Yep, mine did. 1x VGA + 1x DVI + 1x S-Video. (talking about mine there - the one you linked to is dual DVI)
Brand doesnt matter - although sometimes they come with different coolers (all are adequate, but some are quieter, and some cool better), some also have different clock speeds, but they would usually they advertise this
Also, try to go for the 256 Mb version, as it will hold you in good stead for the future
Also, try to go for the 256 Mb version, as it will hold you in good stead for the future
How much of a difference does the 256 make, seems that there aren't many avaliable and that 128 looked like a good package at a reasonable price with a DVI converter
i used to have an XFX 6600GT 256 Mb, and run that with all options in LFS on full, a DDS folder the size of a clean copy of LFS, and a little AA/AF (i *think* 2xAA, 16xAF), and got perfectly decent frame rates - putting this in context, SamH has a 6600GT with 128 Mb and he has trouble with Hi-Res skins, and cant add too many textures without his FPS dropping
Looking at the choice of 256s this one seems to be about the shortest auction, the description is not very clear but looking at the picture I think it has 1 VGA and 1 DVI.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nvidia-6 ... tem?hash=item250068938782
There is this one but I guess the cooler is a hint it's been overclocked
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFX-6600 ... 64613284#ebayphotohosting
and there's this one as well
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFX-NVID ... tem?hash=item270075786291
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nvidia-6 ... tem?hash=item250068938782
There is this one but I guess the cooler is a hint it's been overclocked
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFX-6600 ... 64613284#ebayphotohosting
and there's this one as well
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFX-NVID ... tem?hash=item270075786291
i have a 6600 also (256 mb) and tbh you can't go wrong with it. i like to do a lot of research on my hardware before i buy it, and i found the the 6600GT was the gamers chioce once so that can't be at all bad. i went for the gigabyte model too because it has silentpipe on it (no fan) and it claimed to be up to 25% faster than other 6600's
i would take your third chioce. she looks da bomb now all you need to do (after buying it) is to make sure you have a power connector to power the beaste
i would take your third chioce. she looks da bomb now all you need to do (after buying it) is to make sure you have a power connector to power the beaste
What do you mean by that, doesn't it just plug in?
In recent times, video cards have started to require an extra power connector, either the standard 4-pin MOLEX you use for hard drives and such or the newer PCI-Express power connector (also 4-pins, but square). I'm not entirely sure if the 6600GT has such a connector on it, but if it does and it's AGP (my 6800GT AGP did), you're probably going to need a spare 4-pin MOLEX connector.
The 6600GT should allow you to run 4x AA and 16x AF without and performance hit. That's how it was with my 6800GT and Athlon XP 3000+ (2.1GHz).
NOTE: Under LFS, I saw ZERO performance increase going from a GF 4600 to a GF 6800GT when not using AA and AF. CPU was the above Athlon XP. Also, when I upgraded to a Core 2 Duo and 7900GT, I did a CPU scaling test in LFS. I ran the LFS benchmark at the stock CPU clock speed of 2.13GHz, and again at 3.2GHz. The minimum framerate scaled PERFECTLY with clock speed.
I'll be honest, I have a 128mb 6600gt and run lfs hig settings and all that, 4x AA, hig res skins and texture packs @ 1680*1050 limited to 60fps and never drop below 45fps, so it's not the end of the world if you cant find a 256mb card.
If you're upgrading to pic-e in a year or so, dont bother spending too much now.
Quick edit, nearly all 6600gt fans are notoriously loud and crap at cooling, I replaced mine with a zalman v700 (all copper version), MUCH quieter and much cooler. If you get a gt with a large heatsink which covers the pci->agp bridge its trickier to replace as you need to think about cooling the bridge.
How do I tell if I've got that spare connector?
Well I think I may as well go for a 128 then, there are a lot more to choose from and in the end of the day I only want it for a few months. I'll go for this one. Only thing I'm not sure about is that spare power connector, how can I tell if it needs it/if my system has a spare one.
Thanks again for your help
Look at the power connector on your hard drive and CD-ROM/DVD drive. You're looking for one of those dangling from your PSU.
I had a look and there aren't any. I also checked and my PSU is rated as 250W. Fairly sure my motherboard is a micro atx/the smaller standard size, took a pic of it will post later. My tower is 14 inches tall if that helps.
or you could stick with your current graphics card. buy some extra ram to go with the new mobo and cpu. and when you have enough money, buy a new graphics card and psu.
oh and, when buying your cpu don't go for one that is tagged "OEM" this will not be supplied with a heatsync and fan. although you can pick those up with the cash you are saving but i think that voids the cpu warrenty. not sure tho
oh and, when buying your cpu don't go for one that is tagged "OEM" this will not be supplied with a heatsync and fan. although you can pick those up with the cash you are saving but i think that voids the cpu warrenty. not sure tho
If your current system is an SDRAM equiped P4 then even the 2.8ghz cpu is held back by that.. Pentium 4 systems where good ages ago with RDRAM and later they where good with DDR...
