8500gt or 8600gt?

delpis

Junior Member
Apr 28, 2007
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i don't game. are there image quality and performance differences between the two? also is fanless better? i have a q6600 and small case.
 

Syntax Error

Senior member
Oct 29, 2007
617
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Neither. Get an HD3850 or something. If you want to game, the 8600 is barely cutting it, and has no future in terms of gaming playability.

How much is your budget?

EDIT: Whoops. I didn't catch the first phrase. I guess that's what one gets for skimming. :(

I think image quality is negligible between the two cards, personally, I'd get the cheaper and quieter version, unless if someone can prove me wrong and the two cards somehow differ drastically in IQ.
 

DSF

Diamond Member
Oct 6, 2007
4,902
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Originally posted by: Syntax Error
Neither. Get an HD3850 or something. If you want to game, the 8600 is barely cutting it, and has no future in terms of gaming playability.

How much is your budget?

Did you read what he said? He doesn't game. I don't know the ins and outs of the two cards (8500 and 8600) but I do know there's no reason for him to pay for the 3850 based on what he's said.
 

delpis

Junior Member
Apr 28, 2007
13
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0
are all the terms below only for games or would some apply for high definition video?

Shader Processors
Shader Clock
Pixel Fill Rate
Texture Fill Rate
Texture Units
Raster Operators

 

greengrass

Banned
Sep 18, 2007
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Hey I think if you don't need it for gaming you can just get the 8600GT, and if your case is small I think to get a fan is necessary.
 
Dec 15, 2007
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I have an 8400gt on my laptop and overclocked I can run most games on med to low quality. I ordered the 8500gt on my dad's because he doesn't game but it still does well in a little older games. As far as image quality, I don't think you need more than on-board, but that is if you are not running any graphically intensive programs. I guess what I am saying, it all depends on what types of programs you are using, as in for most apps you won't need a card.
 

LOUISSSSS

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2005
8,770
54
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if u dont game there will be no difference in picture quality between the two. go for the cheaper of the two and get a fanless version. fans = break & noise
 

hans007

Lifer
Feb 1, 2000
20,212
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there isnt a huge selection , but there are more fanless 8500gts out there.

if you go for a fanned one, get the 8600gt, and get one with a 4 pin PWM fan (the 2 pin ones are not silent at all).


8500Gt i've never seen with a pwm fan.
 

Golgatha

Lifer
Jul 18, 2003
12,318
821
126
Originally posted by: delpis
are all the terms below only for games or would some apply for high definition video?

Shader Processors
Shader Clock
Pixel Fill Rate
Texture Fill Rate
Texture Units
Raster Operators

None of those really apply for HD video. For your purposes the 8500GT will be better because you don't game, you need GPU video acceleration (both have it, but 8500GT is cheaper), and all 8500GT cards come with HDCP for HD DVD and Blu-Ray playback if that's desired now or in the future. The 8600GT cards typically don't have HDCP support.

Also, I'd go fanless and if it heats up too much in your case then throw something from Zalman or Arctic Cooling on it for superior cooling. Most stock HSF units on 8500GT cards aren't much better than fanless solutions IMO. You could also just buy the cheapest 8500GT you can find and throw one of these solutions on it.

Fanless - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835186017

Very Quiet - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835118116

 

BernardP

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2006
1,315
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Originally posted by: delpis
are all the terms below only for games or would some apply for high definition video?

Shader Processors
Shader Clock
Pixel Fill Rate
Texture Fill Rate
Texture Units
Raster Operators

These are related to 3-D performance and gaming. If you don't game you don't even need a 8500GT. A card with up-to-date video processing features is all you require. I suggest a fanless card, for quietness and one-less-thing-to-break reasons. With such low-power cards, a good fanless design will be enough to keep temperatures down.

On the NVidia side, I suggest:

MSI for $35

Gigabyte for $44

On the ATI side, video processing capabilities are even more up-to-date than with NVidia. The HD 2400 Pro is in line with your needs. I suggest:

MSI for $35

Gigabyte for $43

Asus for $49

All these cards have virtually the same video-processing power as the big $500 monsters. You might feel better if you buy a more expensive 8500GT or 8600GT, but for your intended use, you will get the same performance with 8400GS/2400Pro.
 

delpis

Junior Member
Apr 28, 2007
13
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happy new year and thanks for all the help! i was going to get the 8500gt based on the replies, until i read Bernard's post. that lead me to look at the 2 articles that helped me narrow my choices and some more reading. now i'm totally stumped. below are the 2 articles (i don't know all the good sites, so that's the best i could find).

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047&p=1

http://www.tomshardware.com/20...s_purevideo/index.html

i'll make a new thread since it will be going ot.