8600/8500 reviews?

[otispunkmeyer]

where are they?

 

[yacoub]

Who cares when the 8600GTS is already shown to perform at the level of a 7900GT? =P

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: yacoub
Who cares when the 8600GTS is already shown to perform at the level of a 7900GT? =P

well im still interested to find out..surely its not that clear cut. plus i need something to read.

 

[trake1]

I care too!

It is very newsworthy as it will contribute to shaping a new price point for all cards this year, as well as shaping what cards and features AMD and Nvidia will release next gen.

So bring on the review links!

 

[Gstanfor]

Embargo is lifted at 15:00

 

[Gstanfor]

Text
Just landed in my inbox.

News Release

NVIDIA Brings Cutting-Edge DirectX 10 Graphics and HD Video to All PC Users
Features and Performance of GeForce(R) 8 Series Now Available at Lower Price Points
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 17, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today announced the extension of the award-winning NVIDIA GeForce 8 Series line-up to include three new graphics processing units (GPUs), bringing high-resolution gaming, stunning Microsoft(R) Windows Vista(TM) graphics, and stellar HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback to virtually everyone regardless of budget. The new GPUs that complete the world's first top-to-bottom family of DirectX(R) 10 GPUs include:

-- NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS $199-229
-- NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT $149-159
-- NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT $89-129


These three GPUs join the previously announced NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS, rounding out the product family.

(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020613/NVDALOGO )

"With Windows Vista being the first operating system to require a GPU to fully realize its graphics potential and with the growing list of popular software applications that take advantage of a dedicated graphics processor, GPUs are no longer a luxury required only by hardcore gamers," said Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of the GPU business unit at NVIDIA. "These new GPUs extend the reach of our award-winning GeForce 8 Series and offer cutting- edge, next-generation features to everyone from the hardcore gamer to the casual PC user."

"DirectX(R) 10 means higher performance and better looking PC graphics," said Chris Donahue, group manager, games for Windows at Microsoft. "We are thrilled to see that NVIDIA has taken the first step to help application developers and end users adopt the newest 3D graphics API, by making DirectX(R) 10-compliant GPUs available from top-to-bottom for every type of desktop PC user."

All three new cards feature PureVideo(TM) HD technology which leverages the revolutionary second-generation video-processing engine in the GeForce 8500 and GeForce 8600 GPUs to deliver the highest-quality playback of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies on everyday PCs.(i) The new programmable video processing engine takes on all of the high definition H.264 HD video decoding, freeing the CPU to perform other tasks and significantly reducing power consumption, heat, and noise.

"Sony Pictures is enthusiastic about the ability to play Blu-ray movies on the PC," said Don Eklund, executive vice president, advanced technologies at Sony Pictures. "The new state-of-the-art NVIDIA GeForce 8500 and GeForce 8600 cards will enable consumers to enjoy Blu-ray movies on mainstream PCs."

With GeForce 8600 GTS and GeForce 8600 GT-based graphic cards, NVIDIA is enabling exceptional performance at price points PC gamers love. The GeForce 8600 GPUs are ideal graphics solutions for the latest NVIDIA nForce(R) 650i SLI(TM)-based motherboards, which are designed to deliver maximum performance to gamers. The combination of the nForce 650i motherboard and the GeForce 8600 GPU forms a hardware foundation that allows consumers to build their own killer, PC-gaming platforms, enabling high-resolution and high-performance gaming, plus stellar high-definition visuals, at prices that don't break the bank.

Built for Windows Vista, GeForce 8500 GT cards are designed for both casual gamers and for non-gamers, delivering the ultimate in HD video playback along with unprecedented levels of graphics realism and gaming performance for around $100.

GeForce 8 Series GPUs are the only DirectX 10 GPUs currently available and are the reference GPUs for DirectX 10 API development and certification. GeForce 8 Series GPUs include all required hardware functionality defined in the Microsoft Direct3D(R) 10 specification, with full support for the DirectX 10 unified shader instruction set and Shader Model 4 capabilities. In addition, every GeForce 8 Series GPU features the NVIDIA PureVideo HD video processor, the NVIDIA Lumenex(TM) engine for superior image quality, and the NVIDIA Quantum Effects(TM) technology for simulation and rendering of stunning visual effects in games.

Graphics cards based on GeForce 8600 GTS GPUs are available now from leading retail outlets, system builders, and OEMs. Graphics cards based on GeForce 8600 GT and GeForce 8500 GT will be available on or before May 1, 2007. For more information, please visit http://www.nvidia.com or listen to the NVIDIA podcast located at http://download.nvidia.com/podcasts/pr/041707_8500_8600.mp3.

About NVIDIA

NVIDIA Corporation is the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies. The Company creates innovative, industry-changing products for computing, consumer electronics, and mobile devices. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA and has offices throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas. For more information, visit www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: the benefits, impact, performance, pricing, availability and features of the NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT GPU and the NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT; Windows Vista; DirectX 10; PureVideo HD technology; and GPU users are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, delays in ramping new products into production; manufacturing and software defects; our reliance on third party manufacturers; delays in manufacturing or delivery of products; developments of new products and technologies by competitors; continued acceptance and use of new technologies and products; the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives; changes in industry standards and interfaces; as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2007. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on our website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

NOTE: All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

(i) PureVideo HD is available for Windows Vista. Support for PureVideo HD

on Windows XP will be available in a future driver. Check NVIDIA.com

for the latest information on driver updates.

SOURCE NVIDIA Corporation

Brian Burke of NVIDIA Corporation, +1-512-401-4385, or bburke@nvidia.com

http://www.nvidia.com/

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding NVIDIA Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.


