The 9800pro and the 6600GT are not similar in performance at all. In fact in Doom 3 in high detail the 6600GT will max out the games engine at 50fps consistantly, compared to about 25fps on the 9800pro. It's not even close. It's 100% faster. Same is true with almost every real world benchmark. The 6600GT is competing with the x800 series, albeit not the x850XTPE or GTO2. But as a mid range card, nvidia released the almost perfect speed for value card with the 6600GT.
Also, the 6600GT and 6800XT are very close at stock, with the 6600GT beating the 6800XT at lower resolutions, but the XT can almost always be unlocked with rivatuner. It's a no brainer. They cost the same money when I bought mine - and within 10 minutes of installing the drivers I had unlocked the XT to GT speeds. Boosted my 3Dmark score from 9k to 12k. But it cost £100 less than the 6800GT.
Show me 12k on 3DMark 03 with a 9800pro.....
Perhaps the 9800pro is about the same level as a 6800LE, but again 50% of those can be unlocked too. At least 2 pixel pipes and 1 vertex.
Think of it as .... the 5950ultra is on a level with the 9800pro - but the 6 series cards from the 6600GT and upwards DICK on the 5950ultra. Lets be realistic.
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