Zotac GeForce 8600 GT ZONE Edition - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 26th Sep 2007, 15:25

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...zone_edition/1

After a promising start, Zotac is back with its first market differentiator - the ZONE series. This is a series of silently-cooled mid-range and entry level graphics cards designed for home theatre PCs. Join us as we enter the ZONE with an 8600 GT...

Duste · 26th Sep 2007, 15:41

I actually really like the look of this card. It's got some subtle design features that really make it that much better somehow, such as the "PCI slot cover" extending over the sockets/etc... on the PCB. Not only that, but the heatsink looks rather aesthetic when compared to other seemingly ugly heatsinks.

+1 imo.

The_Pope · 26th Sep 2007, 15:57

QFT

Tim S · 26th Sep 2007, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duste

I actually really like the look of this card. It's got some subtle design features that really make it that much better somehow, such as the "PCI slot cover" extending over the sockets/etc... on the PCB. Not only that, but the heatsink looks rather aesthetic when compared to other seemingly ugly heatsinks.

+1 imo.

Yeah, it's a nice card but it's just not outstanding in any one area given its price. I'd get a silent 2600 XT GDDR3 if I was building a home theatre system (around £70), an X1950 Pro if I wanted an out-and-out performer if I wasn't bothered about DX10 and I'd stretch to a bottom-end 8600 GTS (~£110) if I was after DX10 capabilities too.

yakyb · 26th Sep 2007, 16:09

its got to be either a 2400 or a 2900 for home theater depending on if you want to game or not. i dont really see the benefit of this card

steveo_mcg · 26th Sep 2007, 16:25

Unless your running freevo or mythTV in which case you really need an nvidia card, AMD are getting better but they've not earned it yet.

Duste · 26th Sep 2007, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim S

Yeah, it's a nice card but it's just not outstanding in any one area given its price.

Yeah, I'm always a sucker for design over performance. :P

walle · 27th Sep 2007, 04:31

I take a passively cooled graphics card over a fan ditto any day. Zero noise pollution is a blessing; once you’ve gone passively you never go back to the hair fan ever again. Granted...performance wise this card might not be the best one out there, but frankly; you don’t purchase a passively cooled graphics card in the first place if you seek maximum performance eh? silencium is the key here. oh, and nice review by the way.

jakenbake · 27th Sep 2007, 07:13

no temperature graphs? thats what i wanted to see

.

Cupboard · 27th Sep 2007, 16:06

What is the most powerful passive card at the moment? is it still the XFX7950gt? Obviously it doesn't do DX10, but its not like mid end cards do it that well either.

Tim S · 27th Sep 2007, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cupboard

What is the most powerful passive card at the moment? is it still the XFX7950gt? Obviously it doesn't do DX10, but its not like mid end cards do it that well either.

Yeah, I believe the XFX 7950 GT would be somewhere right up with the fastest. I know that there are passive coolers out there for the GeForce 8800 GTS (not sure if it fits the GTX and Ultra) from Thermalright if you're willing to install a third party heatsink and potentially void your warranty (dependent on which manufacturer you buy from).

26th Sep 2007, 15:25	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	Zotac GeForce 8600 GT ZONE Edition http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...zone_edition/1 After a promising start, Zotac is back with its first market differentiator - the ZONE series. This is a series of silently-cooled mid-range and entry level graphics cards designed for home theatre PCs. Join us as we enter the ZONE with an 8600 GT... __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

26th Sep 2007, 16:09	#5
yakyb CK is God!!! Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,069	its got to be either a 2400 or a 2900 for home theater depending on if you want to game or not. i dont really see the benefit of this card __________________ Gaming Box:: q6600 @3.0 :: 9800gtx :: Abit IP35 :: 4gb :: 1.4TB :: akasa eclipse :: Win7 Development:: PhenomII 955BE @3.2 :: 4200 :: asus M4A785 M Evo :: 1.25TB ::Win7 Media Centre :: q6600 @3.0 :: x1950pro :: asus p35 epu :: 8gb :: 320 GB :: Lc17B :: Win7 server:: I7 860 :: p55 gd65 :: 3450 :: 8 TB :: 8gb :: Rebel 12 :: server 2008 R2

26th Sep 2007, 16:25	#6
steveo_mcg What owl? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,987	Unless your running freevo or mythTV in which case you really need an nvidia card, AMD are getting better but they've not earned it yet. __________________ No boom today, boom tomorrow... there's always a boom tomorrow.

27th Sep 2007, 07:13	#9
jakenbake full duplex Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 494	no temperature graphs? thats what i wanted to see . __________________ 1 + 1 = 10

27th Sep 2007, 16:06	#10
Cupboard I'm not a modder. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bury St Edmunds/Durham Uni Posts: 1,845	What is the most powerful passive card at the moment? is it still the XFX7950gt? Obviously it doesn't do DX10, but its not like mid end cards do it that well either. __________________ i7 920, 8800GTS 512, 6GB Corsair all in an Intel DX58SO; 3*320GB RAID5; CM Stacker Samsung Q45.

26th Sep 2007, 15:41	#2
Duste Sierra my delta, bravo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: WA, Australia Posts: 812	I actually really like the look of this card. It's got some subtle design features that really make it that much better somehow, such as the "PCI slot cover" extending over the sockets/etc... on the PCB. Not only that, but the heatsink looks rather aesthetic when compared to other seemingly ugly heatsinks. +1 imo.

26th Sep 2007, 15:57	#3
The_Pope Geoff Richards Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2,089	QFT

27th Sep 2007, 04:31	#8
walle Supermodder Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 364	I take a passively cooled graphics card over a fan ditto any day. Zero noise pollution is a blessing; once you’ve gone passively you never go back to the hair fan ever again. Granted...performance wise this card might not be the best one out there, but frankly; you don’t purchase a passively cooled graphics card in the first place if you seek maximum performance eh? silencium is the key here. oh, and nice review by the way.