Geforce 8600GTS: too good to be true?

[Dougx1317]

I'm looking for a video card for my bro's new computer. It'll be use for vista ultimate 64-bit, watching HD movies, and some light gaming. I want it to work well with Aero. I won't be overclocking it at all. The system will have an Intel E7200 and 4GB of 800Mhz RAM.

I was looking into a Geforce 8600GT or 8600GTS. The GTS seems like a really overclocked GT. Is the 8600GTS really as good as the specs make it look at (675 Core/1450 Shader/2000 Mem)? Is there any other major difference? What is the performance change? Which would you recommend?

Difference between GT and GTS:
135Mhz higher Core Clock
600Mhz higher Memory Clock
260Mhz higher Shader Clock


The 8800's are out of my price range, but I could get a 8500GT if that would make more sense.

 

[invisik]

both card are very weak for light gaming. If i had to pick i would pick the 8600gts its faster and you dont want to oc so getting that would be the best. do u purchase from newegg? look at the 3850 or the 8800gso they can be found very cheap these days.

 

[runswindows95]

Better off with the 9600GSO or the HD4670. The 8600GTS is pretty much a 9500GT that requires a power connector.

 

[megame255]

It'd help to know what your budget is to be able to recommend anything. The 8600GTS will work for light gaming though I'd stay clear of the 8600GT and especially 8500GT for any real gaming. If your PSU can handle it and you want to be able to play any game out there, this doesn't cost much more $ than any of the cards you mentioned and is far more powerful: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133232

 

[megamanx00]

An 8600GTS is pretty weak. At the very least get a Radeon 4670, or if you can spend a few more bucks a 9600GSO.

 

[Dougx1317]

I wasn't expecting to get such harsh feedback about the 8600's. I would like to spend as little as possible, but there is no exact number for my budget. $120 for an 8800gt is more than I wanted to spend.

I found this new PNY Geforce 8600GTS for $47 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=160287145583 I thought that this was a great deal, but tell me if I'm wrong. What better card is there for under $50?

So, for light gaming would the 8600GTS work at all? Or should I move on to a totally different card? What games, besides Crysis, will a 8600GTS have trouble with? I never did get an answer on the difference between a 8600gt and 8600gts.

 

[Onus]

He mentioned "Light gaming." I think an 8600GT will be just fine. Cleeve's latest hierarchy chart doesn't have the HD3300 on it, but if it is fully two tiers better than the HD3200 (which IS on the chart), the 8600GT is three full tiers better than that. The HD3300 will play Guild Wars with most eye candy turned on at 50 FPS on a 1440x900 monitor. Guild Wars isn't super demanding, but neither is "light gaming."
Sure, the HD3850 would be better, but if the budget doesn't allow it, the 8600GT will be just fine. A 9500GT is one tier better (like the 8600GTS), but also does not need an auxilliary power connector.

 

[customisbetter]

An 8600 GTS will max Half life 2 at 1280x1024. Thats about it. I would highly recommend you purchase a 4670 from ATI. Much newer technology and its actually still supported and not constantly flamed on the threads here.
BTW, you missed a sweet deal as i just sold a 8600 GTS on eBay for $30.

 

[roadrunner197069]

4670: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161249

4550: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102799

4350: not on newegg yet. It will be any day.

 

[Dougx1317]

Again, I don't doubt that a 4670 or 8800gt will be better than a 8600gts, but I don't want to spend $100 on a video card. I'm open to any cards better than an 8600gts for about $50. Let me know if you know where I can get a 9500gt, 9600gt, or 4670 for $50 and I'll get it.

Otherwise, how bad will a 8600gts actually be? I still want to know the performance difference between this and all these other cards. Does anyone have benchmarks?

 

[roadrunner197069]

8600GT was good in 1985.

The 4670 will spank it all over the place.

 

[roadrunner197069]

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_4670/26.html

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/hd4550/4.html

You be the judge. If you get the 8600 dont cry when your games suck.

 

[zenmaster]

The 8600GTS would be OK, but that deal is not that great.

This deal has since died, but if you are not in a rush, it gives you an idea of what you can get in your price range..........

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=349290&t=936549

 

[dagger]

If you don't mind the mail in rebate, there's factory oced 9600gso for $55 ar.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130361
Outperforms 9600gt, far outperforms 4670, and blows away the 8600gt.

