Radeon 9600XT vs gforce 6600GT

A

atomic3

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Messages
140
Well I just build a new system:

Athlon 64 3000+ socket 754
ABIT NF8
Antec 430 watt TruePower
512 Corsar XMS
74gig Raptor
ATI Radeon 9600XT

Well, I finally got the system together tonight, installed Doom 3, and as I am playing it pretty smoothly @ 1024 X 768/Medium i get the wonderful vpu recover. This happenens a few times and i say the hell with it.

So i am thinking about RMAing the card and going with the E-vga gforce 6600gt AGP 8x version. Its gonna cost me like 70 dollars more, but do you guys think it is worth it for my system? I plan on playing games like Doom 3 and HL2. Thanks for any input.
 
The 6600GT is a very good midrange card, and you're going to see performance better than a 9800. In D3 you're going to see a very large increase in performance, as in Hl2, but not as much in Hl2. If you're going to upgrade again in less than a year, I say save the money, but its defintally worth it.
 
wow dude a 6600gt smokes a 9800xt its definetly worth it and how u can ponder it is beyond me considering u have a 9600xt
 
empower64 said:
wow dude a 6600gt smokes a 9800xt its definetly worth it and how u can ponder it is beyond me considering u have a 9600xt
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wow... dude, use puctuation. please. it helps us all.

anyways, id say RMA it and get the 6600GT. great card IMHO.
 
I got an xfx 6600gt AGP and I rather enjoy it. Theres some stuttering in HL2 a second after a level loads, but Im pretty sure thats a more or less universal problem. The game is very smooth even with alot of action going on, and it still looks great. A few things about my card though:

1. The pictures I've seen on online stores dont accurately display my XFX 6600gt. It has a different looking heat sink (too lazy to describe) but its still good.

2. After I installed coolbits, my card defaulted to 300 mhz core clock (2d game mode.) Just change to manual overclocking and set it to performance mode and it will go back up to 500. Dont forget to check "apply settings on startup"
 
Same here - I got a 9600XT - go for the 6600GT! I've been considering the same upgrade myself, just need the budget.
 
6600 GT beats everything ATI makes anywhere near the price at the moment. Beats the hell out of the 9600 XT, beats the 9800 Pro, and so on. If/when the x700 XT becomes available, that will be a different story. But right now nVidia owns the $200 price point.
 
I have a 9800Pro modded to an XT, I plan on upgrading to a 6600GT AGP, the BFG OC model, factory overclocked, more headroom to spare, and a lifetame garuntee.

Athlon 64 2800 (OC'd to a 215 FSB)
ABIT KV8
1 gig DDR3500
9800PRO>XT 128Mb
XP PRO
10k RPM SATA RAID 0 array
 
I have a 6600GT and I love it. DEFINITELY worth the upgrade.


Alowishus said:
2. After I installed coolbits, my card defaulted to 300 mhz core clock (2d game mode.) Just change to manual overclocking and set it to performance mode and it will go back up to 500. Dont forget to check "apply settings on startup"
Click to expand...

And just so this quote doesn't scare you, for heat reduction the 6600GT downclocks itself to 300 mhz while you are in 2D mode and then automatically goes back to 500 once you enter 3D. A nice feature, IMO.
 
CastleBravo said:
6600 GT beats everything ATI makes anywhere near the price at the moment. Beats the hell out of the 9600 XT, beats the 9800 Pro, and so on. If/when the x700 XT becomes available, that will be a different story. But right now nVidia owns the $200 price point.
Click to expand...
I heard that ATI was just going to blow off the X700XT because the new X800 cards being released will cover the X700XT's price point. The problem is that even the new series of cards being released by ATI are PCI-E only. IMHO, Nvidia will remain king of the AGP midrange market for a long time, if not for good.

BTW, here's another 9600XT owner telling you to go with the 6600GT :D .
 
I have a 9600xt aswell. I love the card and personally see no reason to upgrade at this point. I have also personally installed my friends XFX 6600GT, and was not that impressed with it. If you have the money I guess just go for it.
 
The 6600GT is the best value for your money card, with a very high performance ratio for the money.
 
Agreed, just lost my 9600XT AIW to a PNY Verto 6600 GT AGP. The 6600 GT AGP is a LOT better graphics card. I'd say it even smokes the 9800XT in most cases. Love this card.
 
yeap got it, and love it
its better than the 9800 pro my friend has so i love it

LOL AND HE PAID MORE THAN ME LOL
 
independantvariable said:
I have a 9600xt aswell. I love the card and personally see no reason to upgrade at this point. I have also personally installed my friends XFX 6600GT, and was not that impressed with it. If you have the money I guess just go for it.
Click to expand...
Your kidding right?...the 66GT OWNS!
but i got a 6800GT now and i love that at the moment..
 
