128 vs 256 on mid range gfx cards?

Laek · 10-20-2005, 09:43 AM

I'm looking at upgrading my 4200ti card to a 6600 or 6800(APG only) for under $200. I only play mmorpg's so I don't need a top of the line card and I'm not going to buy any ATI product after some past experience with their support. I'm just trying to figure out if a 6600 with 256 is going to work better for games like EQ2 and Vanguard then a 6800 with 128 mb. On the Tom's Hardware site the 6800 is a big step ahead of the 6600 for most of the test they use when comparing the 128mb versions. Is the extra memory going to bridge that gap at all? Here are some cards that I'm thinking of.

6800 with 128 mb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150106

6600 with 256mb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814145112

Most recent Tom's test
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/gra...705/index.html

Eomer · 10-20-2005, 10:26 AM

First of all, I'd recommend that you use Anandtech, Hardocp, or pretty much any site other than Tom's. Don't get me started!

Second, the performance delta between a 6600GT and a plain 6800 is only about 10% in most cases. It's not very noticeable. As far as memory amounts go, I'd say if you're in the market for a card right now you should defintely go with 256mb, especially if you play MMOG's. If you're just sticking with WoW, don't bother, but if you want to play the newer ones coming out more video memory is definitely a good idea.

I'd say your best value right now would be a 6800GT, unfortunately 6600GT's are going not going to be up to snuff for much longer.

Laek · 10-20-2005, 11:23 AM

Thanks for the reply but I don't really want to spend $289 when I can spend less then $150 for something I probably won't notice the difference in.

simeon · 10-20-2005, 11:30 AM

except... you'd notice the difference

Eomer · 10-20-2005, 11:33 AM

Then just get a 6600GT w/ 128mb, you won't be able to run games at high enough settings to require the extra memory anyways, I would think. That's what I'm running, and I'm pretty happy with it.

Vorph · 10-20-2005, 11:45 AM

Definitely don't buy a 6600GT with 256MB RAM, the core is too slow to run games at a playable fps when you turn up the settings to a level where the extra RAM is needed.

I'd get the 6800 vanilla; in AGP that's the only way to go. Not only is it better than the 6600GT simply due to a 256bit memory path, you can still try to unlock the last 4 pipes and 1 vertex shader. If successful, that plus whatever overclock you can get out of it (mostly core, the RAM will likely be DDR and unable to hit 6800GT speeds) will leave a 6600GT in the dust, since it has no such unlocking options.

LexarkT11 · 10-20-2005, 12:51 PM

I have the Vanilla 6800, how do i unlock all that stuff???

Vorph · 10-20-2005, 02:31 PM

RivaTuner. It only works with the AGP cards, btw.

http://firingsquad.com/hardware/gefo...ng/default.asp has a pretty good step-by-step discussion of it.

Laek · 10-24-2005, 10:56 PM

So I ordered the Evga 6800 128mb card from newegg and got it really fast like normal. Saddly the card isn't working. When I install it and power up my pc I just get a long high pitched beep from my Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard and nothing shows up on the monitor. Guess I'll be returning it and just try another one.

Now this is the third card I have bought from newegg and the second one that hasn't worked. The first one I got was a Sapphire 9600 pro that would run a game for 3 minutes and then lock up the pc. Both Ati and Sapphire customer support was totally useless and I got better help from the DAoC CS people. Ati actually told me to wait a month for the next driver update. I switched that for the 4200ti I have right now and its worked fine. 1 out of 3 is a shitty percentage though.

soulfly24 · 10-24-2005, 11:03 PM

Everything I have ever ordered from newegg has worked perfectly. You just had some extremely bad luck. I recently got a few items a couple weeks ago and everything is in tip-top shape. Never had a problem.

Eomer · 10-24-2005, 11:18 PM

Shit, when I started getting a bit of texture flickering with my 9800 Pro, I RMA'd it straight to ATI. I sent it on a Monday, they got it late Wednesday, and air freighted a brand new one back by Friday. I was incredibly impressed with their support, really.

Laek · 10-25-2005, 12:18 PM

Actually the card was fine. The power connector I was using had a bad pin so I just used a different one and it is work fine. I went up 2 graphic levels in eq2 and its working fine. Now I'll have to try opening up the other pipelines and shders. Wondering if I should download a 3dmark test first.

Vorph · 10-25-2005, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laek

Now I'll have to try opening up the other pipelines and shders. Wondering if I should download a 3dmark test first.

Yes. Not so much because 3dmark tests mean anything in actual game performance, but because it's a good thing to loop while looking for artifacts. Most problems will be immediately apparent, but sometimes you need to heat the card up and really stress it out before you'll see that the unlock/overclock didn't work.

