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BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC PCI-E Review March 21, 2005 |
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Summary: With a lifetime factory warranty, BFG's graphics cards have always appealed to the practical crowd, but with their new "OC" line of cards, enthusiasts are happy too. Take BFG's GeForce 6600 GT OC for instance. BFG skips the NVIDIA reference cooler for a custom copper cooler of their own decked out with blue LEDs, and for added performance, BFG overclocks the card for you by default. And don't forget SLI. See how this card stacks up to NVIDIA's reference GeForce 6600 GT in single card and SLI configs, as well as the GeForce 6800 GT and X700 PRO in today's review!
 Introduction | Page:: ( 1 / 11 ) |
And that’s why NVIDIA and ATI also manufacture graphics cards “for the rest of us.” Derivatives of their most powerful architectures, stripped down a bit to enable the same features, but at reduced performance and of course, at a lower price. NVDIA’s GeForce 6600 GT is a perfect example of this economies-of-scale approach in action. For less than $200, you get Microsoft DirectX 9.0c compliance that includes Shader Model 3.0 support, NVIDIA’s PureVideo technology, and a derivative 3D architecture featuring eight pixel pipelines--half that of the flagship GeForce 6800 Ultra.
ATI does the same thing with its performance lineup as well. Mainstream X700 cards all center on similar technology as those monstrous X850 products, shedding pixel pipelines yet retaining the same level of DirectX 9 functionality, six vertex shading engines, an impressive 256MB of GDDR-3 memory, and other extras, like 3Dc, SmartShader HD, and HyperZ HD.
The two cards--NVIDIA’s GeForce 6600 GT and ATI’s Radeon X700 Pro--are priced somewhat similarly online. They both sport relatively comparable specifications, too. Why would a budget-conscious gamer break their back trying to procure a 6800 Ultra when they can see the same level of detail in their games with a 6600 GT? Sure, they might have to drop a couple of resolutions, but the point is that the days of handicapped GeForce 4 MX cards are over. The manufacturers are trying harder than ever to propagate top-end features at more reasonable prices.
BFG’s GeForce 6600 GT OC
BFG offers one of the most attractive cards on the GeForce 6600 GT side of the fence. Like all other cards centering on the same mainstream graphics processor, BFG’s solution wields eight parallel pixel pipelines, Shader Model 3.0 compliance, and PureVideo technology. It has 128MB of GDDR-3 memory on a 128-bit bus. But there are a few extras that really set the BFG card apart from competing boards.
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To begin, the GeForce 6600 GT OC arrives overclocked straight from the factory. You’ll see reference models featuring 500MHz core clocks and an effective 1GHz GDDR-3 memory clock. BFG bumps its card up to 525MHz with 1.05GHz memory. That’s a mere five percent increase--not very significant by most accounts--but still enough to show that BFG isn’t afraid to push its hardware a little harder than other brands. If it weren’t enough that the card is running a bit faster, BFG then goes and guarantees the card for life and offers 24/7 tech support on it. How’s that for unprecedented?
| More BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC | Page:: ( 2 / 11 ) |
Other extras include a pair of DVI outputs, unique in that most other cards only come with one DVI output and another VGA port. BFG bundles a pair of VGA adapters, though, should you wish to connect a pair of analog displays. The option for two digital flat panels alone will certainly sell a number of these cards.
There’s also a video output interface for connecting a bundled dongle. The dongle has outputs for component video, S-video, and composite video. You’ll need to come up with the requisite cables, though.
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As with other PCI Express-based 6600 GT cards, BFG’s supports SLI multi-rendering technology, which makes it possible to connect two GeForce 6600 GT OC cards together and run them cooperatively. Although it’s a fairly significant feature, I wouldn’t be the first person to recommend against running 6600 GT’s in SLI. The cards are too expensive in pairs and don’t offer enough performance to justify the cost. A better solution would be a single GeForce 6800 GT, which of course can be SLI’ed down the road as well.
Because the GeForce 6600 GT s manufactured on a 110nm process, features eight pixel pipelines, and only 128MB of memory, it falls within the power envelope for PCI Express and consequentially doesn’t need an auxiliary power connector. BFG still recommends that you pair it with at least a 350W power supply, though.
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Other aesthetic differences between the BFG card and NVIDIA’s reference model include a circular copper heatsink and copper ram-sinks. The translucent fan is very quiet--a pleasant departure from the tiny fan used on ATI’s X700, which spins extremely fast and is quite loud in comparison. Three LED elements sit below the fan, casting a bright blue light when the power is on.
Overclocking
As it turns out, there seems to be quite a bit of headroom in TSMC’s 110nm manufacturing process, as the BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC scaled well up to nearly 600MHz. Optimal performance was a bit lower though, so we eventually settled on an outstanding 570MHz/1.15GHz. At those speeds we were able to test Doom 3 at 1600x1200 with 4xAA and 8xAF and still score 31.5 frames per second.
| System Setup | Page:: ( 3 / 11 ) |
System Setup
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (939)
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
1GB OCZ 2-2-2-5 VX-series memory (2x512MB)
BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC 128MB PCI Express x16
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT 256MB PCI Express x16
ATI Radeon X700 Pro 256MB PCI Express x16
Detonator 66.93
Catalyst 5.3
34GB Western Digital Raptor (10,000RPM, 8MB cache)
Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2
DirectX 9.0c
Desktop resolution 1024x768, 32-bit color, 85Hz refresh
All power saving options were turned off, as were the Automatic Update and System Restore services. Graphics options under the ‘Performance’ tab were all disabled for maximum performance.