Alowishus said:
Theres some stuttering in HL2 a second after a level loads, but Im pretty sure thats a more or less universal problem.
Click to expand...


Don't have that problem at all.

And in answer to the main thread. Its a no brainer.....
 
im_electronic said:
I have a 9800Pro modded to an XT, I plan on upgrading to a 6600GT AGP, the BFG OC model, factory overclocked, more headroom to spare, and a lifetame garuntee.
Click to expand...

That would be stupid......

the 6600GT and 9800xt perform almost the same at middle resolutions in almost every game. At higher res, the 6600GT will usually edge it out, but in many cases the 9800xt will in fact end up on top.
 
Alowishus said:
I got an xfx 6600gt AGP and I rather enjoy it. Theres some stuttering in HL2 a second after a level loads, but Im pretty sure thats a more or less universal problem. The game is very smooth even with alot of action going on, and it still looks great. A few things about my card though:

1. The pictures I've seen on online stores dont accurately display my XFX 6600gt. It has a different looking heat sink (too lazy to describe) but its still good.

2. After I installed coolbits, my card defaulted to 300 mhz core clock (2d game mode.) Just change to manual overclocking and set it to performance mode and it will go back up to 500. Dont forget to check "apply settings on startup"
Click to expand...

The shiny metallic heatsink is supposed to be the newer heat sink (even though it was used on some of their older GF4 cards). I've heard it is 20-30% more efficient than the heatsink that has the picture of a dog or bear or whatever it is.

If anyone cares, my XFX 6600 GT AGP (with the shiny heatsink) runs just fine at 570MHz core, 1.15GHz memory. I just used the coolbits auto overclock method and bumped the numbers it provided me with down 10MHz. That's what anandtech said to do and it seemed to make sense. Maybe the card can handle more...

I looked up the RAM that is used on my card at the Samsung website and it looks like I have the 500MHz stuff. I'm a bit disapointed as I've heard of some of the XFX cards coming with the 700MHz chips. No biggie though, I'm happy with the overclock.

edit: there is a discussion here with a little bit of info (and pictures) on the difference between the heatsinks: http://www2.ncix.com/forums/index.p...=101&product_id=13402&overclockid=0#msg705306
 
bountyhunter said:
That would be stupid......

the 6600GT and 9800xt perform almost the same at middle resolutions in almost every game. At higher res, the 6600GT will usually edge it out, but in many cases the 9800xt will in fact end up on top.
Click to expand...


got a link to some figures/tests/benchmarks for me?
 
I'm throwing one of the xfx pci-e 6600gt cards i picked up from newegg.com into a 3.4 intel system. From all the reviews i've read. Definately Stick 6600 ( seems to be the same thinking in this thread too)

Heres a quick link for whomever asked for the 9800 vs 6600gt v 6800 gt


click here for benchmarks
 
I would suggest the 6600GT either from Asus or BFG. Both are great cards in my opinion.
 
Warrior said:
Your kidding right?...the 66GT OWNS!
but i got a 6800GT now and i love that at the moment..
Click to expand...

No im not kidding. We have had poor performance in half life2 with multiple drivers. And now the occasional 10 second lock up in NFSU:2. In OUR experience the XFX 660GT has not been the greatest card.
 
independantvariable said:
No im not kidding. We have had poor performance in half life2 with multiple drivers. And now the occasional 10 second lock up in NFSU:2. In OUR experience the XFX 660GT has not been the greatest card.
Click to expand...

Ever think its just -your- card?

Rad777
 
Rad777 said:
Ever think its just -your- card?

Rad777
Click to expand...

it is just his card, cuz i have the same one and i love it
no probs what so ever
1600x1200 maxed settings not jerky at all in any game
 
Rad777 said:
Ever think its just -your- card?

Rad777
Click to expand...

Yes, that is why I emphasized "OUR" experience with this card, has not been a good one. I was not making a generalization. I was just telling you ->MY<- experience, has not lived up to the high statue that everyone has said it should have. Can you not read?
 
bountyhunter said:
the 6600GT and 9800xt perform almost the same at middle resolutions in almost every game. At higher res, the 6600GT will usually edge it out, but in many cases the 9800xt will in fact end up on top.
Click to expand...
The 6600GT is clearly superior to the 9800XT:
http://www.hardavenue.com/reviews/gf6600gtagp1.shtml
In this review the 9800XT pretty much gets slaughtered by the 6600GT in everything except low res UT2k4 tests which are basically CPU limited anyways.
 
Woblin_Goblin said
The shiny metallic heatsink is supposed to be the newer heat sink (even though it was used on some of their older GF4 cards). I've heard it is 20-30% more efficient than the heatsink that has the picture of a dog or bear or whatever it is.

