Passive MSI 8600GT ?

[Ice Tea]

NX8600GT-T2D256EZ



MSI -- MICRO-STAR INT'L CO., LTD.

Are the above cards anygood ?

Thanks

[sleepyhead]

I have the XFX version and it does the job but it's limited when it comes to newer games. It plays F.E.A.R. fine at 1280x1024 with everything turned up and 4xAA (ie according to the test, always above 40fps).

[Ice Tea]

Thanks Sleepyhead

[staffsMike]

I've got the gainward 8500GT silentFX (there is an 8600GT also) and the cooler is great on that. I thought about getting the MSI version when I got the gainward but the cooler didn't get very good reviews from memory.

I think if you are after a passive card the 8600's are pretty good really, they aren't going to blow your socks off but they are good.

[Ice Tea]

The MSI card got a bad review or the cooler on the card scored low ?

[staffsMike]

The cooler was the problem (but not a big deal). It wasn't as bad as single slot designs but it wasn't as good as the gainward which swayed me. I wish I knew where the review was but it was some time ago now.

This was 8500's though not the 8600 but the same designs.

[Ice Tea]

Thanks

[dagger_meerkat]

I've got the gainward 8500GT silentFX (there is an 8600GT also) and the cooler is great on that. I thought about getting the MSI version when I got the gainward but the cooler didn't get very good reviews from memory.

I think if you are after a passive card the 8600's are pretty good really, they aren't going to blow your socks off but they are good.

Mike, what kind of games can you play with that card and at smooth frame rates, was thinking about getting either the one you have for my old machine.

[MSIC]

I read an article earlier (sorry can't find it now as at work but it was a Digg link) that was testing the viability of a Radeon 3450 as a gaming card.
The results (and the included videos recorded using FRAPS) surprised the heck out of me by how good it really was, and the 3450 will not be as good as an 8600GT.

I use a 7600GT (obviously as the name suggests the previous model, but very roughly on a par with the 8600GT) and enjoy Battlefield2, Unreal Tournament 3 and even Quake Wars (demo). I can even play Crysis Demo on low settings and it looks fine to my eyes and is fun.

I think, IMO, when people / reviewers talk about a graphics card not being able to play so-and-so a game they have far higher expectations and standards than i seem to have, since it's the game / gameplay that i like more than just the graphics.

[staffsMike]

8500 is ok, and clocks like a freak if you want to. It'll chug along with most games at 1280 x 1024 which is what the monitor I have on it is @ native res so I'm happy with it. It's not really for gaming though so I've played very little on it.

COD4 works very well, CSS and batelfield 2 work well on it and Rainbow six vegas is happy to chug along on medium detail

A lot of people slate these lower end cards but they are more than capable at playing most games. My laptops 8400gs is a cracker at 1280 x 800
I don't often turn my desktop on to play games because of that

[dagger_meerkat]

I guess prices wil also come down a little bit once the 9900s come to face in June/July or do these lower end cards only get very marginal reductions?

[staffsMike]

not much room to play with them really. £43 is good for the one i have
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

[Ice Tea]

Is there a decent passive 9600GT ?

[HSK]

theres a gigabyte passive 8600gt, pretty good, solid card n design.

[dangel]

I've got the MSI 8600GTS with the same cooler in my HTPC but I don't use it for gaming at all.

[staffsMike]

Is there a decent passive 9600GT ?

There are a few floating around from, ASUS, MSI and Sparkle but they are hard to find.