6600GT w/ AGP 4X

[mjacobsca]

It's time for me to upgrade my video card (my GeForce 3 Ti200's fan has gone out, giving me the perfect excuse). I usually buy video cards that are right in the mid-price-range (around $200). Right now, the 6600GT cards seem like the best value ever for a $200 card, so I'm eager to get one. However, the motherboard I bought only a year and a half ago supports AGP 4X only (1.5V). The guy at the hardware store said that the 6600GT would be completely bottlenecked by the AGP 4X, and therefore it wasn't worth getting. He suggested I get a GeForce 5700 or something that was only AGP 4X. However, those cards are around $150, and the 6600GT was on sale for $189. I hate to pay almost the same price for a card that isn't half as good. So my questions are:

1. Is it worth paying the price for a 6600GT when I can only support AGP 4X? Will a 5700 work just as well for me?

2. Or should I just give in, upgrade the relatively new motherboard to a PCI-Express board, or to a board that supports AGP 8X?

3. And can someone tell me how many volts the 6600GT takes? Is it a 1.5V card, or a 3.3V card? (My 845PE supports 1.5 only). And how much of a power supply should I have to run it?

I was trying to avoid upgrading the whole system since I just got the chip and motherboard last year. I just want to be able to play some of the latest stuff.

Thanks!

Michael

 

[SanToast]

if u are going to be running the card at 4x, then stick with ati's 9x00 series.

 

[mjacobsca]

Why do you say that? The 9800 card is more expensive than the 6600GT. Will I get better performance from the GT or the 9800? The 9800 supports 8X just like the 6600GT does, so why is this any better than just getting the 6600GT?

Once again, my original questions:

1. Is it worth paying the price for a 6600GT when I can only support AGP 4X? Will a 5700 work just as well for me?

2. Or should I just give in, upgrade the relatively new motherboard to a PCI-Express board, or to a board that supports AGP 8X?

3. And can someone tell me how many volts the 6600GT takes? Is it a 1.5V card, or a 3.3V card? (My 845PE supports 1.5 only). And how much of a power supply should I have to run it?

 

[SanToast]

brother man... i'm sending you a PM with comprehensive details.

 

[Echo_]

hey santoast iis there such a thing as a 6600 ultra?? ive never seen it
in your sig

 

[SanToast]

there sure is... i've got two of em!

 

[mjacobsca]

Details would be good. I'm really trying to learn all I can here. Your original reply, while it might be the right suggestion, isn't detailed enough to help me decide what to buy. If the 9800 pro and the GT act the same, I'd rather get the card that will be better when I upgrade my motherboard next year. BTW, I've turned PM on if you want to send me details. Or, you can just post them here in this message.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

I dont think AGP 4x would bottleneck the 6600GT

If you want, i will switch down to that and bench

 

[The Merlin]

There is no such thing as a 6600 Ultra

 

[Echo_]

^^^thats what i thought....