8600 gts review

[classy]

8600GTS 256 mb

Its in german but the numbers speak for themselves. Not bad performance I guess. Compared against a 1950 pro and 7900

 

[swtethan]

bleh, cant even beat a 1950pro? thats 7900gs levels

 

[Pugnate]

At least it is DX10.

The benchmarks are really odd. In same cases it is on top, while in other games it is 1/3rd behind. What the heck?

 

[Cookie Monster]

Link

Its abit faster than a 7900GT. Add in premature drivers, better IQ on the 8600 series and DX10.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

When will companies stop making 128 bit midrange? Sucks :thumbsdown:

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: ShadowOfMyself
When will companies stop making 128 bit midrange? Sucks :thumbsdown:

When they see the need to. Mid range is after all mid range.

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: ShadowOfMyself
When will companies stop making 128 bit midrange? Sucks :thumbsdown:

with the memory clocked at 1145mhz, it has almost as much memory bandwidth as a 256bit 7900gt clocked at 660mhz :Q considering that nvidia's strategy seems to make the mid range cards as fast as the last gen high end cards, this isnt bad. it's the same thing they did with the 7600gt's --- a bit less memory bandwidth than the 6800ultra, but due to the faster gpu it still outperforms the 6800ultra in most games

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: ShadowOfMyself
When will companies stop making 128 bit midrange? Sucks :thumbsdown:

with the memory clocked at 1145mhz, it has almost as much memory bandwidth as a 256bit 7900gt clocked at 660mhz :Q considering that nvidia's strategy seems to make the mid range cards as fast as the last gen high end cards, this isnt bad. it's the same thing they did with the 7600gt's --- a bit less memory bandwidth than the 6800ultra, but due to the faster gpu it still outperforms the 6800ultra in most games

Yeah but considering you have all those options, even if it has some advantages such as IQ its not the same thing... when you see a card ahead by 20-30% you really go "Im buying that!" but it looses and wins randomly? Not worth the change for all those who already have x1900/7900, unless you can sell your card and buy the new one for little to no difference

Maybe I was just spoiled by the 9500 PRO what a beast of a midrange card that was...

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Link

Its abit faster than a 7950GT. Add in premature drivers, better IQ on the 8600 series and DX10.

Nice peek there as well, good link

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: ShadowOfMyself

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: ShadowOfMyself
When will companies stop making 128 bit midrange? Sucks :thumbsdown:

with the memory clocked at 1145mhz, it has almost as much memory bandwidth as a 256bit 7900gt clocked at 660mhz :Q considering that nvidia's strategy seems to make the mid range cards as fast as the last gen high end cards, this isnt bad. it's the same thing they did with the 7600gt's --- a bit less memory bandwidth than the 6800ultra, but due to the faster gpu it still outperforms the 6800ultra in most games

Yeah but considering you have all those options, even if it has some advantages such as IQ its not the same thing... when you see a card ahead by 20-30% you really go "Im buying that!" but it looses and wins randomly? Not worth the change for all those who already have x1900/7900, unless you can sell your card and buy the new one for little to no difference

Maybe I was just spoiled by the 9500 PRO what a beast of a midrange card that was...

Why would you go from a high-end card from the previous gen to a midrange card from the current gen? It's almost never going to be significantly faster.

 

[AVP]

Originally posted by: classy

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Link

Its abit faster than a 7950GT. Add in premature drivers, better IQ on the 8600 series and DX10.

Nice peek there as well, good link

Those charts show a 7900gt not a 7950!

 

[Cookie Monster]

My bad, fixed.

 

[BernardP]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Link

Its abit faster than a 7900GT. Add in premature drivers, better IQ on the 8600 series and DX10.

They are comparing overcloked 8600GTS to stock 7900GT. Not fair. Should be stock against stock. At stock, it doesn't seem the 8600GTS beats the 7900GT

 

[schneiderguy]

we need a 8600 ultra now

or maybe ATI will pull ahead in the midrange this generation :Q

 

[BFG10K]

Some of those scores are really showing how poor nVidia's drivers still are.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy
we need a 8600 ultra now

or maybe ATI will pull ahead in the midrange this generation :Q

Nvidia already released it under the name "8800GTS 320mb"

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: Matt2

Originally posted by: schneiderguy
we need a 8600 ultra now

or maybe ATI will pull ahead in the midrange this generation :Q

Nvidia already released it under the name "8800GTS 320mb"

true... but there's still a pretty big gap in between the 8800gts 320 and the 8600gts in terms of price and performance.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Another review

This time against the 8800GTS 320mb, X1950XT/Pro, and 7950GT.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: Matt2

Originally posted by: schneiderguy
we need a 8600 ultra now

or maybe ATI will pull ahead in the midrange this generation :Q

Nvidia already released it under the name "8800GTS 320mb"

true... but there's still a pretty big gap in between the 8800gts 320 and the 8600gts in terms of price and performance.

Where would an 8600 Ultra fit into the scheme of things?

You have 8600GTS for $199-$249 and then you have 8800GTS 320mb for $260 AR.

Personally, I think this card is a pretty bad choice for most people. Spend the extra $60 and get the 8800GTS 320mb which offers much better performance.

This is a perfect example of how being a tight wad can hurt you.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Or, it could be quite a card to be had for people with 7600GT and 6800GT etc once prices drops abit. Clearly it outperforms last gen midrange cards e.g 7600GT, X1650XT by quite abit and go neck to neck with 7900GT/X1950pro with premature driver. So IMo its not that bad, except i guess some of us were expecting much more.

*remembers the 6600GT days*

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Or, it could be quite a card to be had for people with 7600GT and 6800GT etc once prices drops abit. Clearly it outperforms last gen midrange cards e.g 7600GT, X1650XT by quite abit and go neck to neck with 7900GT/X1950pro with premature driver. So IMo its not that bad, except i guess some of us were expecting much more.

*remembers the 6600GT days*

I'm not saying it wouldnt be a decent upgrade for those who depend on the midrange, I am simply saying that for $60 more you could have a vastly superior card with the same feature sets. That is also assuming the price for this card will be $199. Personally, I think $229 is a more likely price, especially right after launch.

 

[Moose1309]

Originally posted by: Matt2
Where would an 8600 Ultra fit into the scheme of things?

It wouldn't, NV has dropped the Ultra name. Anyway, it only used to apply to the "ultra" high-end

You have 8600GTS for $199-$249 and then you have 8800GTS 320mb for $260 AR.

Personally, I think this card is a pretty bad choice for most people. Spend the extra $60 and get the 8800GTS 320mb which offers much better performance.

This is a perfect example of how being a tight wad can hurt you.

Wait a sec, keep it apples to apples. GTS didn't debut at "260 AR", more like what 300-350?

8600gt will follow the same trend as the 6600gt and the 7600gt - start at $200-250 and quickly drop to $100-150

 

[nemesismk2]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
Some of those scores are really showing how poor nVidia's drivers still are.

I hope your right because if your not then AMD-ATI has won the midrange lol

 

[bigsnyder]

I am not expecting much more from official drivers. I might just stick with a new DX9 card until the midrange DX10 cards go through a refresh.

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: Moose1309

8600gt will follow the same trend as the 6600gt and the 7600gt - start at $200-250 and quickly drop to $100-150

yup, I bought a 7600gt one week after launch, it had already dropped from $210 at launch to $160 :Q