Test Setup
For the test environment, we chose Intel’s D875 PBZ desktop motherboard with the i875 chipset, running an Intel Pentium 3.2 GHz processor. To compare performance, we sent the GeForce 6600 GT AGP into the ring against NVIDIA’s former top model (the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra), the bigger GeForce 6800, and ATI’s Radeon 9800 Pro.
For our benchmark suite we compiled numbers from several popular games and benchmarks, as well as a few new releases that make heavy use of pixel and vertex shaders. Since most games don’t feature their own built-in benchmark mode, we used the tool FRAPS to determine the frame rates. You can find more details on the games and benchmarks we used in the table below.
We tested the NVIDIA cards with the latest WHQL driver v66.93. The Radeon 9800 Pro was tested with Catalyst v4.11.
| AGP Test System | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz |
| FSB | 200 MHz |
| Motherboard | Intel D875 PBZ |
| Memory | 4x Corsair CMX256A-3200LL DDR, 1024 MB |
| HDD | Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 120 GB S-ATA (8 MB) |
| DVD | Hitachi GD-7000 |
| LAN | Netgear FA-312 |
| Power Supply | Antec True Control 550W |
| Drivers & Configuration | |
| Graphics | ATI Catalyst v4.11NVIDIA v66.93 |
| Chipset | Intel Inf. Update |
| OS | Windows XP Prof. SP1a |
| DirectX | DirectX 9.0c |
| Graphic cards used in this article | |
| ATI | Radeon 9800 Pro (380/680 MHz) |
| NVIDIA | GeForce 6800 (325/700 MHz)GeForce FX 5950 Ultra (475/950 MHz) |
| Benchmarks | |
| 3DMark 2005 | Standard Resolution |
| Unreal Tournament 2004 | Custom TimedemoMax Details/QualityMap : Assault-FallenCity |
| Call Of Duty v1.4 | Max Details/QualityDemo : VGA |
| Doom3 | Demo : Demo1High Quality |
| Farcry v1.3 | Custom Timedemo cooler01Very High QualityFlashlight : On |
| Flight Simulator 2004 | Custom VideoCustom QualityScenario : Hong Kong at Dusk |
| Joint Operations | FRAPSTraining AircraftQuality Setting |
| Battlefield Vietnam v1.2 | FRAPSMax Details/QualityMap : Ho Chi Minh Trail |
| DTM Race Driver2 v1.2 | Custom ReplayFRAPSMax Details/QualityNurburgring at rain |
| The Sims 2 | FRAPSMax Details/QualityCustom Scene |
Benchmarks
3DMark 2005
In 3DMark 2005, the GeForce 6600 GT AGP is more than twice as fast as the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra. The Radeon 9800 Pro proves surprisingly speedy as well.
