7800GS vs. 7600GT
- Clock speed is one of the most important considerations for comparing video cards within the same generation, such as the 7600 GT and 7800 GS. The 7600 GT rates a full 560 MHz while the 7800 GT is barely 375 MHz. This is a significant advantage for the 7600 GT.
- Where clock speed represents how fast data may travel to and from the video card, memory bandwidth is how much data may travel at one time. Many times, this can be even more important than the clock speed when determining which card is better for intense graphic operations like video games. The 7600 GT has 22.4 GB per second (GB/s) while the 7800 GS is 32 GB/s. While slightly slower clock speed wise, this is a huge difference in the amount of raw data that the 7800 can handle vs. the 7600.
- Both the 7600 GT and the 7800 GS come in a standard 256 MB configuration with the option to upgrade to 512 MB. Memory is one of the biggest differences in price for a video card. You should almost always buy the largest amount of memory possible for a card as most modern games can easily make use of a full 512 MB.
- For NVIDIA, the second part of a graphic cards name, such as GS or GT, represents the target audience for the card. GS is typically intended for general audiences and high performance. This differs from GT which is intended for high end gamers and enthusiasts and is generally a more robust card. Within the same model series, such as a 7600 GT and a 7600 GS, the GT will outperform the GS.
- Although the 7600 GT is intended for high-end gamers, the sheer number of improvements between the 7600 and 7800 make the latter a more powerful card in terms of graphics quality and processing power. Similarly priced, you should choose the one with more memory, and in cases of equal amounts, go with the 7800 GS. Be sure to check that the card is compatible with your computer's motherboard first, specifically if it is a AGP or PCI Express card slot, before you make your purchase.
