How much performance gain from 9700Pro to 6800GT?

[KMKTEXAN]

How much of a performance gain can I expect going from a 9700 Pro to a 6800GT using the same components in my sig? I would mainly be playing games at 1280x1024.

I was comtemplating upgrading my whole system (A64, MB and vid card), but I could save some $ by just upgrading the video card and doing the rest later.

Any advice?

Thanks

 

[SynthDude2001]

I did that exact upgrade. I'm running an Athlon XP at 2400MHz, and I went from a 9700 Pro to a 6800GT last summer. Even playing at 1024x768 (only had a 17" CRT at the time), I noticed a huge difference in newer games like FarCry - before, I would get ~15fps at times with the old card. Your XP will hold the 6800GT back to an extent, but it will still be quite a bit of an upgrade - you'll notice even more of a difference at 1280x1024 than I did at 1024x768.

The only thing to keep in mind is that if you want to upgrade later to an A64 system with PCI Express, you'll have to replace the video card too. That's why I'm likely waiting to upgrade everything in one shot (A64 + whatever next-gen video cards become available in the next few months).

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: KMKTEXAN
How much of a performance gain can I expect going from a 9700 Pro to a 6800GT using the same components in my sig? I would mainly be playing games at 1280x1024.

I was comtemplating upgrading my whole system (A64, MB and vid card), but I could save some $ by just upgrading the video card and doing the rest later.

Any advice?

Thanks

Instead of buying a 6800GT, you could buy a SLI motherboard, socket 939 cpu, and a 6600GT.
Then in a year when you have saved up the dough, you could buy another 6600GT and have that 6800GT level performance!
















Psych! LOL- couldn't resist.
The old axiom "Your system is as good as it's weakest link" applies here, but a 6800GT would be a nice upgrade for you.

 

[zakee00]

huge improvement, but your cpu might hold you back a bit in the near future.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: KMKTEXAN
How much of a performance gain can I expect going from a 9700 Pro to a 6800GT using the same components in my sig? I would mainly be playing games at 1280x1024.

I was comtemplating upgrading my whole system (A64, MB and vid card), but I could save some $ by just upgrading the video card and doing the rest later.

Any advice?

Thanks

Psych! LOL- couldn't resist.
The old axiom "Your system is as good as it's weakest link" applies here, but a 6800GT would be a nice upgrade for you.

Hay!!! There is nothing wrong with a good 'ol AXP!!! I love my 2.2ghz AXP!!! *sigh* I will upgrade sometime soon but after that 2005fpw my wife put a spending stop on computer parts for the time being (she said something about how saving for our new house is more important or some such gibberish ). She is saying at Christmas I can do a complete new system so I have to look forward to that!

-spike

EDIT** and to actually anyswer the topic, I went from a 9600 pro to a 6800GT and the difference is HUGE. Yes, the AXP will hold it back but not by that much. For gaming the vid card really is the deciding factor, espcially if you have a decent CPU (Yes, I still consider the AXP at 2.2 or 2.4 to be a decent CPU)

 

[Pete]

Your CPU will hold you back, but you should still see the typical 1.5-2x improvement. Expect 2x at high res with AA+AF, and closer to 1.5x (or less, b/c of the CPU) at lower settings. I imagine the difference will be quite apparent, though.

 

[RussianSensation]

6800Gt would be very nice esp once you enable AA/AF at higher rez.

If you have money to upgrade a whole system, you could get A64 3000+ and x800xl PCIe for $299. This will cost you more though.

 

[MisterChief]

Enough to make you drool from all the eye candy

 

[blckgrffn]

I went from a 9800Pro and 3000+Axp, and doom3 went from barely playable 1024*768 to 45 fps at HQ 1600*1200, no joke. And that was with just a 6800NU. Go for it, and if you are worried about future upgrades, just think how cheap a decent socket 754 and 90nm A64 will be about this fall/christmas time.

Alternatively, spend the $400 and upgrade it all now - check out Avalons new sempron thread over in CPU's, and get a 6600GT new or a 6800NU off the forums, that would be the real ticket to much better performance! And I bet you could get over $100 on the fs/ft forum for your barton and Abit board. I guess if you sell the 9700 Pro, you should be able to get about $120+ for it. I would go for the whole enchilada, myself...

Nat