MSI NX6600 Diamond (AGP & PCIe Combo Review)

Premium GeForce 6600 Graphics

By now you would have heard the news that NVIDIA's full GeForce 6600 lineup is available on both the PCIe x16 and the AGP 8x interface formats. Though the GeForce 6600 GT (AGP) had been retailing a couple of months back, the non-GT version on AGP is the latest edition and has just started hitting the retail front. The GeForce 6600 cards (on both interfaces) use cheaper DDR1 memory and are clocked far lower than the GeForce 6600 GT cards. In terms of feature support, both are identical, sans the SLI link for the PCIe version. MSI being NVIDIA's close add-in-board partner, they were naturally among the early birds to push their cards out to end-users first. However, we are not reviewing MSI's normal GeForce 6600 cards in this article, but a higher-class Diamond edition.

Right after introducing the specially equipped Diamond class NVIDIA nForce4 SLI motherboard (K8N Diamond), MSI brought over the same concept to their graphics card segment and the GeForce 6600 GPU was selected first to adopt this theme. Sporting far better specifications than standard GeForce 6600 cards and an exclusive game bundle as reflected by the Chronicles Of Riddick box package theme, the Diamond class GeForce 6600 cards are set to impress onlookers with their uniqueness and much greater overclocking potential without harming the card. For the AGP 8x interface, we have the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and for newer PCIe x16 endowed systems, there is the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond. We will be reviewing both cards in this article. To find out how much better the Diamond editions are versus the stock GeForce 6600 cards, we outlined the below table to simplify matters. Also worth noting is how the Diamond editions fare in specs as compared to a stock GeForce 6600 GT:-

Going by the specifications, it seems that the MSI NX6600 Diamond editions are wedged right in between a normal GeForce 6600 and a GeForce 6600 GT. So despite the Diamond editions using a standard GeForce 6600 GPU, they are actually in a class of their own (and priced appropriately as well). Don't forget that MSI's Dynamic Overclocking Technology (D.O.T.) is also present for yet another 10% speed boost. MSI's warranty does cover the use of D.O.T., so there's little reason not to enable it for further performance gains - especially since these cards are very overclockable as we found out. Below, we list the common technical specifications that are applicable to both AGP and PCIe versions of the MSI NX6600 Diamond editions:-

MSI NX6600-VTD128 (AGP 8x) - Part 1

The first product to be scrutinized in our lab was the AGP 8x variant and we found it to be uncannily similar to MSI's NX6600GT-VTD128 card, which utilizes the speedier GeForce 6600 GT GPU. If you had the chance to study both the cards (like we did), you would realize that that the similarities go right down to each and every individual component on the PCB. Why even the PCB model number on the NX6600-VTD128 Diamond matches that on the NX6600GT-VTD128. This brings about the question if both cards are actually the same product with lower clock speeds on the NX6600-VTD128 Diamond. We'll find that out soon enough.

Full copper heatsinks with a large 55mm diameter fan ensures the card's thermal levels are well in check, but since this cooler design was catered for the GeForce 6600 GT variant, you can guess that the NX6600-VTD128 Diamond operated at fairly cool temperature levels. Fan noise was virtually nonexistent no matter how heavily we loaded the graphics card, so the card chalks up further brownie points in this department too.

As seen from the photo shot of the card's front, the NVIDIA High Speed Interconnect (HSI) chip is also present since the GeForce 6600 series are designed for native PCIe x16 operation. The HSI is a bridging chip that converts PCIe signals to AGP signals and it is capable of the reverse too. It is because of this bridge chip that NVIDIA was able to renew the aging AGP market space quickly with the GeForce 6600/6200 series, giving them the superiority in mainstream AGP graphics card segment. More on the HSI Bridge chip is mentioned in this article.

