Originally posted by Krusty
Wrong. 7600 GS is a very nice card. It's better than the 6800 XT, even. The GT is equivelant to a 7800GS in benchmarks, that gives you an idea of the power the 7000 chip has.
However, I think Blue is CPU limitd, as mentioned here.
I had a P4 2.66 GHz single core (533MHz FSB) and a Ge 4400 Ti card. I was really badly bottlenecked until I got a Conroe E6420. I kept the same card at first, the same everything else, but the CPU jump was ASTOUNDING. Everything in AH ran faster because the CPU wasn't stumbling across any extra command.
Save the card, look into a newer CPU (if you can)
Wait a second here. 6800XT? That card is a pile of bantha poodoo.
ANYTHING LE, XT, and SE for Nvidia is CRAP. It means it's a budget card used for nothing more than basic computer use. GARBAGE. CAPUT! (but good for ATI) I never even mention the XT.. Where'd you pull that from?
Also, you wrong on another point. A 7800GS will CRUSH a 7600GT into the ground. Don't know where you got this data, but it's wrong. 7600GT is comparable to a 6800GS. They are about the same. But if you mod the 6800GS (which is common and anyone who knows anything about PCs has done it), the 7600GT can't touch it. Dude, you are WAAAAAY wrong on your info. Show me some data. Where'd you get your data from? Do YOU personally do these tests? If so, how did you do it?
7600GS is an inferior card. Not ALL of the 7000 series cards have the same chip. Why don't you know this?? There are major differences in construction between the 7100, the 7300, the 7600, and the 7800 and finally the 7900 series cards. HUGE differences. You're just wrong dude. Totally.
Check this out and you'll see.
Geforce 7 Series There is no "7000" series chip.
Each card series runs on a different architecture.
Are you talking AGP or PCI/e model? Actually, for this card, there is no difference between the AGP and PCI'e versions. Both are equally dismal. Look at the numbers sir (and I can tell you from personal experience). 7600GS is not a gaming card. It's a budget card.
And, for the 6800 series, I was talking about the GS/GT/UltraExtreme versions.
LE, XT, and SE for Nvidia is CRAP. GARBAGE. CAPUT! (but good for ATI)
Check your data, man. You're off on this one.
Incase you don't feel like it, here:
7600GS specifications:
Core Clock:400mhz
Memory Clock: 800mhz
Memory Interface: 128bit (this is partially what kills this card)
Memory Bandwidth: 12.8 Gb's (this is what ACTUALLY kills the card)
Pixels per Clockcycle: 12 (this is a good number, but doesn't mean much
due to low memory bandwidth)
Now the 6800GS modded to a 6800GT (the figures a similar for the GS model)
Core Clock: 425mhz (I know what you're gonna say, but wait)
Memory Clock: 1 GHZ (wait for it, wait for it.......)
Memory Interface: 256bit
Memory Bandwidth: 38.4 GB's (this figure is what makes the card
good, bad, or average)
Pixels per Clock: 16
So, tell me again how the 7600GS is a good card?
Shall I send you the test data as well?
Don't see how you think this is a "very good card".
In order to make the 7600GS or similar cards look good, Nvidia cranks up the Core clock up, but leaves the memory clock lower and the memory bandwidth substandard. They'll give you a figure like "RAMDAC 800MHZ!!" to con you into believing it's a good card. Too many people fall for this. I used to test cards for Tom's hardware and ExtremeOverclocking, friend. Due to other obligations, I am unfortunately unable to do this anymore for the time being. I was one of the people who contributed to write up on "Best Videocard for the Money" back in '05. By our reviews, the 7600GT was the best card for the money at the time, and we didn't even bother testing the 7600GS. The 7600GS is NOT a gaming card by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, if you crank down every bit of detail and run absolutely no AA, and a low resolution, you'll get good performance. But then what's the point?? Respectfully, you may believe what you wish, or maybe your standards for a good/great video card a lower than what is commonly held as standards. Any videocard with a low memory bandwidth, like the 7600GS, is not a performer by any means.
I didn't look to see what mother board he had and whether it was a Socket 478 or 775 and what the highest supported FSB is. However, IF he has socket 478 that supports 800mhz FSB, the best performing processor for the money is the P4 3.2 ghz HT w/800mhsFSB and 1meg L2. I saw them for around $85 last month. Going with the "fastest" 478 processor (which is the P4 EE 3.4ghz HT 800mhzFSB and 2meg L2 cache) wouldn't be much of difference, so I'd get the first one I mentioned.
That processor alone would give him a noticeable performance boost.
Combine that with a better card, and he's golden.
