8600GTS 256Mb Vs X1950Pro 512MB

[bluemaverick]

8600GTS 256Mb Vs X1950Pro 512MB, which will be a better choice for gaming?

 

[RussianSensation]

I would not upgrade from 7800GT to either of these as they are not enough of an upgrade to warrant spending $150-200 imo. What resolution do you play at? For anything with AA at 1600x1200 and under or with 0AA at 1920x1200, I'd consider 8800GTS 320mb. If you are on a budget, grab X1950XT as it is better than both of these.

 

[nemesismk2]

I agree that they wouldn't be much of an upgrade from the 7800 GT

 

[nyker96]

I'd get myself a 8800GTS 320 or better for an upgrade.

 

[dealmaster00]

http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2975&p=1

 

[Arkaign]

Your current 7800 is better than the 8600 in most games. The X1950Pro is a lot slower than the similarly priced X1950XT, which is truly your best bet for a noticeable upgrade that won't smash your wallet. 8800s are very sweet, but still some driver hiccups here and there, and the refresh is probably imminent at this point. 8600 is nearly impossible to recommend due to horrible 3d performance and though it can run DX10, it can only do so at unplayable frame rates. Not bad for a HTPC though.

In short 8800 > 1950XT > 1950Pro > 7800 > 8600

 

[superbooga]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Your current 7800 is better than the 8600 in most games. The X1950Pro is a lot slower than the similarly priced X1950XT, which is truly your best bet for a noticeable upgrade that won't smash your wallet. 8800s are very sweet, but still some driver hiccups here and there, and the refresh is probably imminent at this point. 8600 is nearly impossible to recommend due to horrible 3d performance and though it can run DX10, it can only do so at unplayable frame rates. Not bad for a HTPC though.

In short 8800 > 1950XT > 1950Pro > 7800 > 8600

Absolutely not true.

Why do people keep putting the 8600GTS down? Yeah, the card is kinda expensive for its performance, but it does not suck.

Seriously, go look at benchmarks. And don't just cherry-pick them.

BF2: 1950Pro
BF2142: 1950Pro
FEAR: 1950Pro
Oblivion: 8600GTS
Rainbow Six Vegas: Even
STALKER: 8600GTS
Lost Planet: Even

Overall the 8600GTS and 1950Pro are pretty close, the former doing better in the newer games. Against the 7800GT the 8600GTS would win almost every benchmark.

 

[Arkaign]

So the 8600 wins two out of seven benchmarks? Against an old card? Yeah, it DOES suck.

His 7800GT is the overclocked variety, so it's likely to be pretty close to the X1950Pro. Looking at THG VGA charts, the non-overclocked 7800 isn't far off from the 1950Pro in most games. It certainly wouldn't be much of an upgrade from his 7800GT, in any case.

 

[superbooga]

The 1950Pro wins three out of seven benchmarks? Against a card that sucks? Well the 1950Pro must also suck.

The quality of the win is also important. Take the last four games in that list, which represent newer games. The 8600GTS wins two of them and ties in the other two. In STALKER the 8600GTS is A LOT BETTER the 1950Pro.

Overclocked 7800GT is only about as fast as a stock 7900GS. 7900GS loses to the 1950Pro in more recent games. The 8600GTS beats the 1950Pro in more recent games. In newer games the difference between 7900GS and 8600GTS could be 25% or more. Unified architecture does help...

It's true that it's not a huge upgrade over a 7800GT, but most of the stuff you're saying just isn't true.

 

[Noema]

I have to agree with Arkaign. The 8600GT is a disappointing mid-range card, if it can barely keep up with a mid-range card from last generation. I don't think the upgrade is worth it, either.

Remember the 6600GT? Now that was a mid-range card, because it could give the tops card from the generation that preceded it a run for its money (the 9800Pro)

 

[Arkaign]

Meh, the 8600 is almost impossible to recommend, due to it being so much slower than the 1950XT, which is readily available at similar prices.

Only possible use for the 8600 = HTPC, or systems with really weak power supplies (1950XT is hungry).

 

[Munky]

With the 1950xt being available for about $150, it's hard to recommend any other card in that price range, since it will blow away both the 1950pro and the 8600gts. If you're looking for a final DX9 upgrade, go with the 1950xt, unless you have a cheapo PSU that can't handle it. And if you want a DX10 card, then wait until some DX10 games actually makes it worthwhile to have DX10, and then see which card offers the performance you're looking for at the price you're willing to pay.

 

[bryanW1995]

I have an x1950xt. I read all the articles and sought all kinds of advice, and I got a lot of the same info that everyone is throwing out there right now. You can get an x1950xt for 144.99AR at newegg right now. That is ridiculously cheap for that card. I was planning to just keep this thing for 9 mos or so and then upgrading, but I'm going to wait and see now. Depending on what games I pick up in the next year or two, I could see myself being happy with it for quite a while. Well, unless 30" monitors drop down to $200 in the next 18 mos...

 

[toadeater]

The 8600 is ok for a midrange DX9 card. I wouldn't really consider it a DX10 card. You play a game in DX10 with it and it slows to 15fps, unless you turn everything down. What's the point of that? DX9 with everything turned up looks better.

You know Nvidia is going to release an 8700 and an 8900, no matter what they say right now. I think it's just that ATI's card have been so disappointing that Nvidia doesn't have to do anything new for a while. Why, it's almost a conspiracy...

 

[a4164]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
I have an x1950xt. I read all the articles and sought all kinds of advice, and I got a lot of the same info that everyone is throwing out there right now. You can get an x1950xt for 144.99AR at newegg right now. That is ridiculously cheap for that card. I was planning to just keep this thing for 9 mos or so and then upgrading, but I'm going to wait and see now. Depending on what games I pick up in the next year or two, I could see myself being happy with it for quite a while. Well, unless 30" monitors drop down to $200 in the next 18 mos...

I had a hard time deciding between a HD2600XT, 8600GTS and X1950 Pro. Then I saw that the X1950XT can be had for so little and I jumped on it. I think its DX9 performance is exceptional compared to the new mid-range. Now I can wait for R7x0 and G9x.

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Meh, the 8600 is almost impossible to recommend, due to it being so much slower than the 1950XT, which is readily available at similar prices.

Only possible use for the 8600 = HTPC, or systems with really weak power supplies (1950XT is hungry).

x1950xt is also a loud space heater.

I'd trade my x1900xt/512mb for a GTS straight up.