GeForce 8500 GT 8500 against ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 Pro

[BorisAro]

Hello!!

My videocard : GV-RX26P512H - 100$ has gone

Powered by ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 Pro GPU

Supports PCI Express and 120 stream processing units
Microsoft DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2.0 support
Integrated with the 512MB GDDR2 memory and 128-bit memory interface
Supports native CrossFire, Avivo™ HD video and displady technology
Features dual DVI-I / D-sub (by adapter) / HDTV /
Supports Dual Dual-link @ high resolution up to dual 2560x1600
HDMI and 5.1 surround audio(by optional adapter)

http://www.giga-byte.com.tw/Product...me=GV-RX26P512H

For the same money my dealer had following:

GV-NX85T512HP -109$
1. Powered by GeForce 8500 GT GPU
2. Supports PCI Express
3. Microsoft DirectX 10 and OpenGL 2.0 support
4. Integrated with the industry's best 512MB GDDR2 memory and 128-bit memory interface
5. Supports SLI and PureVideo technology
6. Features dual DVI-I / D-sub / HDTV
7. Supports Dual-link @ high resolution up to 2560x1600

http://www.giga-byte.com.tw/Product...?ProductID=2574

Any opinions??? Should I wait till the dealer gets the previous card HD 2600 Pro .
GeForce or ATI (8500 or 2600), both are 128bit and 512Mb.

I'm not a gamer.
Motherboard GA-P35-DS3L , E6550, 1Gb

 

[marvelous211]

get 8600gt minimum for modern gaming

 

[ComputerCustomizer]

get the nvidia

 

[F34R1355]

I would recommend this. http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=327727
It is $10 more, but it has free shipping. It is also DDR3 and has 256 bit bus, makes up for having half the ram.

If your motherboard has an Intel chip set then go with the ATI, if not go with the NVidia. (You should have an Intel chip set)

2nd Edit:
Just looking and saw this, http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10005959 if you want to go with the 8500, this is a cheaper, and better one. http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10006398 (Same with 2600 Pro)

 

[lordszone]

if u have to choose between 8500gt and 2600pro, then get a 2600pro as the performance is nearly double.

 

[rodney_ws]

The 8500GT has got to be the most gimped "mainstream" video card ever released by Nvidia. If those are your only two options, you must go with the ATI card. I'm not saying the 2600 is your best option... but if it's 8500 or 2600... well, the choice is obvious.

 

[BorisAro]

Thank You, guys!

I have to go with my dealer.
So it's 2600?

 

[BorisAro]

Some corrections (I've spoke with my dealer)

1. Palit GeForce 8600GT Super – 149$
• Memory: 512MB DDR3 Memory Support
• Memory Interface: 128 bit
2.Palit Radeon HD 2600XT Super – 139$
• Memory Support: 512MB GDDR3
• Memory Interface: 128bit
or remain with
3.GV-RX26P512H – 99$
Integrated with the 512MB GDDR2 memory and 128-bit memory
interface

Please advice, I'm not a gamer.
Actually NVidia or ATI

 

[4745454b]

If you truly play no games, then get the cheapest one. (in this case, the third option.) If you like to play the occasional game, then you should get the 2600XT. It's faster then the 8600GT.

 

[mactronix]

I would say get the 2600xt its the best card there but if you are not worried about games then as has been said get the cheapest.
Mactronix

 

[I]

Since you are not a gamer, there is no need to spend even $100 on a video card. Look at the lower down models. Spending more on a gaming oriented card (even a $100 model) just makes more noise, more heat, needs more power and becomes a more frequent maintenance issue to clean dust out and replace fan later.

 

[F34R1355]

If you seriously think you need to upgrade 2600XT, faster and cheaper. I understand that you say that you are not a gamer, but do you by chance do some kind of graphic design(3D, photoshop)? If you do then you will see the performance gain from the bigger bus, and faster ram speed in the 2600XT. If not you probably would not have any problems with the 2600Pro. I don't understand why people assume that high end graphics are used only for games. Well without knowing anything more about what you would use it for, I would recommend the 2600Pro, it is the cheapest. Also I would see if your dealer has anything with a 256-bit bus with 256MB ram, usually cheaper since the amount of ram sells the card better. I know that I may get some people who don't think the same, but take the Ram * Bus Speed * Bus Width(bits) to get a rough estimate of the performance difference among the same chip set.
Example:
We will use the 2600XT for example (simply because I know it comes in 2 bus "widths")
2600XT = 512 * 700 * 128 = 45875200
Where as If you had only 256Mb Ram but with 256 bit bus width
2600XT = 256 * 700 * 256 = 45875200
I know you can use smaller numbers but rough example.

