Game Playability 8600GT v X3100

[Andrew Ossi]

What is the game playabilty of the Nvidia 8600M GT? This is the best upgradeable graphics card for my machine (requires the non-integrated mobo though). Is it still relevant running today's games potentially on my machine? I currently have the Intel X3100 integrated graphics with shared memory up up to 384mb. I believe the GT is 256mb dedicated. Is it worth it to buy a WP044 motherboard (around $60 and the graphics card (around $20)? The rig runs games like Burnout Paradise City and Half-Life 2 fine with medium settings (usually 1024x768 but can go slightly higher) but most games are hit or miss with this card. Any game made after around 2010 is usually out of the question. Would GTA IV run on the 8600?
Dell Inspiron 1520
Core 2 Duo T7700 2.4ghz - 4mbL2 cache, overclocked to 2.6ghz, 1.37vid
4 MB DDR2 RAM
Vista 64
Western Digital 7200 RPM 320gb HD
Intel Graphics with Direct X10, OpenGL 2.0, Shader Model 4.0, 1680x1050 native resolution

Thanks, Andrew

 

[samb_ch]

What is the game playabilty of the Nvidia 8600M GT? This is the best upgradeable graphics card for my machine (requires the non-integrated mobo though). Is it still relevant running today's games potentially on my machine? I currently have the Intel X3100 integrated graphics with shared memory up up to 384mb. I believe the GT is 256mb dedicated. Is it worth it to buy a WP044 motherboard (around $60 and the graphics card (around $20)? The rig runs games like Burnout Paradise City and Half-Life 2 fine with medium settings (usually 1024x768 but can go slightly higher) but most games are hit or miss with this card. Any game made after around 2010 is usually out of the question. Would GTA IV run on the 8600?
Dell Inspiron 1520
Core 2 Duo T7700 2.4ghz - 4mbL2 cache, overclocked to 2.6ghz, 1.37vid
4 MB DDR2 RAM
Vista 64
Western Digital 7200 RPM 320gb HD
Intel Graphics with Direct X10, OpenGL 2.0, Shader Model 4.0, 1680x1050 native resolution

Thanks, Andrew

NVIDIA 8600GT is better than X3100 because X3100 just made for display with lowest dedicated memory. Anyway you still can't play GTA IV with 256MB 8600GT.

 

[TheBigTroll]

you can play those games, but then id highly suggest something much more powerful like a 7750 from amd.