 

[jaragon13]

If you don't mind the mail in rebate, there's factory oced 9600gso for $55 ar.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130361
Outperforms 9600gt, far outperforms 4670, and blows away the 8600gt.

8800 GT >9600 GT >ATi Radeon 4670/9600 GSO >8600GTS >8600GT
I'd recommend getting the 8800 GT or the HD 4670.
If you're stuck on the damn 8600 GTS,then don't tell us you are,and go buy the thing(granted that it's half the speed and costs 10~ dollars less than the listed HD 4670.)

 

[dagger]

8800 GT >9600 GT >ATi Radeon 4670 >9600 GSO >8600GTS >8600GT

Ranking is mostly right. Although a stock 550mhz core/1600mhz ram 9600gso ranks above 4670 and below 9600gt.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_4670/26.html
The $55 factory oced version at 650mhz core, 1900mhz ram will overshoot 9600gt, although still slower than 8800gt.

 

[Dougx1317]

Where is your 8800GT and HD4670 for $60 (without rebates)? I'm "stuck" on the 8600gts, because people keep suggesting cards that cost over twice my budget. I understand that the GTX280 would be better than all these cards, but that doesn't help me.

 

[dagger]

Where is your 8800GT and HD4670 for $60 (without rebates)? I'm "stuck" on the 8600gts, because people keep suggesting cards that cost over twice my budget. I understand that the GTX280 would be better than all these cards, but that doesn't help me.

There are no 8800gt or 4670 for $60, even if counting in rebates. If you won't consider rebates, 8600gts is the highest you can go. If you do, the oced 9600gso is there.

 

[spathotan]

He needs a card around $50, a $90 4670 is not $50 people. At $50 a 8600GTS is about all there is worth buying.

 

[Dougx1317]

Spathotan's got it! And dagger, I wasn't talking about you; I was talking about jaragon13. Sorry my budget's not higher. The only way I could go a bit higher is if I went down to 2gb of ram. I will consider the 9600gso, though.

 

[dokk2]

any 8600xx is not that bad it's about the same as the 7600xx agp,i even played crysis with that wasn't that bad either,and it only had 256 ram not 512 like most 8600's,Dougx,nevermind us gaming freaks with our overclocked/overpriced/overpowered [small nuclear power plant required ] video cards,,for what you have in mind almost any 8600xx with 512 ram will fill your needs,and if it is not pushed beyond it's strengths will do nicely..

 

[anarchy4sale]

if you can find a 4550 for around that price get it otherwise get the 8600 GTS

 

[Dougx1317]

I'm having a hard time finding anything about the 4550 online. Does anybody know the specs of this card? Newegg has one without much of specs, ebay's got none of them, and there aren't reviews of them anywhere.

Dokk2 brought up that I should have 512mb. Does that make a large difference over on the 8600 cards, the 9600gso, or the 4550? I thought that 512+ of vram was only for enthusiast cards.

 

[rangers]

just a word to the wise, stay away from ebay

 

[spathotan]

They used to sell a few 512mb 8600GTS's, but good luck finding one brand new. Newegg only sells one 256mb, ZipZoomFly dosent sell them at all anymore, and TigerDirect sells three overpriced (Typical TigerDirect prices) 256mb ones.

Its really hard to find something worth buying for a brand new system in the $50 range, and its also really hard to susgest somebody buy a 8600GTS or say its what he/she should buy. I understand you got a budget here, but in the best interest of your money and your bro I susgest finding some way to cut corners in the system or come up with some more $$. I can almost guarantee you that he will not be happy with the 8600GTS, its on par with a 7900GS (I owned both these cards, exactly the same FPS in every game I played them with).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141076 9600 GSO for $80

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500019 factory OCed 9600 GT for $105.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127381 factory OCed 9800 GT for $107 after MIR

Ebay is also an option, ive sold several cards up there easily, including my old 8800GT with a thermaltake DuoOrb cooler for around $85. A quick glance over a search and I see a few 8800GT's, even some first gen 8800GTS's for around $60-$75. Just make sure you go with sellers with 95%+ feedback if they have really high numbers (800+), or 100% if they have low numbers (fewer than 50).

All those cards are considerably better than the 8600GTS, I know the budget, but like I said if you can find some way to cut corners in the build or coax more cash out of him, this should be stuff you are looking for. Raising the bar to around $100 will expand your options tenfold over a $50 budget. Just something to think on.