MSI NX6600-VTD128 (AGP 8x) - Part 2

Dismantling the cooler was an easy affair and here's what we found underneath the hood:-

Essentially, MSI retained the exact same PCB design of the GeForce 6600 GT (AGP) for the NX6600-VTD128 Diamond, but integrated a standard GeForce 6600 GPU. This also allowed MSI to leverage on newer and more scalable DD3 graphics memory chips, which is perfect for the higher specs required on the Diamond edition. Hence, the Diamond edition GeForce 6600 actually has a whole lot more in common with MSI's Geforce 6600 GT than the standard edition NX6600 series.

MSI NX6600-VTD128E (PCIe x16)

Just like the AGP version of the NX6600 Diamond, the PCIe version too closely follows MSI's GeForce 6600 GT to give it the edge in performance using DDR3 memory as well as the better PCB build quality meant for higher operating speeds. However the NX6600-VTD128E Diamond does not use the exact identical PCB of its GeForce 6600 GT brother, but rather a slightly modified version of it. If you recall, PCI Express GeForce 6600 GT graphics cards have SLI upgradeability with their top edge of the PCB designed for the high-speed digital interface bridge. Unlike those cards, the NX6600-VTD128E Diamond uses a standard GeForce 6600 GPU. Hence to maintain NVIDIA's best interests, MSI churned out another PCB model without the gold fingers on the top edge of the card along with relocation of some MOSFETs and other power delivery components. At first glance, most people would still find it difficult to differentiate between the NX6600-VTD128E Diamond and the NX6600GT-VTD128E since the same copper cooler is used to adorn the cards.

With the cooler's large size, the fan too is generously sized and it doesn't have a need to spin fast to achieve good cooling. Quiet operation and effective cooling for both the core and memory parts again give the MSI card an advantage over many other cards. Then again, the Diamond editions are a class by themselves with relatively little or no competition.

Product Bundle & Accessories

Both the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and NX6600-VTD128E Diamond share the exact same bundle and accessories as outlined here:-

• DVI-I to VGA adapter
• HDTV / VIVO breakout box
• S-Video extension cable
• Y-Power cable splitter (for NX6600-VTD128 Diamond only)
• MSI Quick Installation Guide
• MSI User Manual
• MSI casing sticker
• Driver CD
• Software: FarStone Virtual Drive 7 & Restore It 3, E-Color 3Deep,CyberLink PowerCinema 3, MakeDVD, Power2Go 4- DVD, PowerProducer 2 Gold - DVD
• Games: The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Developer's Cut, 5 CDs)

Even normal MSI graphics cards feature a fairly complete accessory pack, so it was no surprise that MSI supplied all that we anticipated in the Diamond editions as well. The improvement in the Diamond editions lie with their software and game titles to give the product its special touch. A CD full of software from CyberLink complements the card's VIVO facility and ensures that you have all the needed tools to capture, edit, author, burn and playback DVD videos that you have compiled. For the games department, if you haven't noticed the box packaging yet (you would have to be pretty careless if you missed it), the graphics cards come bundled with the recently released "The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay" full game.

The provided HDTV / VIVO breakout box isn't a new gadget, but nevertheless, we take a closer look and identify the connectivity options available on it:-

Test Setup

Since we are testing both AGP and PCI Express versions of the MSI NX6600 Diamond products, we have two different test beds with a dedicated set of comparison cards and results. The order of flow in our results section will mimic that of our article where AGP graphics card results are shown first, followed by the PCI Express graphics cards. The test suite however, remains common for both cards and it comprises of the following tests:-

• Futuremark 3DMark03 Pro (version 3.4.0)
• Futuremark 3DMark05 Pro (version 1.1.0)
• Star Trek: Elite Force 2
• Command & Conquer: Generals
• Unreal Tournament 2004 Demo
• Halo: Combat Evolved
• GunMetal demo benchmark
• FarCry
• Doom 3

AGP Testbed

Since the majority of our AGP graphics cards results are based on an earlier established testbed, we will continue using this same test system to analyze the performance of the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond. There is no necessity to update it to match the PCI Express test system because we are not comparing the performance of the two MSI cards, but rather find out how they fare among the different graphics cards out there. The AGP test system comprises of an Intel Pentium 4 3.06GHz Northwood processor operating on Intel's D875PBZ motherboard and 512MB of DDR333 memory set for dual channel mode. Operating system of choice is none other than Windows XP Professional (with Service Pack 1) and DirectX 9.0c.