We tried to use some of NVIDIA’s newer driver packages, including the latest 71.84 build. However, the BFG 6600 GT card wound up achieving the same performance numbers in single- and dual-card modes, indicating the inactivity of SLI technology. Because those are beta drivers anyway, we discontinued use of them and reverted back to the latest posted build on NVIDIA’s official website.
Benchmarks
id Software Doom 3 Demo Demo001
Crytek Far Cry v.1.3 Demo
Valve Software Half-Life 2 Custom Demo
1C: Maddox Games IL2: Forgotten Battles TheBlackDeath Demo
1C: Maddox Games Pacific Fighters vs: B-24 Demo
| Doom 3 | Page:: ( 4 / 11 ) |
id Software Doom 3
Notes
It’s hardly a secret that the NVIDIA cards perform exceptionally well in Doom 3. There’s no exception here, as the 6600 GT enables very playable frame rates at 1024x768 and 1600x1200 alike. In SLI mode, the story is even better, dampened only by the 6800 GT’s strong performance than suggests a single-card solution would be better than two 6600’s. ATI is hardly competitive at all here, barely doing at 1024x768 what BFG’s 6600 GT OC does at 1600x1200.
| Doom 3 with 4xAA and 8xAF | Page:: ( 5 / 11 ) |
id Software Doom 3 with 4xAA and 8xAF
Notes
Running at 1024x768 with anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering is roughly equivalent to bumping the resolution up to 1600x1200, it seems. Performance is still playable with a single 6600 GT, but even more so if you use a pair or get a 6800 GT. Again, ATI isn’t able to muster more than twenty-something frames on average.
| Far Cry | Page:: ( 6 / 11 ) |
Crytek’s Far Cry
Notes
ATI fares much better in Far Cry, where the X700 Pro trails the GeForce 6600 GT by a more modest margin. Even at 1600x1200, BFG’s card delivers enough performance to play relatively smoothly, and the SLI configuration enables an impressive 61 percent more performance. Nevertheless, a single 6800 GT is still going to give you very competitive performance at a lower price than jumping into a pair of 6600’s.
If you’re wondering how the default overclock that BFG touts, there’s definitely a perceptible difference between the 6600 GT at 525MHz and 500MHz, but it isn’t going to make a staggering difference, at least not in Far Cry.
| Half-Life 2 | Page:: ( 7 / 11 ) |
Valve Software’s Half-Life 2
Notes
Half-Life 2 is clearly more limited by processor performance than some of the other games we’ve tested thus far. At 1024x768, the 6600 GT performs marginally better than ATI’s X700 Pro, while adding a second 6600 GT doesn’t do much extra for the bottom line.
There’s more of a difference as you shift to 1600x1200. And while ATI remains competitive, the GeForce 6600 GT continues to maintain a lead, a lead that is further exacerbated by the addition of a second card in SLI mode and followed very closely by a single GeForce 6800 GT.
| IL2 | Page:: ( 8 / 11 ) |
1C:Maddox Games’ IL2
Notes
There’s another tiny gap between BFG’s GeForce 6600 GT OC and the performance of a stock 6600 GT card. Of course, BFG is on top at both 1024x768 and 1600x1200. SLI mode does very little for performance at the former resolution, while it makes a more appreciable difference in the latter. The Radeon X700 Pro trails significantly in both instances, though it’s still able to provide playable frame rates at 1600x1200.
| Pacific Fighters | Page:: ( 9 / 11 ) |
1C:Maddox Games’ Pacific Fighters
Notes
Despite upgraded graphics, Pacific Fighters achieves some pretty lofty frame rates compared to the older IL2. Our benchmark results show the 6800 GT leading both 1024x768 and 1600x1200 resolutions. This is apparently one of those games yet to be optimized for SLI, and indeed, a trip to NVIDIA’s nZone enthusiast page confirms that there are no profiles available for Pacific Fighters at this time. That’s one caveat to going with a multi-card solution, though.
| Ballistics Report: BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC | Page:: ( 10 / 11 ) |
Pros:
Performance: One of BFG’s principal selling points with the GeForce 6600 GT OC is extra performance at the hands of a modest stock overclock. And with eight parallel pixel pipelines and Shader Model 3.0 support behind it, the card does do very well for itself in the latest games. Add on to that the fact that there’s quite a bit of additional overclocking available in the GeForce 6600 GT, and you’re looking at a very decent 3D card for a reasonable price.
Warranty: One of the main reasons that most companies shy away from discussing overclocking is because it applies undue stress on sensitive components. Well, not only does BFG disregard convention by shipping the GeForce 6600 GT OC at non-standard clock speeds, but it also backs the product with a lifetime warranty. Not that you’d want another 6600 GT should yours fail five years down the road. It’s still a generous guarantee, though.
Features: Whereas many manufacturers look at their 6600 GT cards as budget offerings that lack some of the innovative features you’d normally find at the high-end, BFG includes dual DVI ports, an HDTV output, and blue LEDs for a little extra flair. The packaging comes with two DVI-to-VGA adapters and a video output dongle with component-out, S-video out, and composite-out.
Cons:
Price: One of the main reasons to buy a GeForce 6600 GT is saving money. That’s why many 6600 GT cards come in well under $200. But because BFG is primarily available at retail at an MSRP, prices tend to be a bit higher. For example, whereas you might find a competing 6600 GT for $170 online, the BFG variant will run you closer to $250. At that price, you’re a stone’s throw away from buying a vanilla 6800 online with 256MB of memory and a 256-bit memory bus. An extra 25MHz or not, it’s a tad difficult to justify the extra cost when less expensive options are available.
| Final Verdict | Page:: ( 11 / 11 ) |
BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC