Hardware XFX GeForce 8600 GT 620M XXX Edition

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2007/08/23/xfx_geforce_8600_gt_xxx_edition/1

XFX gets all pornographic on us with its pre-overclocked GeForce 8600 GT 620M XXX Edition. Is this an XXX worth looking at, or is it just another B-grade Blue movie to avoid? Read on as we find out...

 

Negative h264 is the format of choice for anime fan subs and is quite cpu intensive (need about athlon 3200+ to decode the 1280x720vids smooth) but nice quality video for the file size. (usualy 300mbish for 20mins of 1280x720)

 

what kind of bitrate are you looking at for those?

Most protected H.264 content requires a dual-core CPU to decode if you don't have PureVideo HD/Avivo HD offload.

 

Kipman is right, 300meg or so for 20-ish mins. Tho none of it is protected.

But ive seen it take a hit of my X2 whilst playing the vids. The 1080p anime stuffs is even more hungry, as long as a GPU can off load the workload then that would be the one i'd be getting but im not looking to upgrade.

 

is it just me or does this mostly show that the x1950xt is quite a card, and that the 2xxx serise is crap... ATi... good card, AMD take over.... bad card... damn... i was really hoping that the take over would do better for AMD and not worse for ATi. ATi doesnt seem to be getting as much of the budget as it should.

 

That cooler seems rather small, what were the temperatures on that card compared to the in-case temperature? Other than that, the prices is really rather reasonable.

 

Keep in mind that the 2xxx series was in development well before the takeover. Also, it's not unusual for graphics makers to have a generation that's good followed by one that isn't quite so hot. Look at NV's 5 series. I think they'll be looking to hide from the flak from that one for yeaaaarsss.

NVidia won this "lead up to/initial DX10 launch" plain and simple. AMD is best served by looking at what it can ADD to the market in its next generation's card, hoping to come up with something different and better to take the performance back next time.

 

Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS 256MB - operating at 450/1320MHz using Catalyst 7.7 WHQL

Nice review tho.

 

To be honest, the 8600 GT on laptops deserves some respect. On the desktop, it's *not bad* at best. In hindsight, the whole R600 and G80 families weren't much of an overall improvement over the prior generation anyway...

 

ta for picking up on that one

 

For the most part, the mid-range isn't as good as it should be... this particular card *isn't bad*, but it's not one that gets an outright recommendation either. That's not XFX's fault though, it's because the chip the card is using just isn't fast enough. However, the high end is pretty impressive IMO.

 

Nice review

Pity that XFX have left that... err, how I could say it in English That black piece of plastic with XFX logo on the side of the card... XFX 7900gs cards has it: Link (Hopefully the link works)

 

ohh, I know what you mean, the support along the top. I think that's only a feature on the higher-end cards.

 

Yea, that's it! Thanks Tim!

 

I don't have any copy protected files but you need an entire extra core just to do the copy prevention?!?! :O

 

It's what's required to decrypt the DRM... if you've got a 8600/2600 though, you only need a single core CPU to play protected content. Completely crazy, I know - if piracy wasn't so prevalent, paying customers wouldn't be getting screwed over.

 

Why don't you guys test with a Source Engined product any more? I mean bugger all people will be playing Prey and alot more will be on HL2, CSSource and soon eps 2 so throwing out testing and a valid comparison on that seems really silly. Abmittedly Prey is a Doom3 engine, but that engine is pretty much dead esp as ET QW isn't really the same engine now.

 

When Episode Two comes out, it'll be added to the suite... TF2 will most-likely be added too.

 

I wish cards a few generations older were compared to today's mid-end range cards so people could see if there is an improvement or not. Of course I say that because I am in need of such information, but I understand no one does it because of the additonal work.

 

Will Alan Wake be there too when it is released?