A variety of currently available graphics cards were used to compare the performance of the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and the table below lists the graphics card type as well as the driver versions used to obtain the results. Although the results from older cards have yet to be updated with newer drivers, generally the performance numbers we have obtained are a good indicator of where they stand since the gains obtained by newer drivers are usually small.

PCI Express Testbed

PCI Express graphics card testing is conducted on a much newer platform and it comprises of an Intel Pentium 4 3.2GHz Extreme Edition and 1GB of DDR2-533 memory operating in dual channel mode on an Intel D925XCV motherboard. The system is installed with Windows XP Professional (with Service Pack 2) and DirectX 9.0c.The following table lists the graphics cards and the driver versions used to compare the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond graphics card:-

Results - 3DMark03 Pro (version 340)

AGP 8x Results

Just as we predicted from the specifications of the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond, its stock performance is seated right between a normal GeForce 6600 128MB and that of the GeForce 6600 GT 128MB. While the 'vanilla' GeForce 6600 seems to have performance of about the RADEON 9800 (non-PRO), MSI's Diamond edition is speedy enough to almost take on a RADEON 9800 XT. This card surely sounds promising, but bear in mind that you would be paying more than a normal GeForce 6600 graphics card.

PCIe x16 Results

On the PCI Express version, the results are more or less in-line with the AGP counterpart. It's just too bad that the standard RADEON X700 is not available yet, but looking at the results of the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond, we guess that's not its concern since it was able to match up with a RADEON X700 PRO most of the time.

Results - 3DMark05 Pro (version 110)

AGP 8x Results

Graphics cards of this caliber are not quite up to standard to run Futuremark's ultra taxing 3DMark05 tests, but even so, we ran it anyway to find out what sort of scores the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond was able to churn out. After all, it is in a unique speed grade of its own.

PCIe x16 Results

3Dmark03 and 3Dmark05 return results pertaining only to the graphics subsystem capability and as a result, we can easily cross-compare results from two dissimilar systems without worrying too much about the testbed specifications. Evaluating the results based on the PCIe and AGP cards (with regards to the MSI NX6600 Diamond series), the former shows a notable performance gain and it is definitely attributed to the PCI Express interface. As for the performance aspects of the MSI NX6600-VTD128E, it once again delivered to our mark.

Results - Star Trek: EF2 (OpenGL Benchmark)

Once again, we see some nice scaling on both variants of the MSI NX6600 Diamond graphics cards.

AGP 8x Results

PCIe x16 Results

Results - C&C: Generals (D3D DX8 Benchmark)

Interestingly, the GeForce FX 5900 XT on the AGP testbed garnered results equivalent to a stock GeForce 6600 GT in this game test. Besides that observation, the results for the MSI graphics cards are inline. The ATI cards have usually been better performers in this game test and it shows since the MSI NX6600 Diamond cards are slightly slower than the RADEON 9800 PRO and RADEON X700 PRO in their respective testbeds.

AGP 8x Results

PCIe x16 Results

Results - Unreal Tournament 2004 (D3D DX8 Benchmark)

For Unreal Tournament 2004, we chose to display results based on the ONS-Torlan map as it scales better with graphics processing power and is less dependant on system platform performance such as our other favorite AS-Convoy map (although the latter is slightly more taxing). Ideally we would like to display the outcome from both maps, but to reduce clutter on the results page, we chose to stick to one map. ATI cards have a stronger foothold in this game too, but the duo from MSI still fared quite reasonably.

AGP 8x Results

PCIe x16 Results

Results - Halo: Combat Evolved (D3D DirectX 9 Benchmark)

AGP 8x Results

As the scores below show, Halo prefers NVIDIA graphics cards and it is not too difficult to see that judging by the roots of the game and its intended platform.

