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Mid-range AGP video card: 9800Pro vs. 6600GT

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discdog

Junior Member
Hi,

Thanks so much for reading this post and in advance for any advice.

I'm looking for some informed opinions about whether to upgrade my current system (running a dying 9500 Pro) to a 9800 Pro or a 6600GT or a 6800 plain. I'm not ready to pull the plug on the system as a whole to go to PCI-E because it is a decent Asus A7N8X-Deluxe with an AMD XP 3200+. I'd love to get an NF4 board and PCI-E card but the cost to wholesale the board, cpu, and video card right now is too high. I guess if you want to tell me that I should wholesale the system, go ahead but it is a lot of moola right now so make a case for it.

Some stats** to start things off:
video card__9800Pro_____6600GT____6800
cost________$150_______$160*_____$192* *(after $30 MIR)
mem-width__256-bit______128-bit____256-bit
mem-MB____128MB______128MB____128MB
pixels pipes__8__________8_________12
vertex pipes_4___________3_________5
texture fill___3040MPs_____4000Mps___3900Mps
vertex rate__380Mvs______375Mvs____406Mvs
mem bandw_21000MBs____15000MBs__21000MBs

** from http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2195&p=5

A bit about my use:
mostly use computer for professional use but like to play Americas Army,
Rome: Total War, and will certainly play HL2 and D3 after I buy a new card.
Also, since I have an LCD (Super IPS panel) with a 16 ms response time,
frame rates above 60 aren't as important as quality settings. Not that I
necessarily think these cards have the juice for 60 fps and high quality settings.

Thanks in advance for any informed opinions.

I apologize for the ugly table. Without HTML, not sure how to format it better.
 
I'm sure I saw the 9800p going for around $130 now, but still, the 6600gt is the best card for AGP for under $200 (not counting rebates). Anyway, if you can stretch for the 6800, it's an even better card, and the AGP version can (sometimes) be unlocked to 16 pipelines, which would make it a lot faster than the 6600gt.
 
You can definitely get a *128-bit* 9800p for $130 but a *256-bit* 9800p will, accordingly to my non-exhaustive search, set you back more like $145-$150.
 
You can get new Rosewill 9800pro for $115 @ Newegg if you apply $10 off free coupon. New 6600GT will run you about $160.

Your call but I would take the cheaper 9800pro. Slightly less or similar performance but 9800pro has better 2d for CRT users and better DVI transmitter for LCD users.
 
Originally posted by: munky
I'm sure I saw the 9800p going for around $130 now, but still, the 6600gt is the best card for AGP for under $200 (not counting rebates). Anyway, if you can stretch for the 6800, it's an even better card, and the AGP version can (sometimes) be unlocked to 16 pipelines, which would make it a lot faster than the 6600gt.
Click to expand...

ya....but i would say get the 6600GT instead of risking getting a 6800NU and it not being able to unlock the extra pipelines
 
As any review will tell you, 6800 > 6600GT > 9800P. Your call b/w the 6800 and the 6600GT, but you can dismiss the 9800P at that price.
 
Originally posted by: Skotos
6800>6600gt>my 6600 🙂>9800 pro
Click to expand...


Are you sure? Because I have a feeling my 9800p (oc'd) > your 6600 (oc'd too, I assume, otherwise it's not even a contest)

AQ3: 7,134 gfx; 8,886 cpu (barton); 50,768 final score
 
Originally posted by: Pete
As any review will tell you, 6800 > 6600GT > 9800P. Your call b/w the 6800 and the 6600GT, but you can dismiss the 9800P at that price.
Click to expand...

I'd get the 6800 personally in a one card situation.
 
Originally posted by: Skotos
Originally posted by: munky
Originally posted by: Skotos
6800>6600gt>my 6600 🙂>9800 pro
Click to expand...


Are you sure? Because I have a feeling my 9800p (oc'd) > your 6600 (oc'd too, I assume, otherwise it's not even a contest)

AQ3: 7,134 gfx; 8,886 cpu (barton); 50,768 final score
Click to expand...


my 6600 is @ 525/700

in 3dmark 05 i get 3205

Compare URL
» http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=829262

wat about you ?
Click to expand...

I get 3056 in 3dmark05 :frown:
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=851966

Anyway, what do you get in Aquamark3?
 
Originally posted by: munky
Originally posted by: Skotos
Originally posted by: munky
Originally posted by: Skotos
6800>6600gt>my 6600 🙂>9800 pro
Click to expand...


Are you sure? Because I have a feeling my 9800p (oc'd) > your 6600 (oc'd too, I assume, otherwise it's not even a contest)

AQ3: 7,134 gfx; 8,886 cpu (barton); 50,768 final score
Click to expand...


my 6600 is @ 525/700

in 3dmark 05 i get 3205

Compare URL
» http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=829262

wat about you ?
Click to expand...

I get 3056 in 3dmark05 :frown:
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=851966

Anyway, what do you get in Aquamark3?
Click to expand...


give me a minute i will try
 
6800 is probably the safest way to go. try unlocking the 6th vp and 4th pipeline unit, and overclock it. it ocs very very well. just make sure u do it VERY slowly. previous experiences.
 
I'm with Rollo and BFG. The arguments for the 6800 are:

1) faster at high res with AA right off the bat thanks to its greater memory bandwidth
2) potentially much greater performance if you can unlock the fourth quad and extra vertex shader
3) and it actually draws less power than both the 6600GT and the 9800P.

Is that worth the extra money to you? Depends on how good a deal you can get on a 6800. Outpost was selling the BFG (not the 10k posting here 😛) 6800 for $200 a week or two ago, and I'd probably have gone for that over a $160+ 6600GT, for the reasons above and also b/c BFG offers a better ("lifetime") warranty than the $160 6600GTs I see at NewEgg.

Just be aware that the official 6600GT AGP spec calls for 900MHz RAM, though many/most stick with the 1GHz PCIe spec. But a 900MHz 6600GT will be that much slower than a 6800.
 
Originally posted by: Pete
I'm with Rollo and BFG. The arguments for the 6800 are:

1) faster at high res with AA right off the bat thanks to its greater memory bandwidth
2) potentially much greater performance if you can unlock the fourth quad and extra vertex shader
3) and it actually draws less power than both the 6600GT and the 9800P.

Is that worth the extra money to you? Depends on how good a deal you can get on a 6800. Outpost was selling the BFG (not the 10k posting here 😛) 6800 for $200 a week or two ago, and I'd probably have gone for that over a $160+ 6600GT, for the reasons above and also b/c BFG offers a better ("lifetime") warranty than the $160 6600GTs I see at NewEgg.

Just be aware that the official 6600GT AGP spec calls for 900MHz RAM, though many/most stick with the 1GHz PCIe spec. But a 900MHz 6600GT will be that much slower than a 6800.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Based on the comments above, I'm looking at either a
Leadtek 6600 GT ( $171 - $20 MIR)

or

Leadtek 6800 vanilla ($215)

I think for the money, I'll get the 6600GT but I am concerned that I won't be able to play at SXGA+ with AA or AF on.

Again, thanks for all the info.
 
FYI, Circuit City has the EVGA 6800 for 200$ after rebates and has the potential to unlock it's pipes and vertex shader. Also, if you were to purchase it from the store, you are most likely to find one because you can just try to unlock and if it isn't successful, return it and get another one. (I know this isn't a good thing to do but hey, for spending 200$ on a piece of plastic, you should get the best of the best.)
 
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