If anyone cares, my XFX 6600 GT AGP (with the shiny heatsink) runs just fine at 570MHz core, 1.15GHz memory. I just used the coolbits auto overclock method and bumped the numbers it provided me with down 10MHz. That's what anandtech said to do and it seemed to make sense. Maybe the card can handle more.
Click to expand...



My XFX 6600 GT AGP also has the shiny heatsink, looks like it's chrome plated almost.
I too used coolbits and got almost the same numbers = 576 / 1.15 just now,
571 / 1.14 yesterday, etc.
I backed off to 566 / 1.10 and have played some Painkiller BOH at 1280x1024 everything maxed and HL2 canals[2nd time around] @ 1024x 768 maxed, with no stuttering, no problems whatever at these speeds.
I replaced a venerable Ti 4200 with this card and I'm real glad I got it.

Here's what XFX has to say about the new hsf:
[/QUOTE]

For gamers by gamers”, is not just a meaningless tagline here at
XFX but rather a credo driving our every move. We have a
commitment to continuous improvement of our products and this
philosophy shines once again. The XFX 6600 GT AGP is now
shipping with an improved fansink. Not only does our new
fansink look good, it sports a copper under plate and provides a
10~20 degree improvement in GPU cooling.
 
Hey surefire, care to comment on the Verto's noise levels? Are they still using the reference cooler on it?
 
GVX said:
The 6600GT is clearly superior to the 9800XT:
http://www.hardavenue.com/reviews/gf6600gtagp1.shtml
In this review the 9800XT pretty much gets slaughtered by the 6600GT in everything except low res UT2k4 tests which are basically CPU limited anyways.
Click to expand...

i bought a refurb 9800 pro for $152; flashed it to a 9800XT. So basically i'm getting very close results for about $70 cheaper. Not bad..... :)

and i wouldn't call any of those edges "slaughters."
 
Ahem (clears throught)

Only a true fool will think that a 9800 Pro is faster then a 6600GT!! Sorry but the truth had to be told! How do I know you may ask? I freaking own both!!!! And with the same processor (AXP-m@ 2.4ghz) the 6600GT completly rocked the 9800 Pro. I even OC'ed it to XT speeds and the 6600GT was still faster! So please listen to someone who acctually owns both get the 6600GT, it's cheap it's fast and if you leave it at a low rez (1124 or 1280) is almost intdistingushable (wow I need spellcheck) from a 6800GT, which I also own BTW. I also like it cuz it doesnt require a monster PSU like the 6800's, which make it ideal for a SFF.
 
ok back to the 9600XT beating the shit out of a 6600GT
Click to expand...

LOL I think you wrote that backwards. The 6600GT whips the 9600XT in everything. Don't forget that the 6600GT has SM3.0 and has the full implementation of the purevideo thingy. Not sure if purevideo is actually goin yet tho in the drivers. But those are also things to consider IMO.
 
atomic3 said:
Well I just build a new system:

Athlon 64 3000+ socket 754
ABIT NF8
Antec 430 watt TruePower
512 Corsar XMS
74gig Raptor
ATI Radeon 9600XT

Well, I finally got the system together tonight, installed Doom 3, and as I am playing it pretty smoothly @ 1024 X 768/Medium i get the wonderful vpu recover. This happenens a few times and i say the hell with it.

So i am thinking about RMAing the card and going with the E-vga gforce 6600gt AGP 8x version. Its gonna cost me like 70 dollars more, but do you guys think it is worth it for my system? I plan on playing games like Doom 3 and HL2. Thanks for any input.
Click to expand...

Definitely, the 6600GT kills the 9600XT.
 
The 6600GT won't do any whipping of the 9800XT(real ones with 256MB) when the the 6600GT runs of of memory, and memory bandwidth(i.e at 1600x1200 with fsaa).
Even a 9800 pro(128MB) can give the 6600GT a run for it's money with AA and AF enabled.
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/NVIDIA/GeForce6600GTAGP/AAfarcry.png
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/NVIDIA/GeForce6600GTAGP/AAwolf.png
At the lower res it's falling behind, but at the higher res, the 6600GT is running out of steam allowing the 9800 pro to sneak up on it.
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/NVIDIA/GeForce6600GTAGP/AAbattlefield.png
Same here.
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/NVIDIA/GeForce6600GTAGP/AAut2004.png
The 9800 pro is just plain faster here.
 
Moloch said:
The 6600GT won't do any whipping of the 9800XT
Click to expand...

The original poster has a 9600XT he wants to return, not a 9800XT. The 6600GT kills the 9600XT. And it beats the 9800XT, and by a wide margin in Doom3 where the OP said he would be playing and is currently having problems with his 9600XT.
 
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