XFX GeForce 6600 256MB DDR2
Introduction, Specifications & Bundle
Around this time last month, ATI made a lot of noise with the launch of their new X1000 series of graphics cards. With much of the buzz still continuing a month later, it's little surprise that NVIDIA is feeling the need to showcase something new. With their 7800 boards covering the enthusiast market, and the new 6800 GS tackling the mainstream, NVIDIA has re-worked an existing product to specifically compete against new ATI's entry-level offering, the Radeon X1300 Pro. The card we have for you today isn't exactly new technology, it's a GeForce 6600, but some modifications have been made to boost performance.
DDR2 memory, as many of you may recall, was first by NVIDIA on their GeForce FX 5800. Then ATI had their turn with the 256MB Radeon 9800 Pro. Early DDR2 RAM chips ran relatively hot though, so hot in fact that they required the use of ramsinks. Since then, DDR2 hasn't been widely used on a graphics card and GDDR3 has taken over. But here we are, a few years later, and DDR2 is back! And NVIDIA has put 256MB of it on a GeForce 6600. In addition to the new memory, the GeForce 6600 DDR2 reference specifications call for a 350MHz core, and 400MHz memory (DDR 800MHz). This is a considerable step up from the previous 300MHz / 250MHz version of the GeForce 6600.
What we have on-tap for you all today, is XFX's version of the "new" GeForce 6600 DDR2, which actually comes in clocked at 400MHz / 400MHz. The 50MHz increase to the core clock should offer a nice performance boost, and with FarCry thrown into the bundle as well, its clear XFX is looking to differentiate this product from competing products in its class.
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CINEFX 3.0 SHADING ARCHITECTURE
64-BIT TEXTURE FILTERING AND BLENDING
INTELLISAMPLE 3.0 TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCED ENGINEERING
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ULTRASHADOW II TECHNOLOGY
NVIDIA DIGITAL VIBRANCE CONTROL (DVC) 3.0
OPERATING SYSTEMS
API SUPPORT
* The operating system or APIs can impose limits, but the hardware does not limit shader program length. |
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The bundle you see here is basic, but complete. Drivers, a manual, and an S-Video cable are included with the XFX GeForce 6600 DDR 256MB, along with two DVI to VGA adapters. But gamers need something to show off the power of their new card, right? Well, that's why the DVD version of Far Cry has been included with the package. Though FarCry can now be found for a relatively low price almost everywhere, it's still an excellent game and is a good, solid, title that should showcase the capabilities of this card very well. About the only thing missing is some sort of DVD playback software, but because of this card's low selling price this isn't a major problem.
