The performances tests results

All tests were performed with the following system setup:

Motherboard: Abit BX6 revision 2.0
CPU: Intel Pentium III 450mhz
Memory: 64mb PC100 SDram (LGS)
IDE first channel Primary port: Quantum Fireball KA 9.1gig UDMA66
IDE second channel Primary port: Kenwood 52X True X
AGP slot: Micro-Star MS-8806 TNT2 AGP
PCI slot number 4: Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live Value
ISA slot number 2: US Robotic 56k X2 modem
OS: Win98 4.10
DirectX 6.1

Note: The Abit Soft Menu II Turbo mode was enabled for all tests.
All tests were performed with the VSYNC disabled unless otherwise specified.

The Drivers & Testing conditions

With this graphic card, I used only a single set of drivers because the drivers version 4.11.01.0203 are almost as good as the Nvidia reference drivers built 188 available here from the Nvidia web site. Therefore, I saw no reasons to double all tests with the Nvidia drivers as the performance difference between these two sets of drivers is not really significative.

The default operating frequency settings for this graphic card are a core frequency of 125Mhz and a memory frequency of 150Mhz. However, with the help of the Micro-Star tweaking panel, we were able to push these limits to a core frequency of 159Mhz and a memory frequency of 179Mhz with unconditionally stable operating conditions.

The ELSA ERAZOR III results displayed are those obtained with the Nvidia reference drivers built 188

The Gigabyte GA-660 results displayed are those obtained with Gigabyte's drivers 4.11.01.0203 both for the graphic card Turbo On and Turbo Off conditions

The Micro-Star MS-8806 results displayed were all using drivers version 4.11.01.0203

The 2D results

Winbench99 Business Graphic Winmark

As expected, there is no big differences on these tests results as to all practical end every graphic card performed the same plus or minus one point... As you can also see here, no matter we tweak the card or not, the 2D performances are still almost the same...

The 3D results

As it can be observed in the above tests results, the Micro-Star MS-8806 3D AGPhantom TNT2 32Mb graphic card is astonishingly well performing. As a mater of fact, the only time where this graphic card didn't outperformed all other cards is when it has been used with its default settings. As a fact, under these conditions, the GA-660 used in its Turbo Off condition did a tad better. However, the totally insignificant frame rates differences between this card and the GA-660 graphic card both under their default setting conditions are absolutely meaningless as they are deep within the error margin of this type of tests.

Quake2 version3.20 Timedemo testing procedure used:

The computer has been freshly booted

Quake 2 (3.20) has been launched

The video console has been opened

The appropriate screen resolution has been selected

The game console as been opened by typing " ~ "

Once in the console I typed "Timedemo 1" and "Enter"

The command "demomap demo2.dm2" or "map crusher.dm2" has been typed

Once the demo has completed, I used to type again "demomap demo2.dm2" to run it another shot

All Quake2 tests were performed 3 times each and the mean
of the results obtained is the one displayed in the above tests results.

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3D Mark 99

All the graphic cards have been tested with their default settings because their Turbo settings were not giving any significant performance gain on this test. As you can see, as most of the Quake 2 tests the MS-8806 is lagging behind the GA-660 but the difference between both card is absolutely meaningless.

Conclusions

The Micro-Star MS-8806 3D AGPhantom appears to me as an excellent TNT2 graphic card and the fact that it can be easily Overclocked is a big plus in favor of this graphic card. I sure wouldn't be shy to strongly recommend this graphic card to all those wishing to get the more bang for their bucks...

For all additional information, visit Micro-Star web site.