8500gt or 8600gt?

Considering you can find a 8600GT for $15 more, I would go with the 8600GT myself.

If your looking for image quality or high-def video why don't you get an HD2600?

the ones i was looking at, were 20-40 more. i dont want to spend extra if i won't see a difference.

i was going to, but then i read this http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3047 is that wrong or has the 2600 overtaken the 8600 in the 5 months?

There shouldn't be any difference in image quality. Performance may be better with the 8600GT, I don't know if there is any for just HD Video.

I use a 8500GT in my media PC, playing HDTV + DVD's (don't have Blu-ray or HD-DVD) and it runs just fine. Had a 6600 and before that, a 5200 in there and it ran like crap.

DO NOT get an 8500GT EVER!
What a piece of worthless junk x2. I got ripped. lol
I wanted to try SLI on a budget recently and I bought two of them and it was still nothing lol. I sold them, and bought 2 8600 GTSs, and they are great together in my second machine.

They are fine in a single config too for practically anything, but don't expect it to scream in something that is graphically intensive.

The 8500 is crap. For a little more you get a lot more in an 8600.

Seems to me any of these lower end Geforce Cards are worthless if you want to play the newest stuff. DX10 at less than 30 fps is not fun at all.

The OP said they don't game, so for that, the 8500GT should be fine for their needs. If they DID game, then I'd suggest going the 8600's.

the 2600 has a better UVD.. the HD3800s have better ones but cost considerabley more.. 2600 also keeps CPU load down.. shouldn't be a big difference in quality however

this cheap enough?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

The one time someone does want to play a game with an 8500 is the time they will wish they spent a tad extra.
This was my position, and I had to do it after the fact.

I wish people would read the posts before they replied... he's not gaming. the 8600/2600 would be your best bet. I thought I heard something about the 8400/2400 having trouble with 1920x1080... don't quote me on that though. I would recommend the 2600, their dvd post processsing is free, unlike nvidia's purevideo or whatever.