6600 or 6600GT?

[anil099]

I just bought this computer a month or so ago
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=c00571922&lc=en
and it said it has an ATI Radeon Xpress 200 with 256 shared memory...yet the graphics on my nba live 2006 SUCK...is it possibl emaybe im not using the full 256 or is there a way to check or change the amount of memory your games use or is it automatic?
anyways now to the real quesiton i was looking for a new card since my graphics suck and the
GeForce 6600 with 256 MB is round $99
GeForce 6600GT with 256 MB is round $145

So obviously everyone knows that the 6600GT is better than the 6600...but im a poor college student and would like to know if the performance difference is big enough to justify the extra 50 bucks? im not a hardcore gamer..just some nba live 2006, some civilization 4..maybe half life two every now and then but thats bout it...sorry for the long post ..comments appreciated. And also if you guys know of any other good cards under the 150 range that are equal or better please suggest them..thanks again

 

[jancz3rt]

Aha.

There's a significant increase in performance when you move from a normal 6600 to a 6600GT. If I were you, I would not get a 256MB card but rather a 128MB 6600GT which should be cheaper and sufficient for what you would like to use it for. The 256MB of memory on the two graphics cards mentioned is a waste of your money as the card does not really take advantage of it.

JAN