS for his MOBO, and has a 200GB Maxtor SATA150 hard drive. That eVGA is the only 6800GS Newegg currently has it seems, so that might be the one you want. Just want to warn you though- it heats up pretty quickly so be sure to have ample air flow through your case. Also, download RivaTuner and make sure to have the card's fan spinning at full speed under 3D load- all of this IS if you get that eVGA card. As for the article, I'll see what I can find.

[Ka0s]

hmm im gonna get the PNY version.

i should have ample airflow . 2 fans in front, 1 on side , 1 in back, 1 on cpu. Im also getting a Antec PSU that was shipped today (500w)

I will see if i have any issues when i get the card...I already updated my mobo BIOS and drivers as well just to be prepared for any problems