Hi there just a quick question. I am currently running a ATi 9800 pro 128mb graphics card. The local PC World has a special on for the GF 6200 256mb card. Is it worth upgrading or is the performance differance negliable?

Cheers Nigel.

I think I'd keep the 9800 Pro.

If I were upgrading from a 9800 Pro, and also switching to Nvidia, I would probably get a GF6600GT, not a GF6200.

Cheers.

Cheers Tristan thought that may be the case, just needed to confirm it.

If anything the performance will be worse, especially with AA and AF enabled.

it certainly will be worse
a 9800pro is more like a 6600

little tip, when upgrading try to avoid buying a card that costs less than your current one

If you can afford ~£170 look at a 6800GS (PCWorld won't sell them at that price though )

That was my impression too, Davros, but after googling some benchmarks it seemed that in most cases the two were rather even. This involves comparing different reviews, as I couldn't find any that put the two cards up against each other, so the other hardware changes may have an effect.

Here's a comparison and review of the 9800Pro and a 6600GT.

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041119/geforce-6600gt-agp-03.html#benchmarks

The upgrade would be incremental, but still at under $170 at your local PC Club it costs much less than your 9800 Pro did. My FX5900 cost me $400 a year or so ago, and my new $170 6600GT leaves it for dust, so lower cost is not a factor in a video card choice for your PC.

But we are comparing a 9800 Pro and a 6200.

I don't think EAF92 Cop is interested in a 6200 any longer do you?

Now, I know that you know that a 6200 and a 9800Pro is no comparison at all.

So your point was??

As I said previously, that was my gut reaction too, but go take a look at some reviews. In most cases a 256MB 6200 matches a 128MB 9800 Pro, even with AA and AF on.

Strange but true. Perhaps a testament to just how powerful 6x00 cards are over the previous generation.

Unless the tests between the FX6200 and ATI 9800pro were performed on the same system setup, as any other comparison is done, I would not even consider any website to website "gleaned" results as data. Even something as simple as motherboard drivers can make a world of difference, let alone a different motherboard or CPU. The Fx6200 is probably at it's peak on one system, while the 9800Pro is being choked on the other system.

All side by side same system tests I have reviewed the last two weeks show the 9800pro ahead of even the 6600GT in some benchmarks, until the resolution gets cranked up and then the 6600Gt starts spankin'.

It's amazing how this small and thin little Fx6600GT 128mb card I have now litteraly blows away my former huge 1lb FX5900 256mb card. Reminds me of when I went from a $300 voodoo 5500 AGP to a lowly $69 GF4 MX440 and trippled my in game performance!