GeForce 6200 TurboCache PCI-E - Advice needed

Recently bought a new computer, the spec is as follows:
Intel 3.2Ghz Pentium 4 540 LGA 775
1024MB PC3200 400MHz DDR RAM
GeForce 6200 TurboCache (supports 256MB)
Video BIOS: 5.44.02.14.03
IRQ: 16
Bus: PCI Express x16
Memory: 256MB
Forceware Version: 77.77
TV Encoder Type: NVidia Integrated
SiS BIOS
Microsoft Windows XP/Professional SP2 - fully updated
Trend Micro AntiVirus

Monitor: Hyundai ImageQuest G210
Desktop Resolution: 1600x1200x32 - 85Hz

(ok won't bother listing HDD, DVD burner etc, cos that's not what this
message is about).

As a machine, i'm very happy with it, seems very spritly in its
operation - and though I don't play many PC games (I tend to use my PS2
for any games that I want to play), I never the less decided to try a
game or two..

So I installed MotoGP2 on it, and was shocked at just how jerky the
graphics were - exited the game, played with the settings somewhat, and
short of turning off pretty much most of the 'fancy' graphics which make
the game worth playing, I just couldn't get the card to perform.

Having just been playing the same game on my Laptop which runs a Radeon
card ... and with such a 'glitzy' name as 'turbocache' etc, I thought
the card should perform?

Anyhow, I grabbed a copy of 3DMark05, ran the tests and sustained FPS
between 1 and 5 ... Pathetic!!

Since then i've upgraded the drivers to the latest versions I could
locate 77.77, and no real difference.

So my questions to the hardware buffs amoungst us a

1. Is there something wrong with my card?
2. Is there something wrong with my computer?
3. What FPS should I be expecting out of this card?
4. Are there any 'Ideal' BIOS settings which may improve the speed?
5. Are there any 'more optimum' drivers for this card?
6. Are there any more details I can give you my configuration hw/sw
in order to help you diagnose the problems?
7. If I really am already getting the best out of this card that I can,
given the setup about and a budget max of £150, what graphics card would
you replace the 6200 with (and what speeds should I be expecting out of
that)

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks


Brian.

So my questions to the hardware buffs amoungst us a

1. Is there something wrong with my card?
2. Is there something wrong with my computer?
3. What FPS should I be expecting out of this card?
4. Are there any 'Ideal' BIOS settings which may improve the speed?
5. Are there any 'more optimum' drivers for this card?
6. Are there any more details I can give you my configuration hw/sw in
order to help you diagnose the problems?
7. If I really am already getting the best out of this card that I can,
given the setup about and a budget max of £150, what graphics card would
you replace the 6200 with (and what speeds should I be expecting out of
that)

Any advice is welcome.

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20050208/

There's nothing wrong with your computer. That particular card is the one of
the worst performing cards in the Geforce 6xxx range. Turbocache and I think
ATI's implementation is called hypermemory or something really means its
pratically totally useless for playing modern games. It's only a marginal
step up from integrated motherboard graphics.

Any graphics card that will share memory with your system memory will always
perform slow.

If you want to play modern games the least you should consider is a Geforce
6600. I have the Geforce 6600GT and couldn't be more impressed with the
card!

Dan

Augustus wrote:
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20050208/

Thanks for that Augustus, a very interesting read. So i've now
concluded, that the 6200TC is fairly useless for playing games on
(unless it's for firing up a platform game under MAME:-))

That still leaves the following question pretty much unanswered...

7. If I really am already getting the best out of this card that I
can, given the setup above and a budget max of £150, what graphics
card would you replace the 6200 with (and what speeds should I be
expecting out of that)

Thanks

Brian

150 pounds is around $200? Geforce 6600GT or 6800 vanilla(non-GT,ultra).

"Brian Dukes" wrote in message
...
Augustus wrote:
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20050208/

Thanks for that Augustus, a very interesting read. So i've now
concluded, that the 6200TC is fairly useless for playing games on
(unless it's for firing up a platform game under MAME:-))

That still leaves the following question pretty much unanswered...

7. If I really am already getting the best out of this card that I
can, given the setup above and a budget max of £150, what graphics
card would you replace the 6200 with (and what speeds should I be
expecting out of that)

Thanks

Brian

That still leaves the following question pretty much unanswered...