 

[marvelous211]

If you seriously think you need to upgrade 2600XT, faster and cheaper. I understand that you say that you are not a gamer, but do you by chance do some kind of graphic design(3D, photoshop)? If you do then you will see the performance gain from the bigger bus, and faster ram speed in the 2600XT. If not you probably would not have any problems with the 2600Pro. I don't understand why people assume that high end graphics are used only for games. Well without knowing anything more about what you would use it for, I would recommend the 2600Pro, it is the cheapest. Also I would see if your dealer has anything with a 256-bit bus with 256MB ram, usually cheaper since the amount of ram sells the card better. I know that I may get some people who don't think the same, but take the Ram * Bus Speed * Bus Width(bits) to get a rough estimate of the performance difference among the same chip set.
Example:
We will use the 2600XT for example (simply because I know it comes in 2 bus "widths")
2600XT = 512 * 700 * 128 = 45875200
Where as If you had only 256Mb Ram but with 256 bit bus width
2600XT = 256 * 700 * 256 = 45875200
I know you can use smaller numbers but rough example.

What are those numbers representing? What kind of equation is that and what? Radeon 2600xt doesn't come with 2 different memory bus.

 

[marvelous211]

Were you trying to find effective memory bandwidth of the card? If you were. This is the correct equation for 2600xt.

128 / 8 x 700 x 2 = 32000

That's 32 GB/sec

 

[MickyDee]

I know I'll get a hit for this from some people but I use an 8500 with 512 megs and I play lots of "modern" games (Fear, Quake4, Doom3, Oblivion,Bioshock, WOW, etc..). Most of the time the config utilities set up the games with everything set on high.(I don't have a lot of cash to aford the "high" end cards and here in Canada it was almost $200.00 when I bought it) I can't say I have much to complain about though it works fine for me!!

 

[marvelous211]

I can't say I have much to complain about though it works fine for me!!

That's all that matters.

 

[4745454b]

Example:
We will use the 2600XT for example (simply because I know it comes in 2 bus "widths")
2600XT = 512 * 700 * 128 = 45875200
Where as If you had only 256Mb Ram but with 256 bit bus width
2600XT = 256 * 700 * 256 = 45875200
I know you can use smaller numbers but rough example.

LOL, did anyone else see a problem with this? Now that I've put the results in bold, is it easier to see? (and yes, as was also pointed out, the 2600XT only comes in the 128bit variety.)

While the video card might matter for some programs, I don't believe it play any part in photoshop. Here is a nice (and short) article about increase PS performance.

http://www.farrarfocus.com/ffdd/performance.htm

No where in the article or linked Extremetech article does it say to get a better 3D video card to handle the 2D riggers of PS. PS needs a fast CPU, lots of ram and fast harddrives, not a screaming video card.

 

[randomizer]

Were you trying to find effective memory bandwidth of the card? If you were. This is the correct equation for 2600xt.

No he wasn't, he was using a formula he invented to calculate a number that has no relevance to anything.

I know that I may get some people who don't think the same, but take the Ram * Bus Speed * Bus Width(bits) to get a rough estimate of the performance difference among the same chip set.

He mentioned the amount of RAM in the formula, which is irrelevant. Another problem is that him talking about RAM has nothing to do with the performance difference among chipsets. The chips performs identically, but the cards (if there was a 256-bit 2600XT which I don't believe there is or it would be a semi-decent card) will not. And yes, he did get some people who don't think the same.

EDIT: Oh and those numbers are the same (that he came up with) so according to that, the mysterious 256-bit 2600XT would perform the same as the 128-bit. Whoops, can't see that happening.

 

[F34R1355]

Yeah sorry. No I was just trying to show that a bus width of 256 gives with half the ram give the same ram performance as a bus width of 128 with twice the ram. The speed has no real factor in these equations. The amount of ram is relevant due to the fact that 256MB at 256-bit means faster transfer but at the same time you have less available so more time would be spent writing. I am not saying that a 256-bit 2600XT would be the same a a 128-bit. I am saying that with half the ram the performance would be comparable. After rereading what I put down I don't understand what I was doing there. ( 3 days up will do that I guess) And as far as photoshop I was aiming more for the Illustrator side, and the 3d Rendering effects, I know that it does not require to do 2d work. I also realize that a 256bit 2600XT (sadly) does not exist. I was thinking of the 1650XT. If you think that what I say is wrong then test it and show the results. I know that the bus makes a difference, and have known this since the MX440, ordered 2 128MB ones at the same time, but they performed different. Same Brand, Ram, Clock, the difference was one had a bigger bus. As far as the equation that I made is concerned, it is useless, unless you want a big number. Still I think that he would be better off with the 2600Pro unless he is doing 3D modeling.
If anybody figure out a use for that garbled number please let me know... lol