A p4 2.8ghz with SDRAM and a 9600pro is a nice 'match' although of course a bit of a 'mediocre' system at best
I would save up until you can indeed get a core duo and a nice 7900 type graphics card.. That will be money wiser spent than trying to upgrade your current pc imo!
A p4 2.8ghz with SDRAM and a 9600pro is a nice 'match' although of course a bit of a 'mediocre' system at best
I would save up until you can indeed get a core duo and a nice 7900 type graphics card.. That will be money wiser spent than trying to upgrade your current pc imo!
So having SDRAM is likely to be the limiting factor, odd because I noticed no real improvement in LFS when I added a gig of RAM, it made a big difference in photoshop though.
Another question that should be easy to answer about motherboards and cases, if I change motherboards will USB/PS2 etc ports at the back line up or not?
And how do you tell what PSU you need?
they wont, but the on the case you get a rectangle, and then the mobo comes with the plate that fits in it - so yes, it WILL line up.
The AGP/PCI motherboard doesn't seem to be available anymore (only found it on one or two sites that look out of date with no details). I think I'll save up and get a decent PCIe/DDR2/AMD AM2 motherboard but in the mean time I'd still like to upgrade my graphics card if possible.
If anyone else could give a consensus on whether upgrading the graphics card would be worth it due to the type of RAM I've got it would be helpful.
Also is there anyway of getting conformation as to whether the 6600GT 128mb would require a spare power connector?
If anyone else could give a consensus on whether upgrading the graphics card would be worth it due to the type of RAM I've got it would be helpful.
Also is there anyway of getting conformation as to whether the 6600GT 128mb would require a spare power connector?
id advise you to go with a conroe or possibly a k8l if that one turns out to be any good ... especially if you dare to overclock your pc
you do have ddr however you dont have a dual channel mobo so that will slow things down a bit ... but with your specs i still find lfs runs very low framerates for your pc you should be able to get a good bit more out of it
just from looking at the pics in those ebay auctions it does require a single molex connector
6600GT does require power connector, also it needs really good case cooling or it will fry itself (agp version).
Try this benchmark suite:
http://www.futuremark.com/products/pcmark05/
Here is some information about memory, surely you have DDR?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM
250w PSU is too little for even GT6600, imo. I does take quite lot more power than your current card and it is not much more load that what your PSU can take, I believe, but +12V line Ampers would reveal more of that.
So how do I go about changing my PSU, do they all fit into the same sized slot and include the fan? What range of connectors do I need?
Looking at an old 149W PSU I have lying about it has:
A 20 pin connection that looks like the same thing that was plugged into my motherboard on my current PC
One length with two 4 pin connectors (I guess for two CD drives)
One length with one normal 4 pin connectors (hard drive?) and an extra small one (floppy drive?
Generally PSU are standard size, but as you have micro-atx system with such low rated psu I would think that it is some of these machines wich don't have standard size PSU in them. Isn't it nice how with computers there is always exception to standard?
IBM for example has some non standard power connectors on some models so you can't put standard psu or motherboard in it, I never by IBM because of that.
Wiki tells again
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_power_supply
My computer is a Packard Bell, doesn't have an on/off switch on my PSU if that makes a difference and the top left screw is slightly to the right of where you would epect it to be, may just be a standard anti idiot measure to make sure the PSU is the right way up, but the old computer case I got has the screws vertically above each other (that a plate bolts onto then the PSU). I'll take a picture of the back of my PSU and post it with the one of my motherboard. Would the label on the PSU tell you what it is as well?
How do you know what rating PSU you need and how many of the 4 pin things it comes with?
As for fans what should I look for?
EDIT: I should have said that I'd want to get a PSU that could cope with a upgraded middle of the road motherboard/cpu/gpu
How do you know what rating PSU you need and how many of the 4 pin things it comes with?
As for fans what should I look for?
EDIT: I should have said that I'd want to get a PSU that could cope with a upgraded middle of the road motherboard/cpu/gpu
The back of my case looks like the PSU looks like this one, but it is the other way up.
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer ... nk=&product_uid=20083
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer ... nk=&product_uid=20083
they all look like that
Your gonna need to open up the case (of the Case) and have a look on the side of th PSU
Your gonna need to open up the case (of the Case) and have a look on the side of th PSU
Upgrading CPU
(102 posts, started )
FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG