which video card is better

[modena]

MSI Geforce 6800 NX6800-TD128E Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127179

PNY Geforce 6600GT VCG6600GXPB Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814133129

Which of these two cards is better? Or is there some other card (under about $170) that is decidedly better than either that I am missing. I need a PCI-Express video card for my new system. Also are these cards better than a GeForce FX 5900XT and if so, how much better, like I couldnt find any comparisons on the nvidia site or anywhere. Thanks so much for your help!

[shocky123]

those cards are probably close to 25% better than the 5900XT stuff

I would personally choose the 6600GT over the 6800 (non-GT). It may lack a few pipelines and stuff, but I believe it has shown itself to be much better in non 37,000,000 x 24,000,000 resolutions. The 6600GT has a higher clock, which is how that is accomplished.

I dont have any specific websites with raw data on these cards, but I would check toms hardware, and I'm sure you'll be able to verify my stuff here.

~Kyle

[modena]

hey thanks man, yea i figured they were better, but like you said the info i did find was saying the 6600GT was better in some ways then the 6800 card. thanks again

[bachviet]

Go with the 6600GT since it's cheaper and it performs at the same level as the regular 6800.

[Aristo]

Yep. Go with 6600GT.

[modena]

cool, thanks all!

[DarkFury]

Technically, the vanilla 6800 is better than the 6600GT.... due to the fact that it has 12 rendering pipelines versus the 8 pipelines of the 6600GT. The core of the 6600GT is clocked higher which is why it comes VERY close to the performance of the 6800.

Based on current pricing, the 6600GT is the better "deal" because they can be had for around $125 - $150... while the 6800 vanilla card comes in around $175 - $200.

In testing.. the difference between the 2 is marginal at best... with the 6800 eeking out about 2 - 3 more fps in most games... but overall they are very competitive with each other assuming that both are of the 128MB flavor as well.


Here is some background reading for ya...

http://techreport.com/reviews/2004q4/geforce-6600gtagp/index.x?pg=3

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041119/geforce-6600gt-agp-03.html

You can probably find more if you search a little... but like I said... "Best bang for the buck is the 6600GT... but best out of the 2 is the 6800 (and if you are "adventurous" and don't care about warranties and such... there is supposedly a "trick" out there to re-open the 4 extra pipelines on the 6800 to make it a "cheap" 6800GT)

The 6800GT is the monster of the 6XXX family... with 16 pipelines... but you're talkin' almost $300+ there to play.

Honestly, the TRUE "best bang for the buck" for you would be to snag one of the new 6800GS cards out there for PCI-E... At just about $200 (if you shop around) it's the most powerful solution for the money... blowin' both the 6600GT and the 6800 away.

[shocky123]

nicely said DF :)

~Kyle