help needed.

[pix]

Hi i am looking at getting a new graphics card but dont have allot of funds. I am looking at the radeon 9600xt 256 mb agp and the 6600gt 128mb card and i have also seen a 6600. Not sure on the model but it lists 256mb with a gpu clock speed of 400 and a memory clock speed of 550. Please help what do you think is best it is all over my head.

[Scinto]

Re: help needed.

a budget would help :)

[pix]

Re: help needed.

well looking on ebay for second hand around the 80 mark.

[Scinto]

Re: help needed.

dollars / pounds / euros? makes it easier to find the site

[pix]

Re: help needed.

sorry mate pounds.

[megawhompertoo]

Re: help needed.

both are adequate cards for playing on mostly low (view distance/geometry high). i've played using a HIS 9600xt; the 6600gt would be better from what i've heard.

[pix]

Re: help needed.

what i dont understand is that one is 128mb and one is 256mb so i would of thought that the 256 would be better.

[Scinto]

Re: help needed.

if you buy off ebay you can proberly get a better card for cheaper something like a 7800 GS i found on UK Ebay

[megawhompertoo]

Re: help needed.

what i dont understand is that one is 128mb and one is 256mb so i would of thought that the 256 would be better.

often, it boils down to the fact that the gpu can't access the 256mb any faster than it can access 128mb. also, the memory on all the 6600gt's that I can find are ddr2, whereas the 9600xt has older ddr. also, the 6600gt's look like they are mostly 8 pixel pipeline models, whereas the 9600xt has half that.

so, it's not just 128mb v. 256mb, but you also have to consider how those cards are able to talk to that memory, and coordinate that data with the system, and then push those pixels so that you can see them on your monitor. the 6600gt just does everything faster, so it can utilize 128mb better than the 9600xt can utilize its 256mb.

don't get me wrong--the 9600xt is a decent enough card for fun gaming (respectable fps) on low BF2 settings (other games do look better); the 6600gt is just significantly better for that price range for BF2.

[Neat_Hedgehog]

Re: help needed.

Yeah, the 9600 line was a bit gimped. It's like the x1600 and 7600 lineups from this past year, at that is "a budget card." If all you can get is an older card, I'd recommend at least getting one that was at the top of the charts at some time. Even a 9800 would still be better.

You could probably pick up a 7600gs pretty cheap. That'd be better still.