Nvidia jumped the gun on Windows Vista and DirectX10 when it launched the high-priced and equally high-performance GeForce 8800 GTX and GTS graphics processing units last year. While the ATI/AMD complex has yet to release a single DirectX 10 product, Nvidia pushes into budget territory with a trio of cards in the sub-$200 range. The GeForce 8600 GTS leads the pack, while the GeForce 8600 GT and GeForce 8500 GT follow behind. Expect to find all of the cards available in stores and online on April 17.
PNY GeForce 8600 GTS
The GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB comes with 32 stream processors, one-third of the 96 processor GeForce 8800 GTS, and one-quarter of the flagship 128 processor 8800 GTX. Stock GeForce 8600 GTS cards have a 675MHz core clock paired with a 1.45GHz shader clock, and 256MB of GDDR3 memory at an effective speed of 2.0GHz. The value-oriented GeForce 8600 GT has the same engine as the GeForce 8600 GTS; however, Nvidia reduced the core and shader speeds to 540MHz and 1.19GHz, respectively. The company also throttled the memory back to an effective speed of 1.4GHz.
In comparison to the 8600s, Nvidia trimmed the budget-oriented GeForce 8500 GT down to 16 stream processors and reduced the clock speeds even further. The 8500 GT gets to muck about with a 450MHz core and 900MHz shader clock paired with downright anemic 800MHz memory.
PNY GeForce 8600 GTS
The GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB comes with 32 stream processors, one-third of the 96 processor GeForce 8800 GTS, and one-quarter of the flagship 128 processor 8800 GTX. Stock GeForce 8600 GTS cards have a 675MHz core clock paired with a 1.45GHz shader clock, and 256MB of GDDR3 memory at an effective speed of 2.0GHz. The value-oriented GeForce 8600 GT has the same engine as the GeForce 8600 GTS; however, Nvidia reduced the core and shader speeds to 540MHz and 1.19GHz, respectively. The company also throttled the memory back to an effective speed of 1.4GHz.
In comparison to the 8600s, Nvidia trimmed the budget-oriented GeForce 8500 GT down to 16 stream processors and reduced the clock speeds even further. The 8500 GT gets to muck about with a 450MHz core and 900MHz shader clock paired with downright anemic 800MHz memory.