 

[randomizer]

The bus speed is important, far more than the amount of memory. The 256-bit card with 256Mb RAM (if it existed) would beat the 512Mb card with only a 128-bit bus.
If we leave RAM speed the same (so we can remove it from your equation ) but we change some of the values and extrapolate further:

1024MB with 64-bit bus: 1024 * 64 = 65536
256Mb with 256-bit bus: 256 * 256 = 65536

I assure you the 256Mb card would absolutely destroy the 1gb card.

 

[mactronix]

Marvelous is using the correct equation but i think randomiser has explaining it pretty well i know cars ar not a good annalogy for performance(Engines etc) but i would liken it to trying to get 256 cars down 64 lanes or 256 ie bandwidth then it would take 4 journeys to get them down the 64 lanes but only 1 down the 256 lanes.
So it should be obvious where the better performance lies.
Mactronix

 

[marvelous211]

Yeah sorry. No I was just trying to show that a bus width of 256 gives with half the ram give the same ram performance as a bus width of 128 with twice the ram. The speed has no real factor in these equations. The amount of ram is relevant due to the fact that 256MB at 256-bit means faster transfer but at the same time you have less available so more time would be spent writing. I am not saying that a 256-bit 2600XT would be the same a a 128-bit. I am saying that with half the ram the performance would be comparable. After rereading what I put down I don't understand what I was doing there. ( 3 days up will do that I guess) And as far as photoshop I was aiming more for the Illustrator side, and the 3d Rendering effects, I know that it does not require to do 2d work. I also realize that a 256bit 2600XT (sadly) does not exist. I was thinking of the 1650XT. If you think that what I say is wrong then test it and show the results. I know that the bus makes a difference, and have known this since the MX440, ordered 2 128MB ones at the same time, but they performed different. Same Brand, Ram, Clock, the difference was one had a bigger bus. As far as the equation that I made is concerned, it is useless, unless you want a big number. Still I think that he would be better off with the 2600Pro unless he is doing 3D modeling.
If anybody figure out a use for that garbled number please let me know... lol

Wrong... Do yourself a favor. Don't do anymore calculations for us. Some of us actually know what we are talking about.

And FYI there is no 256bit 1650xt either.

 

[F34R1355]

Randomizer is saying the same thing I am. As far as a X1650XT 256-bit, it was a special release (Asus I believe), I know the I saw the thing and almost ordered one. To summerize what I am trying to say, same amount of ram, same speed wider bus = faster card. As far as cars on the road, can't say I have thought of it that way. I think of pipes, more specifically drains. It was X1650XT Xtreme Gamer, come to think of it, I saw the card on new egg. That was the only place I saw it. It was a useless card being that it was AGP, but I know that I have seen it. At the time I thought that there where only two bus sizes for the 1600 series (128, and 64). If you want to waste your time at some point you can try to find it. Why do you quote the whole post?
I don't see why to argue about this on the ram, the bottleneck is usually the core. Go ahead and tell me why I wrong at saying that.

 

[marvelous211]

Randomizer is saying the same thing I am. As far as a X1650XT 256-bit, it was a special release (Asus I believe), I know the I saw the thing and almost ordered one. To summerize what I am trying to say, same amount of ram, same speed wider bus = faster card. As far as cars on the road, can't say I have thought of it that way. I think of pipes, more specifically drains. It was X1650XT Xtreme Gamer, come to think of it, I saw the card on new egg. That was the only place I saw it. It was a useless card being that it was AGP, but I know that I have seen it. At the time I thought that there where only two bus sizes for the 1600 series (128, and 64). If you want to waste your time at some point you can try to find it. Why do you quote the whole post?
I don't see why to argue about this on the ram, the bottleneck is usually the core. Go ahead and tell me why I wrong at saying that.

Just stop while you are ahead. Although you were never ahead to begin with.

Ramdomizer is not saying the same thing. He made you look clueless with your equation and logic. :lol:

You got a link to 1650xt having 256bit memory bus? You will never find it because 3rd party can't change memory bus on their cards except what ATI intended. They can use faster memory however and overclock their cards.

Fact that you give your opinion is great but you need to know what you are talking about first.

 

[mactronix]

HIS made a big thing of their 256bit internal memory ring bus on a X1650XT maybe that is where the confusion is coming from.
Mactronix