PCIe x16 Results

The new breed of PCI Express graphics cards from ATI refuse to run the benchmark and this is a driver bug still waiting to be fixed. Note that it may not apply on all systems, but it could be an issue isolated to certain system configuration such as that used in our testbed.

Results - GunMetal (D3D DirectX 9 Benchmark)

Both MSI graphics cards tackled the GunMetal demo benchmark rather well. Though we would much rather test it without FSAA as it is quite a demanding game, the demo declined us of that option.

AGP 8x Results

PCIe x16 Results

Results - FarCry (D3D DirectX 9 Benchmark)

AGP 8x Results

High resolution testing without FSAA resulted in unusually slow performance, hence we have excluded those results on the GeForce 6600 series. Judging by the card's capabilities with FSAA, we strongly felt it's a bug in the drivers, though it may not present itself on all platforms. Overall, the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond delivered performance between a RADEON 9800 PRO and a RADEON 9800 XT graphics card. Interestingly, its results were quite similar to the more expensive GeForce 6600 GT graphics card, but the reason is because the latter was held back a little by the platform's performance. Inferring from the PCIe testbed results on the following section, the GeForce 6600 GT actually has much better performance headroom in this game test but its at the cost of a better equipped rig.

 

PCIe x16 Results

The performance of MSI's NX6600-VTD128E Diamond seesawed between the RADEON X700 PRO and RADEON X700 XT graphics cards.

Results - Doom 3 (OpenGL DirectX9 Benchmark)

Doom 3 strongly swings in favor of NVIDIA's architecture and it's not surprising that MSI's NX6600 Diamond graphics cards had little trouble meeting or exceeding the results of a RADEON 9800 XT.

AGP 8x Results

PCIe x16 Results

Temperature Testing

All testing was conducted in our test lab's air-conditioned environment where the still air temperature remains constant at 22 degrees Celsius. Using our thermal probes, we took temperature readings in five areas:- near the VPU core, directly behind the VPU, power transistors, HIS bridge chip, forward and rear facing memory components, while running some of the more intensive tests. The results of these were compiled and plotted on the graph below and with sample temperature results of other graphics cards for comparison.

MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond (AGP 8x)

MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond (PCIe x16)

Comparing the obtained results with that of competitive performing cards, the MSI NX6600 Diamond graphics cards are relatively cooler. The NX6600-VTD128E Diamond, which is void of the NVDIA bridge chip, recorded substantially lower operating temperatures as opposed to its AGP equivalent.

D.O.T. Testing

Since MSI's Dynamic Overclocking (D.O.T.) option is available when installed with their graphics card drivers and is covered under the warranty terms should the card be damaged due to D.O.T., we have done a few more tests to give readers an idea of what to expect from it. We settled for no less than the maximum D.O.T. setting, which gives a 10% bump in both core and memory clock speeds.

MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond (AGP 8x)

If you swap out a calculator and work on the performance gains using maximum D.O.T., you'll find the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond to scale quite well, delivering very close to the theoretical 10% speed gain. However, that's not adequate to close up the gap between itself and the GeForce 6600 GT. Stay tuned as we bring you overclocking results on the next page.

MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond (PCIe x16)

The outcome with the PCI Express version of the Diamond graphics card turned out to be rather puzzling. Even when using maximum D.O.T. settings, it did not scale well at all. This is the exact opposite of its AGP equivalent seen above. At best, the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond managed a 3.6% speed gain from a 10% bump to both core and memory clock speeds.

Overclocking

In our very final test segment, we shelved D.O.T. aside and went full throttle with traditional overclocking techniques. Slowly and steadily, we stretched the graphics card's limit and put it through tests to ensure it was adequately stable at higher clock speeds. What we found was both the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and NX6600-VTD128E Diamond were able to hit the 540MHz GPU core clock reliably, but they couldn't achieve the same degree of overclocking for the memory subsystem despite both cards using identical Samsung GDDR3, 2ns memory chips. Overall, both cards delivered performance way beyond a stock GeForce 6600 GT graphics card and were able to attain the same overclocking levels of most GeForce 6600 GT cards we have tested in the lab.

MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond (AGP 8x)

The AGP version of the MSI graphics card achieved a maximum stable overclock of 540MHz for the core and 1.03GHz DDR for the memory. Just below the graph, we've prepared a table that points out the speedup gained at this clock rate:-

MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond (PCIe x16)

Although the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond didn't fare well in D.O.T., it nonetheless shined at traditional overclocking and achieved 540MHz for the core and a whopping 1.15GHz DDR for the memory. In the graph, we input the results from an AGP GeForce 6800 as a comparison point since the PCI Express version of the standard GeForce 6800 are tough to obtain. Since we are using Futuremark 3DMark03 for results comparisons in this test segment, the issue of using different test beds is not a problem at all for rough assessment.

Conclusion

As far as performance is concerned, the pair of MSI NX6600 Diamond graphics cards achieved results to our expectations and has definitely carved itself a unique performance category wedged between a standard GeForce 6600 and a GeForce 6600 GT. For the time being, these cards have no known rivals, but it remains to be seen if other vendors might capitalize this segment just as MSI has accomplished with the Diamond edition.

The cards are designed off the more powerful GeForce 6600 GT graphics cards, borrowing its robust PCB design and WBGA Graphics DDR3 memory parts for enhanced performance. This also endowed the MSI NX6600 Diamond graphics cards with first-rate overclocking potential as we showcased in the review. Coupled with an excellent cooling system (which is also dead silent) and memory parts that have been verified to operate at 1GHz DDR, overclocking is second nature to these cards. Given our time with the Diamond edition graphics cards and our experience in overclocking a number of GeForce 6600 GT products in our lab, the likelihood that most if not all MSI NX6600 Diamond graphics cards can at least achieve an overclock equivalent to a stock GeForce 6600 GT is very high. In our run, the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and the NX6600-VTD128E Diamond both achieved overclocks that placed them a whole 10% faster than a GeForce 6600 GT graphics card. In fact, the PCI Express variant when fully tweaked was speedy enough to give even a standard GeForce 6800 a run for its money.

Now the final piece of the puzzle is definitely its price point, which we have hinted throughout the review that its priced appropriately for what it delivers. Gathering price information from online hardware boutiques, the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond retails about US$185 at the point of publishing the review. Now that's priced fairly close to the US$199 for most full-fledged GeForce 6600 GT graphics cards. Standard GeForce 6600 PCIe cards hover anywhere between US$140 to US$160 on average. However, if you factor in MSI's exclusive game bundle featuring Chronicles Of Riddick, the VIVO function and a suite of CyberLink's software that helps in video content creation and authoring them to DVD, we guess the price is somewhat justifiable but still slightly on the expensive side of things. Pricing information for the AGP version (NX6600-VTD128 Diamond) is not available at the point of writing, but it should be offered in a similar fashion striking a balance between the AGP GeForce 6600 and 6600 GT graphics cards.

For those of you purely looking at the product from a performance to cost standpoint, it could be worth your while to scrounge a little more for a proper low-cost GeForce 6600 GT graphics card without the hassle of overclocking. Where MSI's NX6600 Diamond edition does appeal is for those who wish to obtain a product better than a normal GeForce 6600, but not at the expense of a quality GeForce 6600 GT graphics card and yet appreciate the accompanying bundle. Other potential users targeting these Diamond editions are those who are comfortable with overclocking computer components and would prefer the most affordable and surest way of obtaining a GeForce 6600 GT caliber graphics card. The problem is that the price gap between GeForce 6600 and the 6600 GT graphics cards isn't really that wide in the first place and that is why the MSI NX6600 Diamond editions seem to be in a slightly sticky situation, unless MSI revises the price. Still, if you fit the description of the target buyer, these cards are more than worthy of your attention. All things considered, both the MSI NX6600-VTD128 Diamond and the MSI NX6600-VTD128E Diamond graphics cards are excellent products that would have been perfect if they been tagged at more convincing retail price points for a wider base of appeal.

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