Which of the above should I get? I am not into gaming. Mostly for watching movies, DVD playback. I have Intel D975Xbx2, Q6600 and Vista. Dont want to spend more than $65 on video card. All of the above are under that. The GE8600Gt is 256mb core clock 540mhz. The GE8600Gt overclocked is 512MB. The GE8600GTs is 256MB core clock 675mhz. All are DDR3 PNY Verto.
Components I do not look at gfx cards in a vacuum since, to me, more than any other component, they are an integral part of the system. Questions: what is your present monitor; any near future plans to update monitor; specifically (mfg/model), what is you PSU? Monk
PSU is Corsair VX550w. The monitor I currently use is a 17" Dell crt but I'll be getting a Dell 22" flat screen. I would probably be converting movies using ConvertXtoDvd.
Better 7900 If memory serves, the 8600 was a mid-end DX10 capable card - a stepped down 8800 (NVIDIA's rush to outdo ATI in late 2007 re budget users). The loaded card draws in the neighborhood of 190W and should be OK in a 550W system. It is also is HDCP capable if you wish to connect an external DVD/movie source to your PC. Other than that, the 8600 is really a mediocre offering by today's standards and was rated as average by most reviewers in its day. Your mobo and CPU is more capable than the 8600, and both will likely be insulted by its presence. Oh, mobo is ATI but not SLI capable; the 8600 is an SLI-type card. Regardless, you have not stated a need for either. IF you want to stay with NVIDIA and at this level, I invite you read about the 7900 released in 2006 and very highly rated. It is not DX10 capable but you apparently would have no use for that. I searched the Net and found that you can get this card for about $75; a far superior performer v. the 8600. Whatever you buy, make sure the card can run the native resolution of the monitor you anticipate getting. The 7900 will handle most anything up to about 2500 x 1600 digital (I don't have the exact numbers). In the end, I think you are wise to tailor your card to your needs. But I would suggest researching the card's capabilities in the light of those needs (and anticipated monitor - by flat screen I assume you mean LCD - and that's a buying challenge). There are many good tech sites that rate cards (all hardware) and I would suggest you read a few reviews; although they rely on game performance to a greater degree, you can get a good idea of what you are getting. Monk