Nvidia Geforce 6600 GT Brands/Prices

**topcat_garfield** · 11-01-2005

I am sure this mid-range card catches a lot of attention among gaming enthusiasts who don't have a lot of money to shell. Don't remember when in the past a card ranking in the top five was available for 12.5K (exclude inflation)

This card is today available in atleast a dozen brands
But suprisingly there atmost 2-3 brands that are available in the market today
XFX
Gainward (GLH)
BFG
MSI
Leadtek
Asus
Gigabyte
Club-3d
Sparkle
Albatron
Sapphire
eVga
Chaintech

Yes, all of them 6600GT but yet different in someways. You may go through
Firing Squad 6600 GT AGP Brand Comparision OR
Anandtech 6600GT Explorations (PCIe)

The things that we care about is cost, overclocking and heat. But looks like we don't have a much of a choice, out here, in India.

After much inquiry, I was able to find the costing of only 3 brands as of 11/01/2005

XFX - 12.5K - BigByte Corp.
MSI - 13.5K - Tirupati Ent. (SLI)
Leadtek- 13.5K - MegaNetworks

Suprisingly PCI/AGP doesn't seem to matter to most dealers (as both are overpriced anyways

). Also, I have gone through a pretty bad episode with MegaNetworks (Authorized distributors of leadtek in india). More about all this later

Gainward and Club-3d are yet to hit the market.
Anybody with any more info, please keep posting

**funkymonkey** · 11-01-2005

hi.
The XFX 6600GT that bigbyte is selling is lite edition.
Its not marked anywhere on the box. My friend bought it and found out its clocked at 900Mhz memory insted of 1000.
beaware.......

Ho0ligaN · 11-01-2005

MSI - 13.5K - Tirupati Ent. (SLI)

where is this? bbay?

**saumilsingh** · 12-01-2005

Stay away from the xfx and msi 6600gt's.

Severe overheating problems (ultimately lockups) with the xfx - nvnews.net forums are full of these.

And with the msi there are reports of the hs/fan combo simply 'falling' off during operation.

**topcat_garfield** · 12-01-2005

The XFX 6600GT that bigbyte is selling is lite edition.

Never knew something like this existed! Thanks for the info. Is there anyway to check on the box if it's 900/1000?

where is this? bbay?

Nope this is calcutta. Shipping extra.

Severe overheating problems (ultimately lockups) with the xfx and reports of the hs/fan combo simply 'falling' off during operation with the msi.

Amazing! How can these products even be sold then? And what options am I left with? Buy an XFX card and put a arctic or zalman cooler? Or does anyone have news of other brands in the market?

Leadtek is out of the question 'coz of the horrible experience I have had with MegaNetworks.

SunMysore · 12-01-2005

Originally Posted by topcat_garfield

Amazing! How can these products even be sold then? And what options am I left with? Buy an XFX card and put a arctic or zalman cooler? Or does anyone have news of other brands in the market?

http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=34025

Much cheaper

**topcat_garfield** · 12-01-2005

Here goes my leadtek story,

Placed an order with MegaNetworks on 3rd Dec 2004 for a Leadtek AGP Card. Order taken by the director, Amrish himself. Cost: 13.5K. Paid 1500 Advance. Promised Delivery date: 13th Dec.

13th Dec: told that I will get it by 17th

17th Dec: told it's christmas time, so leadtek is damn busy dispatching cards world over

21st Dec: told that card has been allocated get it on 24th

27th Dec: Director, Mr. Amrish missing

29th Dec: His man asks me to take the money back 'coz he can't procure it before 2nd Jan

4th Jan: Card has been shipped will take time to get it cleared from the customs. Asked to take money back

9th Jan: told leadtek is busy and haven't allocated the card yet!!!

11th Jan: Took the money back

The funniest part is when I complained to the leadtek head-office, the asked me to get in touch with MegaNetworks as they were the authorized distributers. When I wrote back saying that my problem was with MegaNetworks itself. They replied (note the broken language):

Dear Customer,
About this problem that you could direct ask them who are you contact to by yourself. We are service department and not sales department so that we don't know who's the contact windows either.
Sorry!
Thanks!
Best regards,
Marketing Department, Leadtek Research Inc.

With that I decided I am thru' with Leadteks!

**funkymonkey** · 12-01-2005

lol.
Well about the lite edition.
No its not official edition.
XFX and Leadtek both are found to sneak these cards through disguising the customers.
Before you take delivery always test it at the dealer. Most dealer will agree if you are purchasing card but testing it before you take home.
Same problem was heard with XFX and early releases of their 6800GT cards.
Their 6800GT were clocked 350/900 as well, unfortunatly not many people knew this and fell for it as it was costing around 24K which was good 3K cheaper than what I paid for my XFX 6800GT which was real 350/1000 and told me to reduce price of my card when i was selling it

Not many people were actiually aware than XFX is sneaking 2 versions. Now they have revised their official price at 31K and shipping all 350/1000 but you can get it for 27.5K with many dealers.
The cheaper varients are lower clocked models.
Things like this are ignored in India where not many people will even bother to check the clock speeds and test the card before taking it home and not many dealers will allow you to do so.
From the reports I have heard almost 80% of the XFX 6800GT sold by rashi from Nov04-dec04 were lower clocked versions and most of them were shipped in south and east part of our country.
I got this infor from the guy working in high post in Rashi itself but I wont disclose his name. I know him only bcoz i used to work with him couple of years back.

**Chaos** · 12-01-2005

Why would anyone buy the XFX 6800GT at that price then? The gainward goldensample is cheaper than that! BTW forgot to mention, got my 6800GT golden sample cards yesterday. Will post benches soon.

**topcat_garfield** · 12-01-2005

BTW forgot to mention, got my 6800GT golden sample cards yesterday

Where did you get it from? MediaTech? And how much did you pay?

**Chaos** · 12-01-2005

Originally Posted by topcat_garfield

Where did you get it from? MediaTech? And how much did you pay?

27.5K. BTW mediatech is no longer gainward's distributor. Mine was the last batch of cards they procured.

**topcat_garfield** · 12-01-2005

So No Gainward for me!
Now I really am wondering about my options.

Hope you guys keep me posted on various brands of 6600 GT available here along with the cost.

Also let me know if you any of you are planning on buying graphics card from abroad or if any of your relatives are coming down

**dhiman** · 12-01-2005

How do i find out if a xfx 6600gt is clocked at 900 or 1000 mhz ? Which tool to use

**stalkersoftware** · 12-01-2005

Originally Posted by dhiman

How do i find out if a xfx 6600gt is clocked at 900 or 1000 mhz ? Which tool to use

You could use NVTWEAK or Rivatuner
Both are good use one of them

Even the Benchmark tools like 3dMark 2003 and 2005 can be used, but they dont always report the right frequency.

**topcat_garfield** · 12-01-2005

I go to BBC to buy my card, they redirect me to PrimeAGBG saying they are the retailer. Out there I say I want an XFX 6600 GT 500/1000.

If Prime is aware that they are selling 500/900, they are gonna "act dumb" and reply that they are selling what XFX is distributing to them and that they have no idea what it is like inside the box.

I am positive they won't open the box pack and let us return a working card if it runs at 900MHz.

What do you think guys?