8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

[James_Patterson]

Alright I am upgrading my Video card from a 7300le to Either a 8600gts or a 2900xt. I can get an 8600gts for abut AUS$275 and a HD2600xt for about AUS$179. I've looked at benchmarks and the such for both, but I just wanted your opinion before making the desicision. Also Please don't mention SLi or Crossfire, because my motherboard supports neither.

Here are my (Crappy) Specs.

Edit: Pentium D930 3.00ghz (My bad)
160gb Hard Drive
7300le (Soon ot be replaced)
1gb DDR2 (Updating to 2gb)
350w Power Supply

[Giatrosis]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

Gonna need a beefier power supply I think, and correct me if I'm wrong but your CPU would be the bottleneck for your system (if you grabbed a new graphics card).

[=98=]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

I don't believe the CPU will bottleneck this, more Gia is right that you will need a better PSU. 350W is no way enough and you will run into trouble with it (which could end in friend hardware). Also, make sure you have a decent hard disk, because that too can cause bottlenecks. For example, if you have a crappy 160gb 5400rpm IDE drive, your not going to go places fast. At the moment you really want a SATA2 disk which will help increase the bandwidth of data that can be transferred.

[colony]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

the HD2600XT is cheaper, but in performance the 8600GTS makes it cry daddy

[Stillhouse]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

I'd probably go with the 8600, but either way your PSU won't be able to power them sufficiently.

[TheSpark29]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

OK, first, YOU DO NOT NEED A NEW PSU!!

Hear me out. PD 930=100W, 8600GTS=50W, Mobo=30W, HDD=15W, RAM=10W, DVD Drive=10W. Total= 215W. Running a PSU at 2/3 its maximum load is perfectly safe. The example wattages I gave are extremely exaggerated and your system will pull nowhere near 215W under load. I would only consider a new PSU if your current one is very old. And nobody give me the "Not enough Amps" argument, because it's invalid also. There is nothing in his system or future system what will heavily stress the 12V rail. If all the current in the exaggerated example above is on the 12V rail, only 18A would be drawn! BUT, the exaggerated 215W, includes wattage on the 3.3 and 5V rails. So the current on the 12V rail will be much less! So unless the OP's PSU cannot supply 18A on the (combined) 12V rails(s), he might need a new PSU. Plz correct me if I'm wrong.

Now for the graphics card. It depends how tight your money is. If you can afford it, go for the 8600GTS. Preforms notably better than the HD2600XT and is well worth the extra money.

And your CPU won't be much of a bottleneck.

[Fender]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

ok a 8600gts willbottleneck the p4 ive tried it and the 8600gts requrement is a 375watts but thats what i know an done

[WNx Makka99]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

i read a review in a magazine that the HD version of the 2600xt performed better than the 8800gtx. i think you might be btter off with a normal 2600xt. i dont know i might have read wrong.

[solofowaffles]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

i read a review in a magazine that the HD version of the 2600xt performed better than the 8800gtx. i think you might be btter off with a normal 2600xt. i dont know i might have read wrong.

in games?HELL NO,the 8800 gtx kills it,but im assuming your talking about the hd playing abilities of the 2600xt since the 8800 cards dont suport hdcp i think.

[WNx Makka99]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

in games?HELL NO,the 8800 gtx kills it,but im assuming your talking about the hd playing abilities of the 2600xt since the 8800 cards dont suport hdcp i think.

i dont really know, i just skimmed the review and the only words i really saw were HD2600XT beats an 8800GTX in some test. i think it couldhave been hd playing or something, as i said i might have read wrong

EDIT: AAAHHHH i get it now....it was the HD2900XT they were testing. i read it upside down...

[James_Patterson]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

Ok so basically if i get the new graphics card, I'm going to need a new CPU so it doesn't bottleneck, which in turn will need a new motherboard, and i will possibly need a new PSU. So basically I need revamp my entire PC, but being a High School Student I cannot afford all these changes, unless I sell my entire current PC and start from scratch with the extra money which i will not be allowed to do. And No it is not an old system, I got it last August so the parts shouldn't be falling apart.

So this thread is becoming moreso a "Will my system specs be enough to support an 8600gts properly, or won't it"

Post comments.

[TheSpark29]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

Listen

If there is a bottleneck, it will be .5 FPS. I seriously doubt there will be a bottleneck. I have a Pentium D 945, and a X1950Pro. Your Pentium D is a little slower than mine. A 8600GT is about equal to a X1950PRO. You won't have a bottleneck. You don't need a new CPU. Again, I proved how your PSU will be OK. Since you got it in August, you're OK. Your system is fine. Just get the 8600GTS.

i just skimmed the review and the only words i really saw were HD2600XT beats an 8800GTX in some test

There is only ONE version of the HD2600XT. Its full name is the HD2600XT. Or 2600XT for short. A 1950Pro is the same thing as a X1950Pro, right?

If the HD2600XT beat the 8800GTX, than it was some synthetic test specifically designed for the HD2600XT. Like a CPU utilization during a HD movie.

ok a 8600gts willbottleneck the p4 ive tried it and the 8600gts requrement is a 375watts but thats what i know an done

The OP has a Pentium D, not a Pentium 4. And yes a P4 will be bottlenecked. A PD will not be. And the PSU requierments that come with cards are extremely overestimated. But this is done on purpose to ensure that customers do not have power issues. The 8600GT only draws 50W under load. a 350W PSU can easily handle that.

Does this clear up some things?

[solofowaffles]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

Listen

If there is a bottleneck, it will be .5 FPS. I seriously doubt there will be a bottleneck. I have a Pentium D 945, and a X1950Pro. Your Pentium D is a little slower than mine. A 8600GT is about equal to a X1950PRO. You won't have a bottleneck. You don't need a new CPU. Again, I proved how your PSU will be OK. Since you got it in August, you're OK. Your system is fine. Just get the 8600GTS.


There is only ONE version of the HD2600XT. Its full name is the HD2600XT. Or 2600XT for short. A 1950Pro is the same thing as a X1950Pro, right?

If the HD2600XT beat the 8800GTX, than it was some synthetic test specifically designed for the HD2600XT. Like a CPU utilization during a HD movie.

The OP has a Pentium D, not a Pentium 4. And yes a P4 will be bottlenecked. A PD will not be.

Does this clear up some things?

not to be a jerk(serious) but the op does have a p4

[TheSpark29]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

not to be a jerk(serious) but the op does have a p4

Thanks for the catch. (seriously) But unfortunatly a Pentium 4 930 doesn't exist. The OP needs to clear this up. Since the model number "930" refers to a 3GHz Pentium D 930. But it could also be a mistype for Pentium 4 630, which is also run at 3GHz. I assumed the former.

So OP: Do you have a Pentium D 930, or a Pentium 4 630? Both are run at 3GHz.

[colony]

Re: 8600gts v.s. hd2600xt

I think he means Pentium D 930. It is a Pentium 4, just with 2 cores instead of 1. A 3.0Ghz Pentium D isn't too bad, I don't think you have to revamp your system. I say if anything, get a good cooler for that chip and overclock it to 3.6-3.8GHz (possibly more) and you should definitely be fine.

350W psu SHOULD be good to go with your system and a 2600XT/8600