7. If I really am already getting the best out of this card that I
can, given the setup above and a budget max of £150, what graphics
card would you replace the 6200 with (and what speeds should I be
expecting out of that)

Thanks

Brian

I'm in western Canada (Alberta) and have no idea what the going rates for
hardware in GB. . Don't know the online merchants and retailers over there
either. What you should be looking at is a 6600GT 128Mb card minimum. Your
monitor is 1600x1200 native, so you really should be looking at 6800GT or
Ultra level cards to game with. But these are big bucks. 6600GT is hopefully
in the 150 quid range.

I'm in western Canada (Alberta) and have no idea what the going rates for
hardware in GB. . Don't know the online merchants and retailers over there
either. What you should be looking at is a 6600GT 128Mb card minimum. Your
monitor is 1600x1200 native, so you really should be looking at 6800GT or
Ultra level cards to game with. But these are big bucks. 6600GT is hopefully
in the 150 quid range.

Ok now i'm even more confused!! ;-) (easily done I know)

What's the difference between:

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?MSI-66GTE

and

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-66GTE


(apart from the cost) ... why would I want to pay the extra and get the
MSI-66GTE product?

Or.. should I throw a few extra bucks at it and opt for something like:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASU-108711





BTW, i'm in no way affiliated to Novatech .. they just so happen to be
very competatively priced in the UK and extremely close to my home.

Brian.

"Brian Dukes" wrote in message
...
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?MSI-66GTE
and http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-66GTE
(apart from the cost) ... why would I want to pay the extra and get the
MSI-66GTE product?

Well, a store-branded card tends to be cheaper. There's no real difference.
And if the photo's correct, the Novatech-branded card is manufacturered by
LeadTek, making it very desirable.

Or.. should I throw a few extra bucks at it and opt for something like:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASU-108711

More like a hundred bucks. Neither is a better value over the other.

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."

First of One wrote:
"Brian Dukes" wrote in message
...

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?MSI-66GTE
and http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-66GTE
(apart from the cost) ... why would I want to pay the extra and get the
MSI-66GTE product?


Well, a store-branded card tends to be cheaper. There's no real difference.
And if the photo's correct, the Novatech-branded card is manufacturered by
LeadTek, making it very desirable.


Or.. should I throw a few extra bucks at it and opt for something like:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASU-108711


More like a hundred bucks. Neither is a better value over the other.


Ok i'm going to be spending some money tomorrow upgrading my Video card
and moving on from the current GeForce 6200TC.

Question is would I be better off spending a little more money and
getting this:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASU-108711

or should I save my cash and just opt for this:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-66GTE


Is the 6800 card faster? superior? more features?

I guess what i'm asking is - given a total maximum of £200, and given my
supplier of choice http://www.novatech.co.uk, and given the spec of my
PC that I already quoted (PCI-Ex) ... which card would you spend your
money on?


The DVI port on the back of these cards, am I right in thinking with an
appropriate adapter, I can connect another VGA monitor (like my Sony
Trinitron E400 19") ?? If so what cable am I looking for?

Thanks for your advice thus far.

Brian.

"Brian Dukes" wrote in message
...
Question is would I be better off spending a little more money and getting
this:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?ASU-108711
or should I save my cash and just opt for this:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-66GTE

The 6800 card is faster. Its performance advantage over the 6600GT is about
proportional to its price premium over the 6600GT. Given a maximum of £200,
I'd go for the 6800.

I guess what i'm asking is - given a total maximum of £200, and given my
supplier of choice http://www.novatech.co.uk, and given the spec of my PC
that I already quoted (PCI-Ex) ... which card would you spend your money
on?

Actually I think you should get the Novatech 6800, at only £119. :-)
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...html?NOV-6800E

However, first I recommend you calling Novatech and ask if there's anything
"special" about the store-branded cards. They could be refurbished, come
with a short warranty, or lack all the cables/adapters (like the DVI-VGA
adapter).

The DVI port on the back of these cards, am I right in thinking with an
appropriate adapter, I can connect another VGA monitor (like my Sony
Trinitron E400 19") ?? If so what cable am I looking for?

Yes, you are right. The DVI-VGA adapter should be included in the box.

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."