Take the plunge and get 6600GT?

Darkfalz · 03-17-06, 07:04 AM

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 · 03-17-06, 07:09 AM

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 · 03-17-06, 07:18 AM

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 · 03-17-06, 07:40 AM

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 · 03-17-06, 08:33 AM

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 · 03-17-06, 12:22 PM

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

Superfly · 03-17-06, 12:25 PM

66GT it is then - enjoy the new card

Darkfalz · 03-17-06, 01:38 PM

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 · 03-17-06, 01:54 PM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150096

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

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...SubCategory=48

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

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...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 · 03-17-06, 02:22 PM

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

Darkfalz · 03-17-06, 07:35 PM

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 · 03-18-06, 08:44 AM

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.

03-17-06, 07:04 AM	#1
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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. Last edited by Darkfalz; 03-17-06 at 12:21 PM.

03-17-06, 07:09 AM	#2
Darkoz lurking Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 677	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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? __________________ Intel Q6700 - XFX 8800 ULTRA xXx - Gigabyte P35-DQ6 - 4GB Patriot DDR2 800 - x2 Seagate 320GB SATAll - DELL 2408wfp

03-17-06, 07:18 AM	#3
Superfly Retired Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: gone Posts: 3,907	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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. __________________ It is not how bad the problem is, but how badly it's hurting the person who has it......

03-17-06, 07:40 AM	#4
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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?

03-17-06, 08:33 AM	#5
mark501 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 87	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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. __________________ [Asus M3A78][Athlon X2 7750 BE][HD3870 512MB][2GB DDR2 800][X-Fi Xtreme Gamer]

03-17-06, 12:22 PM	#6
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? My monitor is 17" flat CRT and 1024x768 85Hz is the best resolution for it.

03-17-06, 12:25 PM	#7
Superfly Retired Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: gone Posts: 3,907	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 66GT it is then - enjoy the new card __________________ It is not how bad the problem is, but how badly it's hurting the person who has it......

03-17-06, 01:38 PM	#8
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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.

03-17-06, 01:54 PM	#9
Redeemed Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 17,986	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150096 ^^^256MB 6600GT @ about $180... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...SubCategory=48 ^^^Whole bunch of 6600GTs w/128MB GDDR3 @ about $130... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...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.

03-17-06, 02:22 PM	#10
Ka0s Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 18	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? So what kind of board are you running that runs the 6800GS/GT good? i hear it has problems with nforce3 boards?

03-17-06, 07:35 PM	#11
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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. Last edited by Darkfalz; 03-17-06 at 07:52 PM.

03-18-06, 08:44 AM	#12
Darkfalz Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 195	Re: Take the plunge and get 6600GT? 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.