6600GT vs 6800GX

DMAC · 05-12-2005 7:35pm #1

I'm so confused.... I am upgrading from a 9600XT and I've narrowed my search to either the

XFX GeForce 6600GT 256MB
(on komplett @ http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=308128&cks=PRL )

or

POINT OF VIEW GeForce 6800GX 128MB
(on komplett @ http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=313321&cks=PRL )

Can anyone help me out as to which is better? I can't find a half decent comparision anywhere so was hoping you lot could help.

Thanks all
DMAC

Fanny Cradock · 06-12-2005 9:02pm

i'm no expert, but as far as i know the gpu is the most important component in preformance terms. i'd go with the 6800 myself

duridian · 06-12-2005 10:53pm

The 6800GX would be the better option. It is basically a faster version of a 6800standard(i.e. the non-GT or Ultra model). The 6800standard is approx the equivalent of a 6600GT when it comes to performance so the GX model should definitely be noticably better than a 6600GT. Also it seems that the 6800 gpu is much better than the 6600 gpu when it comes to stuff like aniso filtering and ant-aliasing at higher resolutions.
Oh and FC is quite correct on the GPU being the important thing not the ram. Don't get led into the common misconception that more ram equals better.
Think of it this way: The ram is like a motor car trailer, and the GPU the car. Does putting a bigger trailer onto a small car mean that the car can now go faster simply because you can load more into the trailer?

DMAC · 06-12-2005 11:34pm

Awwww nawwww! I went and ordered the 6600GT.
You mention that memory is not all that important but I heard that the memory on the 6800 is very slow.... That's why I ended up getting the 6600GT.
Either way I'm sure I'll be happy enough, I found a good review of the 6600gt this evening and it looks like I won't be too disappointed.

Anyone else got any solid proof?

Thanks,
DMAC

secret_squirrel · 07-12-2005 12:00am

See 6800GS

and 6600GT

They both have same speed memory - there is a budget 6600Gt with slower stuff (GDDR2) but its not the one you ordered.

Can you cancel - you have ordered a significantly slower card. The extra 128Mb will just give the textures somewhere to rest whilst they are waiting for the 6600GT to process them...

Seriously the 6600GT is still a relatively good card but the 6800GS was brought out as a cheap ATI killer to kill off the latest range of ATI cards whereas effectively the 6600GT was competing with the last range of ATI cards.

duridian · 07-12-2005 1:27am

Well you won't have a bad card either in the 6600GT, that should handle modern games well enough for a good while yet.

Fanny Cradock · 07-12-2005 3:44am

i have a 6600gt 128mb and i couldn't be happier. it hasn't had a problem with high end demos like F.E.A.R, bf2, Cod 2, etc. (you can probably guess that i'm a little cash strapped at the mo) as well as some of my older games. i can only imagine that your card is that bit better than mine.

DMAC · 07-12-2005 12:05pm

Had a good read of the review posted above by secret_squirrel and have decided to cancel the 6600GT.

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone.

DMAC

DMAC · 09-12-2005 9:26am

Will do. It was shipped yesterday! Hopefully it arrives today.
Please Mr Postman... make my day.

BULLER · 17-12-2005 12:33pm

Without a doubt the 6800GX 128mb would be a much better, forward thinking choice then the quickly dating 6600GT 256MB gddr3. Pixel pipeline engines and memory bandwith sizes are considerably more significant than the amount or type (gddr3) of memory, enough to justify the more modern GPU, the 6800GX, winning hands down...:rolleyes:

Wolverine_1999 · 17-12-2005 2:21pm

The only reasons why it's more expensive is because of the XFX brand...

I remember when XFX first started out, I thought they were the crappiest GFX cards make!

secret_squirrel · 20-12-2005 8:40pm

I thought they still were! When did they become 'good'

Bruce Campbell · 09-01-2006 12:48am

i bought a 6800gx off komplett for my christmas present, i was also upgrading from a 9600xt. So far i'm pretty damn happy with it, it runs F.E.A.R. and cod2 etc very well, all at pretty decent settings. Don't get this card confused with the 6800GS, thats a newer card again, that uses a different gpu, its better than the GX, but costs around 60 euro more. Back to the 6800GX: The only thing i was disappointed about on this card was the noise of the cooler. It was quite noisy, and didnt really cool the gpu that well. I always had ATI cards so i was used to pretty low temps, but when i got the GX, and saw that it was running at 45-50 at idle, and about 70-75 at full load, i was getting quite worried! luckily i ordered the Zalman VF700 cooler when i ordered the card, which only cost 25 euro. Its brilliant! temps are now at 36 idle, and 55-60 at full load!! Its also much quieter too. I recommend buying an aftermarket cooler for this card, as it helps a lot! If you're lucky too, you might get a card that you can unlock the hardware masks on! my won't as the locked pipelines are corrupted, but if you're lucky yours wont be! then you'll see a good increase in performance!

Steffano2002 · 09-01-2006 1:58am

secret_squirrel wrote:

See 6800GS

and 6600GT

They both have same speed memory - there is a budget 6600Gt with slower stuff (GDDR2) but its not the one you ordered.

Can you cancel - you have ordered a significantly slower card. The extra 128Mb will just give the textures somewhere to rest whilst they are waiting for the 6600GT to process them...

Seriously the 6600GT is still a relatively good card but the 6800GS was brought out as a cheap ATI killer to kill off the latest range of ATI cards whereas effectively the 6600GT was competing with the last range of ATI cards.

I just ordered the 6800GS! Can't wait to get it!

Has anybody here got one (AGP preferably)?

AnCapaillMor · 10-01-2006 9:44am

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=368&card2=190 ,handy site for making those tough decisions. Got a GS myself albeit PCI-E, but most of them come with an overclocking utility which is quite handy, my aquamark went from 69k to 76k.

6600GT vs 6800GX

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