Copyright © 2006 NVIDIA® Corporation

 

[trake1]

guru3d.com

has a great new article

 

[Capt Caveman]

Anandtech's review is up - http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2970

 

[tuteja1986]

Originally posted by: yacoub
Who cares when the 8600GTS is already shown to perform at the level of a 7900GT? =P

lol.. it can even beat up a 7900GS ... same performance as an 7900GS but priced like a 7950GT/X1950XT 256MB. Only thing its good for is the DX10 support but at price you would be way better off getting a a much better DX9 card like X1950XT 256MB.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986

Originally posted by: yacoub
Who cares when the 8600GTS is already shown to perform at the level of a 7900GT? =P

lol.. it can even beat up a 7900GS ... same performance as an 7900GS but priced like a 7950GT/X1950XT 256MB. Only thing its good for is the DX10 support but at price you would be way better off getting a a much better DX9 card like X1950XT 256MB.

What a load of crap :thumbsdown: even 8600GTS gets hammered by previous generation ones... blergh... *waits impatiently for AMD*

 

[yacoub]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer

Originally posted by: yacoub
Who cares when the 8600GTS is already shown to perform at the level of a 7900GT? =P

well im still interested to find out..surely its not that clear cut. plus i need something to read.

Actually it is - see the Anandtech review posted today.

 

[fierydemise]

I'm not exactly impressed by these results, nVidia can say that they've improved the shader processors but the 8600GTS has been completely castrated just the same. I don't get why there isn't something in the middle, between 32 and 96 (64) that card would very likely hit the sweet spot for me but nope. Here's hoping AMD gives us something to get excited about because these are underwhelming at best.

 

[Acanthus]

Garbage, still no replacement for my 6800GT by sub $200 hardware.

 

[yacoub]

What a shame... with 64 stream processors and a 256-bit bus width I bet it would have been a winner...

 

[Gstanfor]

The 7600GT was more than a replacement for your 6800GT and these new cards handily outperform that.

 

[agathodaimon]

yep...

I really wish there was something more of in the $250 range.
Seems to either spend $200 and get crap, or spend $400 and get something decent.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

well its not too bad is it?

in older games the X1950pro and 7900s put a little hurt on the new card, but in the more intensive games like oblivion the picture is a nice one.

but really the 8800GTS 320 is obviously worth the extra outlay. its in a different league.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Gstanfor
The 7600GT was more than a replacement for your 6800GT and these new cards handily outperform that.

Youre full of sh!t, fanboi.

7600GT is about 15% which isnt even noticable.

8600GTS fails to beat the margain of error in the huge driver revision delta over the 7600GT.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
well its not too bad is it?

in older games the X1950pro and 7900s put a little hurt on the new card, but in the more intensive games like oblivion the picture is a nice one.

Look at the resolution...

 

[yacoub]

I also see now why I don't bother reading HardOCP anymore:

"New GeForce 8600 GTS Shines

If you have been waiting for a DX10 video card capable of playing today's games, your wait is over."

No, no it doesn't, and no, no it isn't. lol with that sort of language why even bother calling it a review? That's pure marketing and advertisement.

And the best part is reading through the comments for that review and seeing how people keep linking other reviews that show how mediocre the 8600GTS performance is, and then Kyle or a HardOCP fan will deride the other review site and claim "oh those other reviews just don't know wtf" but HardOCP should start to wonder when it's pretty much the ONLY one who is giving the card a glowing review and pretty much EVERYBODY else is saying it's a meager performer at best. But no, what are we thinking... Anandtech and all those other sites just don't know wtf. Yeah, ok Kyle.

 

[Cheex]

The most I can say at this point is that I'm disappointed. I kinda waited on the mid-range DX10 from Nvidia and they have sorely disappointed me. In the price range of the 8600GTS, I might as well go buy the X1950XT that I have been keeping my eyes on.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
well its not too bad is it?

in older games the X1950pro and 7900s put a little hurt on the new card, but in the more intensive games like oblivion the picture is a nice one.

Look at the resolution...

?

yeah i see it, the cards where i expected it to be. mingling with the last set of high and upper mid range.

i was hoping for more, but when i saw the specs ages ago...i re-adjusted my expectations. 128bit memory = poor 32 shaders = poor.

it'll be nice in a laptop i suppose

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
well its not too bad is it?

in older games the X1950pro and 7900s put a little hurt on the new card, but in the more intensive games like oblivion the picture is a nice one.

Look at the resolution...

?

yeah i see it, the cards where i expected it to be. mingling with the last set of high and upper mid range.

i was hoping for more, but when i saw the specs ages ago...i re-adjusted my expectations. 128bit memory = poor 32 shaders = poor.

it'll be nice in a laptop i suppose

Im just saying 1024 isnt even the native resolution for most low end LCDs anymore, the test certainly shouldve been done at a higher resolution, but probably exposed the low bandwidth of the 128 bus.

 

[Gstanfor]

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: Gstanfor
The 7600GT was more than a replacement for your 6800GT and these new cards handily outperform that.

Youre full of sh!t, fanboi.

7600GT is about 15% which isnt even noticable.

8600GTS fails to beat the margain of error in the huge driver revision delta over the 7600GT.

Its a midrange card, exactly how much performance do you expect for that sort of money? nvidia (and AMD) would like to ensure that those seeking performance buy their highend cards - they run businesses not charities after all.

Having said that, there is a pretty obvious gap that a 256 bit variant of G86 would very neatly fill. Who knows if or when such a product might appear though?

 

[chrismr]

These cards do make the x1900/x1950 cards suddenly look very attractive all over again, don't they?

I certainly hope people weren't waiting on these to SLI and beat a single 8800.

These cards do seem awfully under-powered. I would have expected at least 7900gtx/x1900 performance.

I am very glad I just got a 8800GTX