10-20-2005, 09:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
Laek Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 548 -2 Internets	128 vs 256 on mid range gfx cards? I'm looking at upgrading my 4200ti card to a 6600 or 6800(APG only) for under $200. I only play mmorpg's so I don't need a top of the line card and I'm not going to buy any ATI product after some past experience with their support. I'm just trying to figure out if a 6600 with 256 is going to work better for games like EQ2 and Vanguard then a 6800 with 128 mb. On the Tom's Hardware site the 6800 is a big step ahead of the 6600 for most of the test they use when comparing the 128mb versions. Is the extra memory going to bridge that gap at all? Here are some cards that I'm thinking of. 6800 with 128 mb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150106 6600 with 256mb http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814145112 Most recent Tom's test http://graphics.tomshardware.com/gra...705/index.html

10-20-2005, 11:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,880	Definitely don't buy a 6600GT with 256MB RAM, the core is too slow to run games at a playable fps when you turn up the settings to a level where the extra RAM is needed. I'd get the 6800 vanilla; in AGP that's the only way to go. Not only is it better than the 6600GT simply due to a 256bit memory path, you can still try to unlock the last 4 pipes and 1 vertex shader. If successful, that plus whatever overclock you can get out of it (mostly core, the RAM will likely be DDR and unable to hit 6800GT speeds) will leave a 6600GT in the dust, since it has no such unlocking options. Last edited by Vorph : 10-20-2005 at 11:59 AM.

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10-20-2005, 10:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	First of all, I'd recommend that you use Anandtech, Hardocp, or pretty much any site other than Tom's. Don't get me started! Second, the performance delta between a 6600GT and a plain 6800 is only about 10% in most cases. It's not very noticeable. As far as memory amounts go, I'd say if you're in the market for a card right now you should defintely go with 256mb, especially if you play MMOG's. If you're just sticking with WoW, don't bother, but if you want to play the newer ones coming out more video memory is definitely a good idea. I'd say your best value right now would be a 6800GT, unfortunately 6600GT's are going not going to be up to snuff for much longer.

10-20-2005, 11:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Laek Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 548 -2 Internets	Thanks for the reply but I don't really want to spend $289 when I can spend less then $150 for something I probably won't notice the difference in.

10-20-2005, 11:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
simeon Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: O_o Posts: 704 +2 Internets	except... you'd notice the difference

10-20-2005, 11:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	Then just get a 6600GT w/ 128mb, you won't be able to run games at high enough settings to require the extra memory anyways, I would think. That's what I'm running, and I'm pretty happy with it.

10-20-2005, 12:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
LexarkT11 Forever the Sickest Kid Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Toledo/Mentor, Ohio Posts: 668 -15 Internets	I have the Vanilla 6800, how do i unlock all that stuff???

10-20-2005, 02:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,880	RivaTuner. It only works with the AGP cards, btw. http://firingsquad.com/hardware/gefo...ng/default.asp has a pretty good step-by-step discussion of it.

10-24-2005, 10:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
Laek Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 548 -2 Internets	So I ordered the Evga 6800 128mb card from newegg and got it really fast like normal. Saddly the card isn't working. When I install it and power up my pc I just get a long high pitched beep from my Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard and nothing shows up on the monitor. Guess I'll be returning it and just try another one. Now this is the third card I have bought from newegg and the second one that hasn't worked. The first one I got was a Sapphire 9600 pro that would run a game for 3 minutes and then lock up the pc. Both Ati and Sapphire customer support was totally useless and I got better help from the DAoC CS people. Ati actually told me to wait a month for the next driver update. I switched that for the 4200ti I have right now and its worked fine. 1 out of 3 is a shitty percentage though.

10-24-2005, 11:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
soulfly24 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 250 -2 Internets	Everything I have ever ordered from newegg has worked perfectly. You just had some extremely bad luck. I recently got a few items a couple weeks ago and everything is in tip-top shape. Never had a problem.

10-24-2005, 11:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	Shit, when I started getting a bit of texture flickering with my 9800 Pro, I RMA'd it straight to ATI. I sent it on a Monday, they got it late Wednesday, and air freighted a brand new one back by Friday. I was incredibly impressed with their support, really.

10-25-2005, 12:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
Laek Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 548 -2 Internets	Actually the card was fine. The power connector I was using had a bad pin so I just used a different one and it is work fine. I went up 2 graphic levels in eq2 and its working fine. Now I'll have to try opening up the other pipelines and shders. Wondering if I should download a 3dmark test first.